by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many GSCC 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 GSCC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes 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 62% students making it past their freshmen year, GSCC 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 Alabama, the average is 66.79%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| GSCC | 62% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Alabama | 66.79% |
There were approximately 675 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed 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, 31% of the students had graduated and after eight years 33% 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 GSCC graduation rate 31%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 615 | 29% |
| Six Years | 675 | 31% |
| Eight Years | 40 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1437 | 67% |
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 1437 students or 67% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1437 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
361 transferred to another institution.
GSCC lost contact with the remaining 1024 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 361 | 25.1% |
| Dropped Out | 1024 | 71.3% |
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 GSCC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Gadsden State Community College represent 55.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSCC graduation rate was 33%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | GSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 31% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 33% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 47.82% |
769 first-time / full-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
126 transferred to another institution.
GSCC lost contact with the remaining 629 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.82% |
| Transferred | 126 | 16.38% |
| Dropped Out | 629 | 81.79% |
First-time / part-time students at Gadsden State Community College represent 20.21% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSCC graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | GSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 21% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 23.72% |
332 first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
114 transferred to another institution.
GSCC lost contact with the remaining 211 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.11% |
| Transferred | 114 | 34.34% |
| Dropped Out | 211 | 63.55% |
Returning / full-time students at Gadsden State Community College represent 11.38% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSCC graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 40% 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 | GSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 55.07% |
146 non first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
59 transferred to another institution.
GSCC lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.05% |
| Transferred | 59 | 40.41% |
| Dropped Out | 84 | 57.53% |
Returning / part-time students at Gadsden State Community College represent 13.20% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GSCC graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 33% 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 | GSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 32% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 33% | 37.80% |
190 non first-time / part-time students or 67% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
28 are still enrolled.
62 transferred to another institution.
GSCC lost contact with the remaining 100 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 28 | 14.74% |
| Transferred | 62 | 32.63% |
| Dropped Out | 100 | 52.63% |
