One-Third Drop Reading Course

The Bureau of Study Counsel may send at a questionnaire to find out why almost one-third of the students enrolled in the four-week reading class have dropped it before completion.

"We are not concerned about the number of dropouts," an official of the department said yesterday, "but we are interested in knowing why many students do not finish the course."

"We believe that students drop the class either because they feel that they have gained everything possible from it, or because they do not want to expend the effort to get up at 8 a.m. five days a week," he stated. "It is possible that some of the dropouts are dissatisfied with the course itself."

The reading class, conducted twice a year, concentrates primarily on improving the student's attitude towards his work, rather than on merely increasing his is reading speed.

Studies conducted by the Bureau, however, have established that the complete course improves an average student's reading rate about 250 to 450 words per minute and increases his comprehension from about 60 to 80 per cent.

There is a fee of $20, but the Financial Aid Office makes funds available to students who need the instruction and cannot afford to pay.