So Cose, Yet So Far: Why Students Stop Short of Graduation
A recent national study found that many community college students drop out of school, even when they are close to finishing their coursework.
By Gibson Cain
A recent national study found that many community college students drop out of school, even when they are close to finishing their coursework. At City College, student interviews suggest that the trend may be occurring here as well, driven by academic pressure, personal challenges and uncertainty about the future. The reasons students leave vary, but one thing is clear: the problem is visible to those who walk the campus halls.
While official City College data for the past five years was not immediately available, students say they have seen the cycle play out repeatedly. Classrooms that start full in the early weeks of the semester gradually thin out. Group projects suddenly lose participants. Names disappear from online discussion boards. Many report that classmates struggle to balance coursework with jobs, commutes, family responsibilities, and the rising cost of living, pressures that often lead to burnout long before graduation day.
City College student Noah Ross, 19, says he has personally felt the strain of staying enrolled. “Yes, I’ve thought about quitting,” Ross said. “Having lots of homework on top of an already heavy load of classwork in classes like discrete math” made him consider stepping away.
Ross says he also knows classmates who have already given up on finishing their programs, often due to logistical issues unrelated to academic ability. “Some couldn’t keep commuting to CCSF for their morning classes,” he explained. “People are academically challenged and lose the drive to come to school every class period.”
His comments reflect a broader pattern. Students who juggle long commutes — particularly across the Bay Area’s unreliable transit infrastructure -- say that one missed train can turn into a missed class, and one missed class becomes many. Those working two jobs to support themselves often find it impossible to keep up with demanding course loads. Others face mental-health challenges or feel isolated in their academic journey.
When asked whether City College provides enough support to help students stay enrolled, Ross was unsure whether the college could solve every barrier. “Students don’t always want to reach out,” he said, pointing to the difficulty some students face when asking for help. Still, he offered one suggestion he believes could make a difference: “Incentivize students with career pathways.”
For many community college students, the connection between coursework and future employment is not always clear. Without a strong sense of where their education is leading, students say it becomes easier to question whether the sacrifices are worth it.
Another student, Jackson Teitel, 20, shared Ross’s experience. He, too, has considered giving up before finishing his program. “Yes, I have, I was given too much homework,” Teitel said. The volume and pace of assignments, he explained, sometimes felt overwhelming alongside his personal obligations.
Teitel says he doesn’t personally know classmates who have dropped out, but he recognizes the pressures that push students away. “Students may find it hard to afford living expenses while also having to put time into academics,” he said. For many, the cost of living in San Francisco creates a constant financial strain that education can’t always compete with.
While Teitel believes City College offers a reasonable level of support, he notes that support alone cannot resolve the deeper challenges. “People struggle on a personal level,” he said. Mental health, uncertainty, and stress often compound, leaving school feeling like one burden too many.
In his view, students who leave near the end of their programs often do so because of uncertainty about what comes next. “Maybe they are unsure of their future, especially career-wise,” Teitel said. Without confidence in a clear career direction, some students feel little motivation to finish the final stretch of their programs.
City College students face pressure not just academically, but also emotionally, financially, and logistically. Even those close to earning a degree may feel overwhelmed, unsupported, or unsure of their direction. The reasons are rarely simple, and often they overlap.
As City College continues its efforts to improve retention, student perspectives highlight the importance of support that extends beyond academics — including clearer career pathways, mental health resources, flexible scheduling options, and campus services that address the real-life pressures facing community college students.
If the national trend holds true locally, understanding why students leave before finishing may be the first step toward helping more of them stay. By listening to student voices, the college can identify what keeps its students going and what causes them to slip silently away before they can cross the finish line.
