Introduction: University dropout is a problem of great interest to different agents of the education system, since its presence in societies is an indicator of inefficiency, which generates considerable costs for states, universities, students and their families. Objective: Examine the factors that influence students' decision to drop out of university in the city of Medellin (Colombia) for the year 2018. Methods and instruments: A quantitative study was carried out, based on a cross-cutting exploratory-descriptive field design, in which 3026 students participated through the application of a self-administered questionnaire. Results: In addition to economic factors, which are traditionally evaluated in this type of literature, social, family and affective conditions become key incidents when dealing with school dropout as a structural phenomenon. Conclusions: The articulation between directors, administrators, teachers and students is consolidated as a key element in academic retention processes, as a strategy to combat the phenomenon of university dropout.