|
FACULTY/STAFF > DEPARTMENTS & OFFICES >
INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH > STUDENT RETENTION & GRADUATION RATES
Student Retention & Graduation Rates
Colleges pay
lots of attention to the percentage of their new freshmen who return for their
sophomore year as well as the percentage of each freshman cohort who eventually
graduate. These two metrics are reported
to regulatory agencies as well to publishers of college guidebooks and college
choice websites. These two percentages
are widely regarded as proxies for student satisfaction and achievement.
Retention and
graduation rates can and do vary significantly between different colleges and
even from year to year at one college depending upon many variables. Incoming student quality indices such as SAT
scores are highly correlated with retention rates; better students tend to stay
with their studies and their original college.
Based upon analysis of benchmark data from peer colleges, RMU believes
that it has retention and graduation rates that are very comparable with
colleges of similar academic quality
RMU actively
tries to boost its retention and graduation rates. The Center for Student Success and the
Department of Athletics offer extensive tutoring and counseling services to
students who need academic or personal help with various aspects of their
college life. The University also has a
Committee for Student Success with membership from every area of its
operations. The Committee examines
retention data and trends in order to pinpoint and address areas of strength
and weakness.
Here is some recent retention, graduation and transfer-out rate data for RMU:
Freshman to Sophomore Retention - First Time, Full Time Freshmen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reported
in |
Fall 2013 |
Fall 2014 |
Fall 2015 |
Fall 2016 |
Fall 2017 |
Fall 2018 |
Cohort
Beginning |
Fall 12 |
Fall 2013 |
Fall
2014 |
Fall
2015 |
Fall 2016 |
Fall 2017 |
One Year
Retention Rate |
81% |
83% |
85% |
80% |
81% |
81% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six
Year Graduation Rate - First Time, Full Time Freshmen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reported
in |
Fall 2014 |
Fall 2015 |
Fall 2016 |
Fall 2017 | Fall 2018 |
|
Cohort
Beginning |
Fall 2008 |
Fall 2009 |
Fall
2010 |
Fall
2011 |
Fall 2012 |
|
Six Year
Graduation Rate |
62% |
58% |
61% |
61% |
64% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transfer Out Rate - First Time, Full Time Freshman |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reported
in |
Fall 2013 |
Fall 2014 |
Fall 2015 |
Fall 2016 |
Fall 2017 |
Fall 2018 |
Cohort
Beginning |
Fall 2007 |
Fall 2008 |
Fall
2009 |
Fall
2010 |
Fall 2011 |
Fall 2012 |
Original
Cohort Number |
664 |
645 |
722 |
896 |
781 |
844 |
Transferred Out |
206 |
169 |
217 |
219 |
129 |
188 |
Transfer
Out Rate |
31% |
26% |
30% |
24% |
17% |
22% |
|
|
|
|