Dropout Prevention
Dropout Risk Interview
A dropout risk interview is a supportive one-to-one conversation with a student who shows signs of disengagement or who says they are thinking of stopping their studies. The goal is not to convince them to stay at any cost, but to understand what is happening and what could help. Many students who consider leaving are dealing with a mix of reasons: motivation, money, health, family, or a course that does not fit. These questions let the student speak freely and be heard.
18 questions
When to use this template
- When a student has been absent more often, has stopped handing in work or seems to have withdrawn from the group.
- When a student tells a teacher, tutor or friend that they are thinking about stopping or changing course.
- After a bad semester, a failed assessment or a major life event that could shake their commitment.
Questions to ask
Opening and listening
- 01How have you been lately?
- 02I have noticed that things seem different recently, and I wanted to check in with you. How does that sound to you?
- 03What is going through your mind about your studies at the moment?
- 04Is there anything you would like me to understand before we start?
Understanding the situation
- 05When did you start to feel this way?
- 06Was there a moment or an event that changed things for you?
- 07What do you enjoy, if anything, in your programme?
- 08What is the hardest part of being here right now?
Life outside the classroom
- 09How are things going outside your studies, in your housing, money or family situation?
- 10Do you have any worries about your health or your well-being that we should know about?
- 11Do you feel you have people around you that you can count on?
Thinking about the future
- 12What did you hope for when you started this programme? Is that still true?
- 13If you did stop, what would you do next?
- 14What would have to change for you to want to continue?
- 15Is there another option, such as a different course, a change of pace or a break, that you have thought about?
Support and next steps
- 16What kind of help would make a real difference for you now?
- 17Which of these would you like me to look into with you, for example tutoring, a lighter timetable, financial advice or a specialist service?
- 18When can we speak again to see how things are going?
Tips for a useful conversation
- Open with care, not with the problem: say what you noticed and that you are here to listen, so the student does not feel under investigation.
- Never judge, argue or try to talk the student out of their feelings: first understand, then look together at the options.
- Present staying, adjusting, changing course and taking a break as real choices, and make clear that the decision belongs to the student.
- Explain what you will do with what you hear and what stays confidential, and agree on a date for the next conversation.
- When a student is in serious difficulty, for example distress, thoughts of harming themselves, health problems or no money for housing or food, refer them without delay to the institution's support services, such as the counselling, health and social services, and stay with them until they have made contact.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting with reproaches about absences or results.
- Pushing the student to stay at any cost, or on the contrary letting them go without exploring options.
- Treating the conversation as a one-off instead of following up.
- Trying to handle serious personal difficulties alone instead of involving the right support services.
Let Passisto Students hold these conversations
The AI agent holds regular voice check-ins with your students and flags those who need help, so advisors can act early.