How common is failure in grad school?

[Arcadian]

I just read the guidelines for my graduate program, and it's really intimidating. There are so many things that can get me dropped from the program. I was just wondering, does anyone know of graduate students who were kicked out for low grades or "unacceptable work"?

[StrangeLight]

yes, i know people who have been kicked out for low grades. i also know people who have been kicked out for "unsatisfactory progress" through the program. that can mean taking 4 years to complete a 2 year MA, stalling on writing a dissertation overview, that sort of thing. also, it's not unheard of in my combined MA/PhD program for people to be awarded the MA, largely as a recognition of the work that went into it, but then not asked to stay for the PhD.

far more common is for people to simply choose to leave. i've seen people leave as soon as they get their MA, even though they knew a year prior that they didn't want to do this anymore. i also know people that leave after the first year because they discover this is just not something that they want. and, a little more disturbing to me, i've seen people leave, or take extended leaves of absence, once they're ABD (all but dissertation). these people have finished their MAs, their coursework, their comps, their overviews, their language tools. all that's left is researching and writing the dissertation. sometimes they've even finished the research! and they quit.

take a look at how many students are accepted to a program in a given year. then look at how many finish the PhD in a given year. even though some take longer than others, the back-up of graduates should even out. my program yields 8-10 new students a year, but we have 2-4 people finishing their PhDs. the other 6 people are going somewhere, right?

[Arcadian]

Interesting. I've been wondering about that. I don't know what the annual "yield" of graduates is at my program, but I'll be sure and ask when I get the chance.

[robot_hamster]

I personally don't know anyone who has failed their classes or been kicked out for not making adequate progress. I think it is more like what Strange Light said, people just up and quit before it actually comes to that. It also might depend on what kind of adviser you have though too. Some advisers are always checking up on you and wondering what you've accomplished since you last talked. Other advisers aren't so much about the bottom line and are just happy that you are there doing your best.

[chaospaladin]

50% of PhD students who begin a PhD program eventually get a PhD. I don't know the % of students who get a MS though.

[neuropsych76]

Like strangelight said, I hear it is far more common to leave the program rather than being kicked out. As you as you're really interesting in the work you're doing and have a decent surrounding department I think there is not much to worry about. The adcom selected you for admission because they thought you could handle the work!

[eklavya]

in most cases, failure in grad school is the function of the student's interest in, and desire to finish the grad work. sure, the school, professors, weather and other factors play in, but as long as the student is determined to graduate with a degree, the failure shouldn't be anywhere close. failure might also be common for those who go to grad school because they thought it would be a nice way to stay in school, and enjoy the 'extension' of undergrad years.

and of course, there are other causes like grad work requiring physical work but the person is physically challenged, professor ditching the school, funding source drying out, and so on.