by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding GVSU 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 83% students making it past their freshmen year, GVSU 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 Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| GVSU | 83% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
How many of the estimated 4,050 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
35% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 63% in six years, and 65% in eight years.
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 GVSU graduation rate 63%.
The average length of time it takes an GVSU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.51 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2,664 | 41% |
| Six Years | 4,050 | 63% |
| Eight Years | 131 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,249 | 35% |
Approximately 2249 students or 35% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2249 students who did not complete their degree?
29 are still enrolled.
1461 transferred to another institution.
GVSU lost contact with the remaining 745 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 1.3% |
| Transferred | 1461 | 65.0% |
| Dropped Out | 745 | 33.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 64% |
| Black / African-American | 45% |
| Hawaiian | 50% |
| Hispanic | 61% |
| International | 60% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 60% |
| Unknown | 43% |
| White | 71% |
Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.
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 GVSU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.
First-time / full-time students at Grand Valley State University represent 61% of the students in the class of 2015, and 62.49% of GVSU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 35%, first-time students in the GVSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the GVSU graduation rate was 65%, and by the eight year mark, 67% 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 | GVSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 35% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 65% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 47.82% |
1267 first-time / full-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
917 transferred to another institution.
GVSU lost contact with the remaining 326 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 2.29% |
| Transferred | 917 | 72.38% |
| Dropped Out | 326 | 25.73% |
First-time / part-time students at Grand Valley State University represent 0.47% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 13%, first-time, part-time students in the GVSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 20%.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for first-time undergraduates attending classes part-time is: 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, 23.72% after eight years.
| First-Time / Part-Time Completions | GVSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 13% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
24 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
15 transferred to another institution.
GVSU 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 | 15 | 62.50% |
| Dropped Out | 9 | 37.50% |
1991 GVSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 30.91% 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 65%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 66%.
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 | GVSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 65% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 66% | 55.07% |
668 non first-time / part-time students or 34% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
368 transferred to another institution.
GVSU lost contact with the remaining 291 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.35% |
| Transferred | 368 | 55.09% |
| Dropped Out | 291 | 43.56% |
523 GVSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 8.12% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 43%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 44%.
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 | GVSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 43% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 37.80% |
290 non first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
161 transferred to another institution.
GVSU lost contact with the remaining 119 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 3.45% |
| Transferred | 161 | 55.52% |
| Dropped Out | 119 | 41.03% |
