by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at Southeastern College - Columbia? 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 88% students making it past their freshmen year, Southeastern College - Columbia 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 South Carolina, the average is 65.91%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southeastern College - Columbia | 88% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Carolina | 65.91% |
Of the 165 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 81% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 73% of the students had graduated and after eight years 73% 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 Southeastern College - Columbia graduation rate 73%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 165 | 73% |
| Six Years | 165 | 73% |
| Eight Years | 0 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 62 | 27% |
Approximately 62 students or 27% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 62 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 59 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 3 | 4.8% |
| Dropped Out | 59 | 95.2% |
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.
The majority of students at Southeastern College - Columbia are considered 'non-traditional students' who either not first-time, or not full-time, or both.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Southeastern College - Columbia represent 14% of the students in the class of 2015, and 15.15% of Southeastern College - Columbia bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 81%, first-time students in the Southeastern College - Columbia class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Southeastern College - Columbia graduation rate was 81%, and by the eight year mark, 81% 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 | Southeastern College - Columbia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 81% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 81% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 81% | 47.82% |
6 first-time / full-time students or 19% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 16.67% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 83.33% |
First-time / part-time students at Southeastern College - Columbia represent 16.30% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 43%, first-time, part-time students in the Southeastern College - Columbia class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 43%.
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 | Southeastern College - Columbia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 43% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 43% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 23.72% |
21 first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 20 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 4.76% |
| Dropped Out | 20 | 95.24% |
86 Southeastern College - Columbia students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 37.89% 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 95%, 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 95%.
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 | Southeastern College - Columbia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 95% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 95% | 55.07% |
4 non first-time / part-time students or 5% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 100.00% |
73 Southeastern College - Columbia students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 32.16% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 58%, 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 58%.
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 | Southeastern College - Columbia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 58% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 37.80% |
31 non first-time / part-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Southeastern College - Columbia lost contact with the remaining 30 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 3.23% |
| Dropped Out | 30 | 96.77% |
