Nearly one out of every four freshmen at the University of Arizona will not return next semester.

A new study conducted by the US News and World Report estimates that the UA's freshmen dropout rate is 23 percent, much higher than other colleges with similar student populations and academic programs. Although this dropout level appears high, it is a result of Arizona's commitment to offering higher education to as many people as possible.

The high dropout rate is directly linked to the UA's liberal admissions requirements. Students can be admitted into the UA with a fairly low grade point average or with a high school standing in the top half of their class. This creates a freshman class that is possibly not prepared for the academic rigors of college, but as UA President Peter Likins put it, "we give everyone a try."