by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Fortis College - Columbia 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 47% students making it past their freshmen year, Fortis College - Columbia 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 | |
|---|---|
| Fortis College - Columbia | 47% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
How many of the estimated 187 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 46% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 45% of the students had graduated and after eight years 45% of this class completed their degree.
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 Fortis College - Columbia graduation rate 45%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 187 | 45% |
| Six Years | 187 | 45% |
| Eight Years | 0 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 225 | 55% |
Approximately 225 students or 55% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 225 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
55 transferred to another institution.
Fortis College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 170 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 55 | 24.4% |
| Dropped Out | 170 | 75.6% |
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 Fortis College - Columbia 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 Fortis College - Columbia represent 58% of the students in the class of 2015, and 58.29% of Fortis College - Columbia bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 46%, first-time students in the Fortis College - Columbia class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Fortis College - Columbia graduation rate was 46%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | Fortis College - Columbia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 46% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 46% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
128 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
32 transferred to another institution.
Fortis College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 96 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 32 | 25.00% |
| Dropped Out | 96 | 75.00% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on Fortis College - Columbia first-time, part-time students.
175 Fortis College - Columbia students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 42.48% 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 45%, 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 45%.
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 | Fortis College - Columbia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 45% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 55.07% |
97 non first-time / part-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
Fortis College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 23 | 23.71% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 76.29% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on Fortis College - Columbia returning, part-time students.
