<i>THE CAUSES OF DROPOUT FROM UNDERGRADUATE COURSES AT A PUBLIC STATE UNIVERSITY AND POSSIBLE PUBLIC POLICIES TO FIGHT IT</i>

Dropout is a complex phenomenon that affects public and private higher education institutions, constituting a major concern for managers and researchers in the field of education. The objective of this study was to identify the causes of dropout among students who entered undergraduate courses from 2014 to 2020 at a college belonging to a public university in the State of S & atilde;o Paulo, aiming at a diagnosis favorable to the planning of public policies to combat. Using a quantitative-qualitative methodology, it was demonstrated that, in general, dropout rates are higher in the first two years of each course, with the majority of students dropping out of courses in the exact sciences area, the degree modality and evening classes. The main reasons for dropping out were: dissatisfaction with my professional choice, family and health problems, financial difficulties, too many theoretical classes and lack of use of new teaching methodologies.