Efforts to address attrition rates at universities have been driven by Tinto's (1975) model of student engagement with its focus on student: (a) pre entry attributes; (b) academic engagement; and (c) social engagement. Using an ethnographic approach, the study involves interviews with business students to explore the links between these aspects and departure intention. The results demonstrate that pre entry attributes were an important influence on student departure intention whereas a student's academic and social experiences were less influential. The analysis provides insights for educators and in particular business educators in the development of strategies to address various aspects of student engagement and attrition.