by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to WKU after their first year? Are WKU students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 77% students making it past their freshmen year, WKU 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 Kentucky, the average is 67.55%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| WKU | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kentucky | 67.55% |
How many of the estimated 2,365 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 23% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 44% of the students had graduated and after eight years 46% 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 WKU graduation rate 44%.
The average length of time it takes an WKU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.47 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1,559 | 29% |
| Six Years | 2,365 | 44% |
| Eight Years | 110 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 2,849 | 54% |
Approximately 2849 students or 54% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 2849 students who did not complete their degree?
61 are still enrolled.
1339 transferred to another institution.
WKU lost contact with the remaining 1445 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 61 | 2.1% |
| Transferred | 1339 | 47.0% |
| Dropped Out | 1,445 | 50.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 65% |
| Black / African-American | 27% |
| Hawaiian | 40% |
| Hispanic | 43% |
| International | 45% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 40% |
| Unknown | 17% |
| White | 58% |
Some schools have mainly first-time, full-time students, while others cater to part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. For a variety of reasons first-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are usually more likely to graduate in four years.
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 WKU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of specific cohorts shown below will be more revealing than the overall statistics shared above.
First-time / full-time students at Western Kentucky University represent 65% of the students in the class of 2015, and 62.96% of WKU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 23%, first-time students in the WKU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the WKU graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 45% 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.
| First-Time / Full-Time Completions | WKU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 23% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
1901 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
61 are still enrolled.
1026 transferred to another institution.
WKU lost contact with the remaining 834 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 61 | 3.21% |
| Transferred | 1026 | 53.97% |
| Dropped Out | 834 | 43.87% |
First-time / part-time students at Western Kentucky University represent 2.64% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 11%, first-time, part-time students in the WKU 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 Completions | WKU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 6% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 11% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
119 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.
33 transferred to another institution.
WKU lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.68% |
| Transferred | 33 | 27.73% |
| Dropped Out | 84 | 70.59% |
1109 WKU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 20.80% 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 52%, 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 54%.
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.
| Returning / Full-Time Completions | WKU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 52% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
507 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
169 transferred to another institution.
WKU lost contact with the remaining 323 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 2.96% |
| Transferred | 169 | 33.33% |
| Dropped Out | 323 | 63.71% |
610 WKU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 11.44% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 46%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 47%.
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.
| Returning / Part-Time Completions | WKU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 46% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 47% | 37.80% |
322 non first-time / part-time students or 53% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
111 transferred to another institution.
WKU lost contact with the remaining 204 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.17% |
| Transferred | 111 | 34.47% |
| Dropped Out | 204 | 63.35% |
