by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to CSU after their first year? Are CSU students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 70% students making it past their freshmen year, CSU 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 South Carolina, the average is 65.91%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| CSU | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
How many of the estimated 457 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 23% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 37% of the students had graduated and after eight years 38% 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 CSU graduation rate 37%.
The average CSU student takes 4.37 years to graduate with their bachelors.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 341 | 28% |
| Six Years | 457 | 37% |
| Eight Years | 13 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 751 | 62% |
Approximately 751 students or 62% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 751 students who did not complete their degree?
5 are still enrolled.
536 transferred to another institution.
CSU lost contact with the remaining 213 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.7% |
| Transferred | 536 | 71.4% |
| Dropped Out | 213 | 28.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 67% |
| Black / African-American | 35% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 33% |
| International | 100% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 33% |
| White | 49% |
First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.
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 CSU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?
First-time / full-time students at Charleston Southern University represent 59% of the students in the class of 2015, and 54.92% of CSU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 23%, first-time students in the CSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the CSU graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 36% 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 | CSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 47.82% |
458 first-time / full-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
372 transferred to another institution.
CSU lost contact with the remaining 85 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.09% |
| Transferred | 372 | 81.22% |
| Dropped Out | 85 | 18.56% |
First-time / part-time students at Charleston Southern University represent 1.30% of the students in the class of 2015.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | CSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 1% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 1% | 23.72% |
16 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.
7 transferred to another institution.
CSU lost contact with the remaining 9 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 7 | 43.75% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 56.25% |
357 CSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 29.07% 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 46%, 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 47%.
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 | CSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 46% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 55.07% |
190 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
106 transferred to another institution.
CSU lost contact with the remaining 83 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.53% |
| Transferred | 106 | 55.79% |
| Dropped Out | 83 | 43.68% |
129 CSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 10.50% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 31%, 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 33%.
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 | CSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 31% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 37.80% |
87 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
51 transferred to another institution.
CSU lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 51 | 58.62% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 41.38% |
