This work adapted Vincent Tinto's model in order to analyze student dropouts in Civil Engineering at the Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion, Chile (Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception, Chile). The goal of this study was to identify factors that affect student permanence in the chosen major, considering student characteristics, commitment to the institution and academic performance at the university. The methodology used was historical event analysis, modeled via a binary logistic regression, creating a model that predicts correctly in 90.3% of the cases. The variables that best explain drop-outs are family income and student academic performance; however, in the light of the results of this study, a need exists to rethink the relationship between admittance and dropping out. Conclusions are that Tinto's model and its adaptation to Chilean reality are a valid conceptual scheme for examining the student dropout phenomena.