College Graduation Rates Steady Despite Increase In Enrollment

November 15, 2002

College Graduation Rates Steady Despite Increase In Enrollment

IOWA CITY, Iowa—Fifty-one percent of college students graduate from baccalaureate institutions within five years of initial enrollment, according to new statistics compiled by ACT. The graduation rate has remained steady over the past four years and has dropped only slightly over the past 10 years (down from 54 percent in 1992), despite the fact that a significantly greater percentage of high school graduates are now attending college.

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Meanwhile, the freshman-to-sophomore retention rate at baccalaureate colleges and universities in the U.S. has changed little over the past decade. In 2002, 74 percent of first-year students returned for their second year of college. This retention rate has remained virtually unchanged, fluctuating by no more than 1 percent up or down, over the past 14 years, despite the increase in college attendance during this period.

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"When the percentage of students going to college increases, it is likely that some of them will be less academically prepared," said Wes Habley, director of the ACT Office for the Enhancement of Educational Practices. "Those students are more likely than others to struggle in the classroom. The fact that graduation rates have remained relatively steady as college enrollment rates have increased should be interpreted as good news. It suggests colleges are paying attention to the needs of students with a greater diversity of academic skills."

Among those programs and services that colleges offer to support student academic success, according to Habley, are: learning assistance programs, which focus on basic skills in mathematics and English as well as on reading and study skills; supplemental instruction, which provides students with additional support in mastering specific course content; and course placement, which aligns students' academic skills with course difficulty. In addition, noted Habley, the academic advising program is pivotal in helping students identify areas of weakness and connecting them to sources of assistance.

"The majority of students who make it through their first year of college and return for their second year will eventually earn their degree," said Habley. "While the transition to college is difficult for many students, those who enter college with more limited academic skills find even greater challenges. For them, getting through that first year is often the toughest hurdle."

The data in this report were compiled from the ACT Institutional Data Questionnaire, which is completed annually by more than 2,500 two-year and baccalaureate institutions across the U.S. The graduation rate information is based on the responses of 1,644 baccalaureate institutions, while the retention rate information is based on the responses of 1,450 baccalaureate institutions.

 

 

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