by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Southwest Virginia first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Southwest Virginia. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 61% students making it past their freshmen year, Southwest Virginia has freshmen retention rates below 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 | |
|---|---|
| Southwest Virginia | 61% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
There were approximately 245 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 33% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 35% of the students had graduated and after eight years 37% 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 Southwest Virginia graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 227 | 33% |
| Six Years | 245 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 10 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 440 | 63% |
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 440 students or 63% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 440 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
72 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Virginia lost contact with the remaining 357 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 72 | 16.4% |
| Dropped Out | 357 | 81.1% |
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 Southwest Virginia are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
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 Southwest Virginia Community College represent 64.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Virginia graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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 | Southwest Virginia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
249 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
46 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Virginia lost contact with the remaining 195 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 3.21% |
| Transferred | 46 | 18.47% |
| Dropped Out | 195 | 78.31% |
First-time / part-time students at Southwest Virginia Community College represent 14.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Virginia graduation rate was 14%, and by the eight year mark, 16% 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 | Southwest Virginia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 11% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 14% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
82 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Virginia lost contact with the remaining 73 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.44% |
| Transferred | 7 | 8.54% |
| Dropped Out | 73 | 89.02% |
Returning / full-time students at Southwest Virginia Community College represent 5.90% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Virginia graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 32% 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 | Southwest Virginia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 32% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 32% | 55.07% |
28 non first-time / part-time students or 68% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Virginia lost contact with the remaining 24 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 4 | 14.29% |
| Dropped Out | 24 | 85.71% |
Returning / part-time students at Southwest Virginia Community College represent 15.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southwest Virginia graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 23% 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 | Southwest Virginia | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 23% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 23% | 37.80% |
81 non first-time / part-time students or 77% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
15 transferred to another institution.
Southwest Virginia lost contact with the remaining 65 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 1.23% |
| Transferred | 15 | 18.52% |
| Dropped Out | 65 | 80.25% |
