by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Southside Virginia Community College retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 71% students making it past their freshmen year, Southside Virginia Community College 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southside Virginia Community College | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
How many of the estimated 203 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 33% of the students had graduated and after eight years 34% 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 Southside Virginia Community College graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 182 | 29% |
| Six Years | 203 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 6 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 414 | 66% |
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 414 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 414 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
76 transferred to another institution.
Southside Virginia Community College lost contact with the remaining 325 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 76 | 18.4% |
| Dropped Out | 325 | 78.5% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
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 Southside Virginia Community College 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 Southside Virginia Community College represent 41.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southside Virginia Community College graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 49% 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 | Southside Virginia Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 45% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 48% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 49% | 47.82% |
131 first-time / full-time students or 51% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
25 transferred to another institution.
Southside Virginia Community College lost contact with the remaining 101 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 3.82% |
| Transferred | 25 | 19.08% |
| Dropped Out | 101 | 77.10% |
First-time / part-time students at Southside Virginia Community College represent 37.72% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southside Virginia Community College graduation rate was 20%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | Southside Virginia Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 17% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 23.72% |
183 first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
Southside Virginia Community College lost contact with the remaining 146 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 3.83% |
| Transferred | 30 | 16.39% |
| Dropped Out | 146 | 79.78% |
Returning / full-time students at Southside Virginia Community College represent 8.83% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southside Virginia Community College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 29% 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 | Southside Virginia Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 29% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 29% | 55.07% |
39 non first-time / part-time students or 71% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
Southside Virginia Community College lost contact with the remaining 32 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 7 | 17.95% |
| Dropped Out | 32 | 82.05% |
Returning / part-time students at Southside Virginia Community College represent 12.36% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southside Virginia Community College graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 21% 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 | Southside Virginia Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 37.80% |
61 non first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
14 transferred to another institution.
Southside Virginia Community College lost contact with the remaining 46 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.64% |
| Transferred | 14 | 22.95% |
| Dropped Out | 46 | 75.41% |
