In doing some reading on an intentional Freshmen Ministry, one writer (sorry I dont remember which) said something like, "If you want 100 freshmen involved, you have to enlist 200; 50% will drop out.". One of my huge frustrations through the years has been seeing freshmen disappear.
Why do Freshmen drop out?
-Some attend events looking for friends....if they don't connect relationally, they go elsewhere.
-Some get a part time job after a couple of weeks and their schedule and time availability change completely.
-But, the biggest departure point for us always seemed to be about the halfway point of the semester....when the seriousness of school and the reality of losing a scholarship really kicked in.
So, what do you do? One thing to do is keep records. Do you have a sign in list for your Freshmen events? Or, do your Freshmen Bible Study leaders keep a list of who is there and who is not?
I am convinced that that many miss a week or two because of prepping for a big test, etc and either they are not missed OR they are embarrassed to come. I genuinely believe those two things are key. No body missed me or I'm embarrassed to go back. Staying connected is huge.
A third huge drop out point for Freshmen is when their Freshmen groups end. Some argue that it is best to have specialized Freshmen groups meet following your main weekly event instead of on another night. That way they become attached to the main event that they can attend throughout their college years....not just a Freshmen event that will end at the end of a semester or at the end of freshmen year.
Do 50% of freshmen drop out?
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