This study aims to develop an accurate predictive model for identifying students at risk of academic dropout using Decision Tree and Random Forest algorithms. The research utilizes a publicly available dataset sourced from Kaggle, which includes academic and demographic features such as GPA, attendance, credit load, financial aid status, and exam scores. The methodology involves several stages: data collection, preprocessing (handling missing values, encoding categorical variables, and feature scaling), model training, and evaluation using performance metrics such as Accuracy, Precision, Recall, F1-Score, and Confusion Matrix. Results show that the Random Forest algorithm outperforms Decision Tree in terms of accuracy and robustness, with notable feature importance on math, reading, and writing scores. The findings highlight the potential of machine learning in early detection of dropout risks and provide actionable insights for academic institutions to design timely interventions. This research contributes to the growing field of educational data mining and supports data-driven decision-making processes in higher education management.
