by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding BCC retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 48% students making it past their freshmen year, BCC has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Massachusetts, the average is 73.02%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| BCC | 48% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Massachusetts | 73.02% |
How many of the estimated 233 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
25% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 26% in six years, and 28% in eight years.
The official graduation rate of BCC is 26%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 207 | 23% |
| Six Years | 233 | 26% |
| Eight Years | 16 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 650 | 72% |
Approximately 650 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 650 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
248 transferred to another institution.
BCC lost contact with the remaining 383 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 248 | 38.2% |
| Dropped Out | 383 | 58.9% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at BCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Berkshire Community College represent 43% of the students in the class of 2015, and 46.35% of BCC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 25%, first-time students in the BCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the BCC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 30% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | BCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 28% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 30% | 47.82% |
271 first-time / full-time students or 70% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
109 transferred to another institution.
BCC lost contact with the remaining 155 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 109 | 40.22% |
| Dropped Out | 155 | 57.20% |
First-time / part-time students at Berkshire Community College represent 30.53% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 14%, first-time, part-time students in the BCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 16%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | BCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
230 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
53 transferred to another institution.
BCC lost contact with the remaining 168 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 3.91% |
| Transferred | 53 | 23.04% |
| Dropped Out | 168 | 73.04% |
107 BCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 11.84% of the students in the class of 2015.
Non first-time students could include transfer students or adults who have returned to school after an absense.
With a six year graduation rate of 44%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 45%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes full-time is: 49.57% after four years, 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | BCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 44% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 55.07% |
59 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
44 transferred to another institution.
BCC lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.69% |
| Transferred | 44 | 74.58% |
| Dropped Out | 14 | 23.73% |
133 BCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 14.71% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 30%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 32%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for non first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 36.03% after six years, 36.03% after eight years.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | BCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 30% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 37.80% |
90 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
42 transferred to another institution.
BCC lost contact with the remaining 46 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.22% |
| Transferred | 42 | 46.67% |
| Dropped Out | 46 | 51.11% |
