Dropout And Success: Student Data Analysis

Summary

dataset created from a higher education institution (acquired from several disjoint databases) related to students enrolled in different undergraduate degrees, such as agronomy, design, education, nursing, journalism, management, social service, and technologies. The dataset includes information known at the time of student enrollment (academic path, demographics, and social-economic factors) and the students' academic performance at the end of the first and second semesters. The data is used to build classification models to predict students' dropout and academic sucess. The problem is formulated as a three category classification task, in which there is a strong imbalance towards one of the classes.

Introduction

This dataset delves into the correlation between dropout rates and student success in various educational settings. It includes comprehensive information on student demographics, academic performance, and factors contributing to dropout incidents. The dataset aims to provide valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers to enhance strategies for fostering student retention and academic achievement.

Dataset

The dataset includes information known at the time of student enrollment – academic path, demographics, and social-economic factors.

- Marital status: Categorical variable indicating the marital status of the individual.
(1 – single 2 – married 3 – widower 4 – divorced 5 – facto union 6 – legally separated)

- Application mode: Categorical variable indicating the mode of application.
(1 - 1st phase - general contingent 2 - Ordinance No. 612/93 5 - 1st phase - special contingent (Azores Island) 7 - Holders of other higher courses 10 - Ordinance No. 854-B/99 15 - International student (bachelor) 16 - 1st phase - special contingent (Madeira Island) 17 - 2nd phase - general contingent 18 - 3rd phase - general contingent 26 - Ordinance No. 533-A/99, item b2) (Different Plan) 27 - Ordinance No. 533-A/99, item b3 (Other Institution) 39 - Over 23 years old 42 - Transfer 43 - Change of course 44 - Technological specialization diploma holders 51 - Change of institution/course 53 - Short cycle diploma holders 57 - Change of institution/course (International)).

- Application order: Numeric variable indicating the order of application.
(between 0 - first choice; and 9 last choice).

- Course: Categorical variable indicating the chosen course.
(33 - Biofuel Production Technologies 171 - Animation and Multimedia Design 8014 - Social Service (evening attendance) 9003 - Agronomy 9070 - Communication Design 9085 - Veterinary Nursing 9119 - Informatics Engineering 9130 - Equinculture 9147 - Management 9238 - Social Service 9254 - Tourism 9500 - Nursing 9556 - Oral Hygiene 9670 - Advertising and Marketing Management 9773 - Journalism and Communication 9853 - Basic Education 9991 - Management (evening attendance)).

- evening attendance: Binary variable indicating whether the individual attends classes during the daytime or evening.
(1 for daytime, 0 for evening).

- Previous qualification: Numeric variable indicating the level of the previous qualification.
(1 - Secondary education 2 - Higher education - bachelor's degree 3 - Higher education - degree 4 - Higher education - master's 5 - Higher education - doctorate 6 - Frequency of higher education 9 - 12th year of schooling - not completed 10 - 11th year of schooling - not completed 12 - Other - 11th year of schooling 14 - 10th year of schooling 15 - 10th year of schooling - not completed 19 - Basic education 3rd cycle (9th/10th/11th year) or equiv. 38 - Basic education 2nd cycle (6th/7th/8th year) or equiv. 39 - Technological specialization course 40 - Higher education - degree (1st cycle) 42 - Professional higher technical course 43 - Higher education - master (2nd cycle)).

- Nationality: Categorical variable indicating the nationality of the individual.
(1 - Portuguese; 2 - German; 6 - Spanish; 11 - Italian; 13 - Dutch; 14 - English; 17 - Lithuanian; 21 - Angolan; 22 - Cape Verdean; 24 - Guinean; 25 - Mozambican; 26 - Santomean; 32 - Turkish; 41 - Brazilian; 62 - Romanian; 100 - Moldova (Republic of); 101 - Mexican; 103 - Ukrainian; 105 - Russian; 108 - Cuban; 109 - Colombian).

- Mother's qualification: Numeric variable indicating the level of the mother's qualification.
(1 - Secondary Education - 12th Year of Schooling or Eq. 2 - Higher Education - Bachelor's Degree 3 - Higher Education - Degree 4 - Higher Education - Master's 5 - Higher Education - Doctorate 6 - Frequency of Higher Education 9 - 12th Year of Schooling - Not Completed 10 - 11th Year of Schooling - Not Completed 11 - 7th Year (Old) 12 - Other - 11th Year of Schooling 14 - 10th Year of Schooling 18 - General commerce course 19 - Basic Education 3rd Cycle (9th/10th/11th Year) or Equiv. 22 - Technical-professional course 26 - 7th year of schooling 27 - 2nd cycle of the general high school course 29 - 9th Year of Schooling - Not Completed 30 - 8th year of schooling 34 - Unknown 35 - Can't read or write 36 - Can read without having a 4th year of schooling 37 - Basic education 1st cycle (4th/5th year) or equiv. 38 - Basic Education 2nd Cycle (6th/7th/8th Year) or Equiv. 39 - Technological specialization course 40 - Higher education - degree (1st cycle) 41 - Specialized higher studies course 42 - Professional higher technical course 43 - Higher Education - Master (2nd cycle) 44 - Higher Education - Doctorate (3rd cycle)).

- Father's qualification: Numeric variable indicating the level of the father's qualification.
(1 - Secondary Education - 12th Year of Schooling or Eq. 2 - Higher Education - Bachelor's Degree 3 - Higher Education - Degree 4 - Higher Education - Master's 5 - Higher Education - Doctorate 6 - Frequency of Higher Education 9 - 12th Year of Schooling - Not Completed 10 - 11th Year of Schooling - Not Completed 11 - 7th Year (Old) 12 - Other - 11th Year of Schooling 13 - 2nd year complementary high school course 14 - 10th Year of Schooling 18 - General commerce course 19 - Basic Education 3rd Cycle (9th/10th/11th Year) or Equiv. 20 - Complementary High School Course 22 - Technical-professional course 25 - Complementary High School Course - not concluded 26 - 7th year of schooling 27 - 2nd cycle of the general high school course 29 - 9th Year of Schooling - Not Completed 30 - 8th year of schooling 31 - General Course of Administration and Commerce 33 - Supplementary Accounting and Administration 34 - Unknown 35 - Can't read or write 36 - Can read without having a 4th year of schooling 37 - Basic education 1st cycle (4th/5th year) or equiv. 38 - Basic Education 2nd Cycle (6th/7th/8th Year) or Equiv. 39 - Technological specialization course 40 - Higher education - degree (1st cycle) 41 - Specialized higher studies course 42 - Professional higher technical course 43 - Higher Education - Master (2nd cycle) 44 - Higher Education - Doctorate (3rd cycle)).

- Mother's occupation: Categorical variable indicating the mother's occupation.
(0 - Student 1 - Representatives of the Legislative Power and Executive Bodies, Directors, Directors and Executive Managers 2 - Specialists in Intellectual and Scientific Activities 3 - Intermediate Level Technicians and Professions 4 - Administrative staff 5 - Personal Services, Security and Safety Workers and Sellers 6 - Farmers and Skilled Workers in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 7 - Skilled Workers in Industry, Construction and Craftsmen 8 - Installation and Machine Operators and Assembly Workers 9 - Unskilled Workers 10 - Armed Forces Professions 90 - Other Situation 99 - (blank) 122 - Health professionals 123 - teachers 125 - Specialists in information and communication technologies (ICT) 131 - Intermediate level science and engineering technicians and professions 132 - Technicians and professionals, of intermediate level of health 134 - Intermediate level technicians from legal, social, sports, cultural and similar services 141 - Office workers, secretaries in general and data processing operators 143 - Data, accounting, statistical, financial services and registry-related operators 144 - Other administrative support staff 151 - personal service workers 152 - sellers 153 - Personal care workers and the like 171 - Skilled construction workers and the like, except electricians 173 - Skilled workers in printing, precision instrument manufacturing, jewelers, artisans and the like 175 - Workers in food processing, woodworking, clothing and other industries and crafts 191 - cleaning workers 192 - Unskilled workers in agriculture, animal production, fisheries and forestry 193 - Unskilled workers in extractive industry, construction, manufacturing and transport 194 - Meal preparation assistants).

- Father's occupation: Categorical variable indicating the father's occupation.
(0 - Student 1 - Representatives of the Legislative Power and Executive Bodies, Directors, Directors and Executive Managers 2 - Specialists in Intellectual and Scientific Activities 3 - Intermediate Level Technicians and Professions 4 - Administrative staff 5 - Personal Services, Security and Safety Workers and Sellers 6 - Farmers and Skilled Workers in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 7 - Skilled Workers in Industry, Construction and Craftsmen 8 - Installation and Machine Operators and Assembly Workers 9 - Unskilled Workers 10 - Armed Forces Professions 90 - Other Situation 99 - (blank) 101 - Armed Forces Officers 102 - Armed Forces Sergeants 103 - Other Armed Forces personnel 112 - Directors of administrative and commercial services 114 - Hotel, catering, trade and other services directors 121 - Specialists in the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering and related techniques 122 - Health professionals 123 - teachers 124 - Specialists in finance, accounting, administrative organization, public and commercial relations 131 - Intermediate level science and engineering technicians and professions 132 - Technicians and professionals, of intermediate level of health 134 - Intermediate level technicians from legal, social, sports, cultural and similar services 135 - Information and communication technology technicians 141 - Office workers, secretaries in general and data processing operators 143 - Data, accounting, statistical, financial services and registry-related operators 144 - Other administrative support staff 151 - personal service workers 152 - sellers 153 - Personal care workers and the like 154 - Protection and security services personnel 161 - Market-oriented farmers and skilled agricultural and animal production workers 163 - Farmers, livestock keepers, fishermen, hunters and gatherers, subsistence 171 - Skilled construction workers and the like, except electricians 172 - Skilled workers in metallurgy, metalworking and similar 174 - Skilled workers in electricity and electronics 175 - Workers in food processing, woodworking, clothing and other industries and crafts 181 - Fixed plant and machine operators 182 - assembly workers 183 - Vehicle drivers and mobile equipment operators 192 - Unskilled workers in agriculture, animal production, fisheries and forestry 193 - Unskilled workers in extractive industry, construction, manufacturing and transport 194 - Meal preparation assistants 195 - Street vendors (except food) and street service providers).

- Displaced: Binary variable indicating whether the individual has been displaced (1 – yes 0 – no).

- Educational special needs: Binary variable indicating whether the individual has educational special needs (1 for yes, 0 for no).

- Debtor: Binary variable indicating whether the individual is a debtor (1 for yes, 0 for no).

- Tuition fees up to date: Binary variable indicating whether the tuition fees are up to date (1 for yes, 0 for no).

- Gender: Binary variable indicating the gender of the individual (1 for male, 0 for female).

- Scholarship holder: Binary variable indicating whether the individual holds a scholarship (1 for yes, 0 for no).

- Age at enrollment: Numeric variable indicating the age of the individual at the time of enrollment.

- International: Binary variable indicating whether the individual is international (1 for yes, 0 for no).

- Curricular units 1st sem (credited): Numeric variable indicating the number of credited curricular units in the 1st semester.

- Curricular units 1st sem (enrolled): Numeric variable indicating the number of enrolled curricular units in the 1st semester.

- Curricular units 1st sem (evaluations): Numeric variable indicating the number of evaluations for curricular units in the 1st semester.

- Curricular units 1st sem (approved): Numeric variable indicating the number of approved curricular units in the 1st semester.

- Curricular units 1st sem (grade): Numeric variable indicating the average grade for curricular units in the 1st semester.

- Curricular units 1st sem (without evaluations): Numeric variable indicating the number of curricular units in the 1st semester without evaluations.

- Curricular units 2nd sem (credited): Numeric variable indicating the number of credited curricular units in the 2nd semester.

- Curricular units 2nd sem (enrolled): Numeric variable indicating the number of enrolled curricular units in the 2nd semester.

- Curricular units 2nd sem (evaluations): Numeric variable indicating the number of evaluations for curricular units in the 2nd semester.

- Curricular units 2nd sem (approved): Numeric variable indicating the number of approved curricular units in the 2nd semester.

- Curricular units 2nd sem (grade): Numeric variable indicating the average grade for curricular units in the 2nd semester.

- Curricular units 2nd sem (without evaluations): Numeric variable indicating the number of curricular units in the 2nd semester without evaluations.

- Unemployment rate: variable indicating the unemployment rate(Unemployment rate (%)).

- Inflation rate: Numeric variable indicating the inflation rate(Inflation rate (%)).

- GDP: Numeric variable indicating the Gross Domestic Product.

- output: Categorical variable indicating the target variable (e.g., Dropout, Graduate, Enrolled).