by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many DSLCC first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at DSLCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 60% students making it past their freshmen year, DSLCC 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| DSLCC | 60% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
There were approximately 108 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 34% of those students had graduated. By 2025, 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 DSLCC graduation rate 37%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 100 | 34% |
| Six Years | 108 | 37% |
| Eight Years | 4 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 182 | 62% |
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 182 students or 62% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 182 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
DSLCC lost contact with the remaining 143 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 36 | 19.8% |
| Dropped Out | 143 | 78.6% |
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.
The majority of students at DSLCC 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 Mountain Gateway Community College represent 55.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSLCC graduation rate was 47%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | DSLCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 47% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
82 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
18 transferred to another institution.
DSLCC lost contact with the remaining 63 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.22% |
| Transferred | 18 | 21.95% |
| Dropped Out | 63 | 76.83% |
First-time / part-time students at Mountain Gateway Community College represent 17.01% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSLCC graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 14% 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 | DSLCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 10% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 14% | 23.72% |
43 first-time / part-time students or 86% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
6 transferred to another institution.
DSLCC lost contact with the remaining 36 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.33% |
| Transferred | 6 | 13.95% |
| Dropped Out | 36 | 83.72% |
Returning / full-time students at Mountain Gateway Community College represent 9.18% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSLCC graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | DSLCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 37% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
17 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
DSLCC lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 5.88% |
| Transferred | 2 | 11.76% |
| Dropped Out | 14 | 82.35% |
Returning / part-time students at Mountain Gateway Community College represent 18.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the DSLCC graduation rate was 26%, 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 | DSLCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 26% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 37.80% |
40 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.
10 transferred to another institution.
DSLCC lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 10 | 25.00% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 75.00% |
