by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to RCC after their first year? Are RCC students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 61% students making it past their freshmen year, RCC 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| RCC | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
Of the 186 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 33% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 22% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% of this class completed their degree.
The official graduation rate of RCC is 22%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 168 | 20% |
| Six Years | 186 | 22% |
| Eight Years | 12 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 642 | 76% |
Approximately 642 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 642 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
143 transferred to another institution.
RCC lost contact with the remaining 491 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 143 | 22.3% |
| Dropped Out | 491 | 76.5% |
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 RCC 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 Rappahannock Community College represent 37% of the students in the class of 2015, and 58.06% of RCC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 33%, first-time students in the RCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the RCC graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | RCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 35% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
192 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
55 transferred to another institution.
RCC lost contact with the remaining 134 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 55 | 28.65% |
| Dropped Out | 134 | 69.79% |
First-time / part-time students at Rappahannock Community College represent 36.90% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 12%, first-time, part-time students in the RCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 13%.
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 | RCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
271 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
60 transferred to another institution.
RCC lost contact with the remaining 207 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.48% |
| Transferred | 60 | 22.14% |
| Dropped Out | 207 | 76.38% |
68 RCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 8.10% 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 25%, 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 26%.
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 | RCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 25% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 55.07% |
50 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.
8 transferred to another institution.
RCC lost contact with the remaining 42 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 8 | 16.00% |
| Dropped Out | 42 | 84.00% |
155 RCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 18.45% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 16%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate lower than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 17%.
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 | RCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
129 non first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
20 transferred to another institution.
RCC lost contact with the remaining 108 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 20 | 15.50% |
| Dropped Out | 108 | 83.72% |
