by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many GCSC 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 GCSC. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
There were approximately 525 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 33% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 36% of the students had graduated and after eight years 37% 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 GCSC graduation rate 36%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 471 | 33% |
| Six Years | 525 | 36% |
| Eight Years | 10 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 907 | 63% |
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 907 students or 63% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 907 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
353 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 533 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 353 | 38.9% |
| Dropped Out | 533 | 58.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 20% |
| Asian | 55% |
| Black / African-American | 39% |
| Hispanic | 51% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 45% |
| Unknown | 37% |
| White | 45% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 GCSC are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Gulf Coast State College represent 46.53% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GCSC graduation rate was 45%, and by the eight year mark, 46% 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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 41% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 45% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 47.82% |
361 first-time / full-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
144 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 207 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 2.77% |
| Transferred | 144 | 39.89% |
| Dropped Out | 207 | 57.34% |
First-time / part-time students at Gulf Coast State College represent 35.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GCSC 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 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
380 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
124 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 249 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 1.84% |
| Transferred | 124 | 32.63% |
| Dropped Out | 249 | 65.53% |
Returning / full-time students at Gulf Coast State College represent 6.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GCSC graduation rate was 38%, and by the eight year mark, 39% 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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 38% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 55.07% |
60 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
34 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 25 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.67% |
| Transferred | 34 | 56.67% |
| Dropped Out | 25 | 41.67% |
Returning / part-time students at Gulf Coast State College represent 11.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the GCSC graduation rate was 34%, and by the eight year mark, 34% 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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 34% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 34% | 37.80% |
106 non first-time / part-time students or 66% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
51 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 52 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 2.83% |
| Transferred | 51 | 48.11% |
| Dropped Out | 52 | 49.06% |
