by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding VSCC 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 51% students making it past their freshmen year, VSCC 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| VSCC | 51% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Tennessee | 71.48% |
Of the 986 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 25% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 27% of the students had graduated and after eight years 28% 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 VSCC graduation rate 27%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 912 | 25% |
| Six Years | 986 | 27% |
| Eight Years | 30 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 2654 | 72% |
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 2654 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2654 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
790 transferred to another institution.
VSCC lost contact with the remaining 1813 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 790 | 29.8% |
| Dropped Out | 1813 | 68.3% |
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 VSCC 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 Volunteer State Community College represent 59.24% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VSCC graduation rate was 28%, and by the eight year mark, 28% 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 | VSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 28% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 47.82% |
1558 first-time / full-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
34 are still enrolled.
384 transferred to another institution.
VSCC lost contact with the remaining 1140 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 34 | 2.18% |
| Transferred | 384 | 24.65% |
| Dropped Out | 1140 | 73.17% |
First-time / part-time students at Volunteer State Community College represent 9.40% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VSCC graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 13% 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 | VSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 9% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 13% | 23.72% |
301 first-time / part-time students or 87% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
65 transferred to another institution.
VSCC lost contact with the remaining 228 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 2.66% |
| Transferred | 65 | 21.59% |
| Dropped Out | 228 | 75.75% |
Returning / full-time students at Volunteer State Community College represent 16.92% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VSCC graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% 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 | VSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 36% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 55.07% |
393 non first-time / part-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
163 transferred to another institution.
VSCC lost contact with the remaining 226 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.02% |
| Transferred | 163 | 41.48% |
| Dropped Out | 226 | 57.51% |
Returning / part-time students at Volunteer State Community College represent 14.44% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the VSCC graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 24% 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 | VSCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 21% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 23% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 24% | 37.80% |
402 non first-time / part-time students or 76% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
178 transferred to another institution.
VSCC lost contact with the remaining 219 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.24% |
| Transferred | 178 | 44.28% |
| Dropped Out | 219 | 54.48% |
