by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Wilkes Community College 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 68% students making it past their freshmen year, Wilkes Community College 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Wilkes Community College | 68% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 309 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
After four years 44% of the cohort graduated. After six years 35% had completed their degree, and 37% 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 Wilkes Community College graduation rate 35%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 274 | 31% |
| Six Years | 309 | 35% |
| Eight Years | 11 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 556 | 63% |
Approximately 556 students or 63% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 556 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
170 transferred to another institution.
Wilkes Community College lost contact with the remaining 372 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 170 | 30.6% |
| Dropped Out | 372 | 66.9% |
First-time, full-time students, under the age of 25 are known as traditional students. These students are more likely to graduate in four years than so called 'non-traditional' students that includes part-time students, transfer students, or adult learners. Some schools cater to non-traditional students and it may affect their overall graduation rates.
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 Wilkes Community College are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
How does this school do graduating the type of student you are most concerned bout?
First-time / full-time students at Wilkes Community College represent 51% of the students in the class of 2015, and 71.20% of Wilkes Community College bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 44%, first-time students in the Wilkes Community College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Wilkes Community College graduation rate was 49%, and by the eight year mark, 50% 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 | Wilkes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 44% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 49% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 47.82% |
226 first-time / full-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
74 transferred to another institution.
Wilkes Community College lost contact with the remaining 144 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 74 | 32.74% |
| Dropped Out | 144 | 63.72% |
First-time / part-time students at Wilkes Community College represent 29.84% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 17%, first-time, part-time students in the Wilkes Community College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 18%.
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 | Wilkes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 17% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
213 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
46 transferred to another institution.
Wilkes Community College lost contact with the remaining 163 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.88% |
| Transferred | 46 | 21.60% |
| Dropped Out | 163 | 76.53% |
62 Wilkes Community College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 7.06% 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 39%, 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 39%.
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 | Wilkes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 39% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 55.07% |
38 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
13 transferred to another institution.
Wilkes Community College lost contact with the remaining 25 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 13 | 34.21% |
| Dropped Out | 25 | 65.79% |
102 Wilkes Community College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 11.62% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 21%, 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 22%.
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 | Wilkes Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 21% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
79 non first-time / part-time students or 78% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
37 transferred to another institution.
Wilkes Community College lost contact with the remaining 40 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.53% |
| Transferred | 37 | 46.84% |
| Dropped Out | 40 | 50.63% |
