Why are non-traditional students more likely to drop out of higher education? A decomposition analysis

Non-traditional students in higher education drop out more often than traditional students. To understand this difference more clearly, this paper examines differences between the two groups of students with regard to sociodemographic characteristics, study contexts and life circumstances, as well as individual assessments of prospects of academic success and the costs and returns of studying. A decomposition analysis shows that student age and study context are two factors that have a particularly strong significance for the higher tendency of non-traditional students to drop out. This paper suggests ways in which theoretical models for explaining educational decisions could be adapted with regard to the special group of non-traditional students.