by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to Calvin after their first year? Are Calvin students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 87% students making it past their freshmen year, Calvin has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Calvin | 87% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
How many of the estimated 800 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
After four years 59% of the cohort graduated. After six years 72% had completed their degree, and 73% after eight years.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official Calvin graduation rate 72%.
The typical Calvin student takes 4.19 years to complete their bachelor's degree.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 660 | 60% |
| Six Years | 800 | 72% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 301 | 27% |
Approximately 301 students or 27% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 301 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
204 transferred to another institution.
Calvin lost contact with the remaining 91 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.3% |
| Transferred | 204 | 67.8% |
| Dropped Out | 91 | 30.2% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 20% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Black / African-American | 48% |
| Hispanic | 69% |
| International | 83% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 60% |
| Unknown | 88% |
| White | 78% |
Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.
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 Calvin are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.
First-time / full-time students at Calvin University represent 87% of the students in the class of 2015, and 87.63% of Calvin bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 59%, first-time students in the Calvin class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Calvin graduation rate was 73%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | Calvin | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 59% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 73% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 47.82% |
258 first-time / full-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
175 transferred to another institution.
Calvin lost contact with the remaining 78 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.39% |
| Transferred | 175 | 67.83% |
| Dropped Out | 78 | 30.23% |
First-time / part-time students at Calvin University represent 0.09% of the students in the class of 2015.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | Calvin | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 1% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 1% | 23.72% |
1 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Calvin lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
140 Calvin students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 12.60% 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 70%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 71%.
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 | Calvin | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 70% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 55.07% |
41 non first-time / part-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
28 transferred to another institution.
Calvin lost contact with the remaining 12 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.44% |
| Transferred | 28 | 68.29% |
| Dropped Out | 12 | 29.27% |
2 Calvin students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 0.18% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 50%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 50%.
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 | Calvin | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 50% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 37.80% |
1 non first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
Calvin lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 100.00% |
