Southern Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How long does it take to earn a degree at Southern? 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.

• Southern Retention Rate
• Southern Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Southern Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Southern Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 53% students making it past their freshmen year, Southern 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 West Virginia, the average is 70.53%.

Southern Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 167 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

After four years 15% of the cohort graduated. After six years 18% had completed their degree, and 19% after 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 Southern graduation rate 18%.

Southern Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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Southern Drop Out Rate

Approximately 737 students or 81% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 737 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 227 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 492 who we assumed dropped out.

Southern Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 Southern 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 Southern Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College represent 64% of the students in the class of 2015, and 62.28% of Southern bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 15%, first-time students in the Southern class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the Southern 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.

Southern First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

474 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.

• 124 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 336 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College represent 16.28% of the students in the class of 2015.

With a six-year graduation rate of 15%, first-time, part-time students in the Southern class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After eight years, the graduation rate was 17%.

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 Southern Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

124 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 3 are still enrolled.

• 37 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

119 Southern students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 13.01% 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 26%, 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 27%.

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.

Southern Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

87 non first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 1 are still enrolled.

• 45 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 41 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

62 Southern students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 6.78% 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 16%.

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.

Southern Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Part-Time Southern Drop Out Rates

52 non first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 21 transferred to another institution.

• Southern lost contact with the remaining 31 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics