Physics courses are traditionally known for having high dropout and failure rates. In this paper, drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s Sociology of Education, we analyze the relationship between academic performance and dropout in the Physics undergraduate course offered by Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), campus Bento Gonçalves. The data indicate that failure in Physics 1 and Calculus 1 (due to lack of attendance or poor performance) favors dropout, while passing the course contributes to students’ permanence. On the other hand, it was possible to identify approved students who abandoned the course and failed students who remained. We hope that these results contribute to thinking about the effects of academic evaluations on student retention.
Keywords:
Dropout; Evaluation; Judgment; Physics Degree
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