by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at RACC? Find out how many students return after their freshman year, how long it takes to graduate, and what happens to the students who don't.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 59% students making it past their freshmen year, RACC 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| RACC | 59% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
How many of the estimated 285 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 15% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 13% of the students had graduated and after eight years 14% 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 RACC graduation rate 13%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 210 | 10% |
| Six Years | 285 | 13% |
| Eight Years | 26 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,850 | 86% |
Approximately 1850 students or 86% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1850 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
601 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 1201 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 601 | 32.5% |
| Dropped Out | 1,201 | 64.9% |
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 RACC 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 Reading Area Community College represent 19% of the students in the class of 2015, and 25.96% of RACC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 15%, first-time students in the RACC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the RACC graduation rate was 18%, and by the eight year mark, 19% 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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 15% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 18% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 47.82% |
324 first-time / full-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
117 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 201 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 117 | 36.11% |
| Dropped Out | 201 | 62.04% |
First-time / part-time students at Reading Area Community College represent 49.63% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 8%, first-time, part-time students in the RACC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 9%.
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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 4% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 8% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 9% | 23.72% |
972 first-time / part-time students or 91% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
26 are still enrolled.
229 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 717 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 26 | 2.67% |
| Transferred | 229 | 23.56% |
| Dropped Out | 717 | 73.77% |
217 RACC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 9.99% 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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 25% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 55.07% |
160 non 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.
82 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 71 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 4.38% |
| Transferred | 82 | 51.25% |
| Dropped Out | 71 | 44.38% |
472 RACC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 21.73% 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 | RACC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 37.80% |
394 non first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
173 transferred to another institution.
RACC lost contact with the remaining 212 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 2.28% |
| Transferred | 173 | 43.91% |
| Dropped Out | 212 | 53.81% |
