Are they drop outs?

Yes, the term dropout is also used for people who do not finish college. Here’s Kanye West’s soundtrack.

It just makes them college dropouts…

First off, I wonder how this question got lurve as a great question…twice! A dropout is anyone who drops out of anything, whether it be college, high school or society. I don’t think there is any official designation as to what a drop out is.

A twist:

College isn’t mandatory and nobody is forced to go. However, more and more people are attending college, to the point where in some places it is assumed that after high school the next thing to do is to attend a college. Are people who choose not to go to college considered dropouts? If they are not, what is the difference between those who choose not to go to college to begin with, and those who go for a semester or two and then decide not to go back?

You can’t “drop out” of something you never started…I’d say they were college “opt-outs”.

if you are refering to “dropout statistics” then no, college does not count. those stats only refer to high school dropouts… and in fact it is not the “drop out rate” that is measured but rather the graduation rate (by comparing the origianl enrollment number and the number of students graduating.—again this is only in reference to high school)

but if you mean just in general, enrolling in college and not graduating, then that seems like a “drop out” to me.

Why would anyone drop out of college? That was where I realized that God didn’t need seven days to create the Earth. He could party for six days and pull an all-nighter.
Yep. Those were the best nine years of my life.

No some people can’t afford to finish. So I don’t consider my friends drop outs. To me drop outs are quitters of something that they had the ability to finish like high school which is free. I was lucky enough to finish college but could not afford my phd therefore I am no quitter just not rich enough.

@goch: the term “drop out” is not necessarily a negative term, it is a description. it may be viewed negatively in some cases, particularly for high school students that do not finish, but as for college “drop outs” there is really not the negative connotation that you are implying.

I have trouble labeling individuals. Looking at one definition online, “To withdraw from participation, as in a game, club, or school”. I would say, he dropped out of College. I would never refer to him as a College Drop Out. He might have withdrawn for many reasons and might decide to continue College someday. In College Administration terminology his Student File might read Dropped Out or other, but I doubt it would state, Drop Out…