by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding College of Lake County 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.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 72% students making it past their freshmen year, College of Lake County 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| College of Lake County | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
How many of the estimated 980 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% of the students had graduated and after eight years 35% 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 College of Lake County graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 874 | 29% |
| Six Years | 980 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 55 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1948 | 65% |
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 1948 students or 65% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1948 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
792 transferred to another institution.
College of Lake County lost contact with the remaining 1106 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 792 | 40.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1106 | 56.8% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
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.
A meaningful share of students at College of Lake County are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
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 College of Lake County represent 46.23% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the College of Lake County graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | College of Lake County | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 40% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
801 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
348 transferred to another institution.
College of Lake County lost contact with the remaining 424 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 3.62% |
| Transferred | 348 | 43.45% |
| Dropped Out | 424 | 52.93% |
First-time / part-time students at College of Lake County represent 31.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the College of Lake County graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 27% 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 | College of Lake County | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
682 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
18 are still enrolled.
172 transferred to another institution.
College of Lake County lost contact with the remaining 492 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 18 | 2.64% |
| Transferred | 172 | 25.22% |
| Dropped Out | 492 | 72.14% |
Returning / full-time students at College of Lake County represent 8.31% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the College of Lake County graduation rate was 38%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | College of Lake County | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 38% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 55.07% |
155 non first-time / part-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
93 transferred to another institution.
College of Lake County lost contact with the remaining 59 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.94% |
| Transferred | 93 | 60.00% |
| Dropped Out | 59 | 38.06% |
Returning / part-time students at College of Lake County represent 14.08% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the College of Lake County graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | College of Lake County | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 25% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 37.80% |
310 non first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
179 transferred to another institution.
College of Lake County lost contact with the remaining 131 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 179 | 57.74% |
| Dropped Out | 131 | 42.26% |
