VSCC Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Volunteer State Community College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

Are students coming back to VSCC after their first year? Are VSCC students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.

• VSCC Retention Rate
• VSCC 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
• VSCC Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

VSCC Retention Rate

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 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 Tennessee, the average is 71.48%.

VSCC Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 689 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?

After four years 20% of the cohort graduated. After six years 21% had completed their degree, and 22% 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 VSCC graduation rate 21%.

VSCC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

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VSCC Drop Out Rate

Approximately 2618 students or 78% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 2618 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 958 transferred to another institution.

• VSCC lost contact with the remaining 1597 who we assumed dropped out.

VSCC Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

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 VSCC Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Volunteer State Community College represent 42% of the students in the class of 2015, and 48.33% of VSCC bachelor's degree graduations.

With a four-year graduation rate of 20%, first-time students in the VSCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.

After six years, the VSCC graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 25% 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.

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

First-Time / Full-Time VSCC Drop Out Rates

1051 first-time / full-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 337 transferred to another institution.

• VSCC lost contact with the remaining 690 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Volunteer State Community College represent 21.76% of the students in the class of 2015.

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

After eight years, the graduation rate was 16%.

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 VSCC Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time VSCC Drop Out Rates

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

Of those who did not finish:

• 21 are still enrolled.

• 160 transferred to another institution.

• VSCC lost contact with the remaining 434 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

521 VSCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 15.57% 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 27%, 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 28%.

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.

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

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

373 non first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 10 are still enrolled.

• 184 transferred to another institution.

• VSCC lost contact with the remaining 179 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

692 VSCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 20.68% 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.

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

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

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

Of those who did not finish:

• 8 are still enrolled.

• 277 transferred to another institution.

• VSCC lost contact with the remaining 294 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