by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding VHCC 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 60% students making it past their freshmen year, VHCC 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 | |
|---|---|
| VHCC | 60% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
How many of the estimated 222 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 30% 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 VHCC graduation rate 33%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 204 | 30% |
| Six Years | 222 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 5 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 447 | 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 447 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 447 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
101 transferred to another institution.
VHCC lost contact with the remaining 339 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 101 | 22.6% |
| Dropped Out | 339 | 75.8% |
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 VHCC 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 Virginia Highlands Community College represent 53.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VHCC graduation rate was 42%, and by the eight year mark, 43% 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 | VHCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 39% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 42% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 47.82% |
207 first-time / full-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
55 transferred to another institution.
VHCC lost contact with the remaining 149 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.45% |
| Transferred | 55 | 26.57% |
| Dropped Out | 149 | 71.98% |
First-time / part-time students at Virginia Highlands Community College represent 17.21% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VHCC graduation rate was 17%, and by the eight year mark, 17% 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 | VHCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
96 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
9 transferred to another institution.
VHCC lost contact with the remaining 85 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.08% |
| Transferred | 9 | 9.38% |
| Dropped Out | 85 | 88.54% |
Returning / full-time students at Virginia Highlands Community College represent 9.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VHCC graduation rate was 35%, and by the eight year mark, 35% 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 | VHCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 55.07% |
42 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
7 transferred to another institution.
VHCC lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.38% |
| Transferred | 7 | 16.67% |
| Dropped Out | 34 | 80.95% |
Returning / part-time students at Virginia Highlands Community College represent 19.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VHCC graduation rate was 21%, and by the eight year mark, 22% 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 | VHCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 18% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
102 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
VHCC lost contact with the remaining 71 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.98% |
| Transferred | 30 | 29.41% |
| Dropped Out | 71 | 69.61% |
