WELCOME BACK: THE RETURN OF COLLEGE DROPOUTS TO SCHOOL

Most of the studies in the literature have focused on finding the causes why students are dropping out but not on why they are coming back to school. This phenomenological research aims to describe the experiences of dropout college students who returned to school. Ten information and technology students participated in the research. The interview data was thematically analyzed. The results affirmed that the factors why the respondents stop attending school are financial-related, student-related, health-related, and family-related. The factors why they returned to school include family factor, peer factor, and free education. When they were dropped out, they were being looked down and adjudged negatively, and feeling down and left behind. When they returned to school, they see themselves grateful, successful, and fortunate of working in the job they want in the future. The findings of this study can be a vital input to crafting programs that can help college students particularly, those former dropouts to finish their baccalaureate degrees.