Institutional research indicates 25 percent of students do not return

Emily Endrizzi planned to graduate from the University of South Dakota, but her health had other plans for her.

Endrizzi, who would have graduated in May 2015, left USD after her first semester because of medical reasons.

“It more or less wasn’t a choice,” Endrizzi said.

Every year, 25 percent of students do not return to USD, according to Institutional Research.

Endrizzi said she could have chosen to stay at USD and take a bare minimum of classes, but since her hospital was in Sioux Falls, she chose to transfer to a tech school there instead.

She is now enrolled at the University of Sioux Falls and said she would like to eventually return to USD for graduate school.

“I wanted to stay in school,” Endrizzi said.

Endrizzi, who is studying marketing and management, said she was unaware of USD’s University Center, but would have considered attending it as an option if she would have known.

Endrizzi said students who plan on leaving USD should weigh both sides to staying or leaving, but should eventually go with what they decide is best for them.

“I didn’t talk with counselors,” Endrizzi said. “Get all the information you can.”

Ashly Linscheid, who would have graduated in May, left USD for financial reasons. She is spending her first semester away from USD working in Jackson, Minn. and said she is unsure if she will ever physically return to USD, or will take online classes in the future.

Linscheid, who was studying contemporary media and journalism, said she left USD after she was no longer able to pay tuition. She had friends co-sign loans and filled out the FAFSA before running out of financial aid options.

“You can’t rely on everybody else all the time,” Linscheid said.

Linscheid said she realized she can find work, provide for herself and live life without a degree.

“I don’t have to live my life by the terms society has set,” Linscheid said. “A degree will not define what I’ll do.”

For now, Linscheid said she is taking each day at a time.

“Life has so much to offer,” Linscheid said. “I’m not scared at all.”

Linscheid said for students who have difficulty finding funds for college, to exhaust options such as applying for scholarships and working a few jobs over the summer, but that she was not going to exhaust herself to stay in school.

If the focus is on worrying about money, Linscheid said, then it’s hard to focus on classes.

“I’m not going to kill myself to be there,” Linscheid said. “I’m taking time for me.”