University of Virginia Library

Academic Attrition Rate
Dropping At University

Undergraduate students are
flunking less and making the dean's
list more often at the University.

In the College of Arts and
Sciences, the largest undergraduate
school at the University, the academic
attrition for the 1968-69
session dropped to 2.6 per cent of
the College enrollment. One-third
of the students in the college made
the dean's list last semester.

The success of students once
they arrive at the University confirm
the outstanding work high
school counselors are doing in
screening students carefully before
recommending them to the University,
says Dr. Ernest H. Ern, dean of
admissions.

Dean Ern notes that 90 per cent
of the students in this fall's entering
class placed in the top two-fifths of
their secondary school classes while
at the same time developing strong
backgrounds in extra-curricular activities.

"When we offer a student
admission, we are confident that he
can do the work here and go on to
take a degree from the University,"
notes the admission dean.

Statistics bear him out: A
breakdown on figures for the
undergraduate College shows that
91 students out of an enrollment of
3,443 were suspended for academic
reasons during 1968-69. Five years
ago 119 students 4.9 per cent of
the College enrollment left
school because of academic deficiencies.

Similar academic records are
being made in the other undergraduate
schools at the University
that admit on the first-year level,
the School of Architecture and the
School of Engineering and Applied
Science.

In the School of Architecture,
30 per cent of the students won
places on the dean's list last
semester while 3 per cent came
under academic suspension. Five
years ago, 17.6 per cent of the
architecture students made the
dean's list while 7.1 were suspended
for academic reasons.