by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Big Sandy Community and Technical College 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 percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 61% students making it past their freshmen year, Big Sandy Community and Technical College has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Kentucky, the average is 67.55%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kentucky | 67.55% |
Of the 236 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 25% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 29% of the students had graduated and after eight years 30% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduation rate 29%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 207 | 25% |
| Six Years | 236 | 29% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 583 | 70% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 583 students or 70% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 583 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
167 transferred to another institution.
Big Sandy Community and Technical College lost contact with the remaining 410 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 167 | 28.6% |
| Dropped Out | 410 | 70.3% |
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 Big Sandy Community and Technical College are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Big Sandy Community and Technical College represent 69.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 32% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Big Sandy Community and Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 28% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 32% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 47.82% |
391 first-time / full-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
103 transferred to another institution.
Big Sandy Community and Technical College lost contact with the remaining 284 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.02% |
| Transferred | 103 | 26.34% |
| Dropped Out | 284 | 72.63% |
First-time / part-time students at Big Sandy Community and Technical College represent 15.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduation rate was 10%, and by the eight year mark, 12% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Big Sandy Community and Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 12% | 23.72% |
115 first-time / part-time students or 88% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Big Sandy Community and Technical College lost contact with the remaining 89 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.74% |
| Transferred | 24 | 20.87% |
| Dropped Out | 89 | 77.39% |
Returning / full-time students at Big Sandy Community and Technical College represent 8.93% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduation rate was 41%, and by the eight year mark, 42% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Big Sandy Community and Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 41% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
43 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
25 transferred to another institution.
Big Sandy Community and Technical College lost contact with the remaining 18 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 25 | 58.14% |
| Dropped Out | 18 | 41.86% |
Returning / part-time students at Big Sandy Community and Technical College represent 5.19% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 21% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Big Sandy Community and Technical College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
34 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
15 transferred to another institution.
Big Sandy Community and Technical College lost contact with the remaining 19 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 15 | 44.12% |
| Dropped Out | 19 | 55.88% |
