by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Bridgewater 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 71% students making it past their freshmen year, Bridgewater 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 Virginia, the average is 69.66%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Bridgewater | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Virginia | 69.66% |
There were approximately 326 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 54% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 62% of the students had graduated and after eight years 63% of this class completed their degree.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a student is considered to have graduated on time if they complete their degree within six years, making the official Bridgewater graduation rate 62%.
The typical Bridgewater student takes 4.11 years to complete their bachelor's degree.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 288 | 55% |
| Six Years | 326 | 62% |
| Eight Years | 2 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 195 | 37% |
Approximately 195 students or 37% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 195 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
160 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater lost contact with the remaining 34 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 160 | 82.1% |
| Dropped Out | 34 | 17.4% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 38% |
| Black / African-American | 60% |
| Hispanic | 41% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 52% |
| Unknown | 60% |
| White | 68% |
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 Bridgewater 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 Bridgewater College represent 90% of the students in the class of 2015, and 88.65% of Bridgewater bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 54%, first-time students in the Bridgewater class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Bridgewater graduation rate was 62%, and by the eight year mark, 62% 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 | Bridgewater | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 54% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 62% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 62% | 47.82% |
178 first-time / full-time students or 38% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
144 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater lost contact with the remaining 33 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 144 | 80.90% |
| Dropped Out | 33 | 18.54% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on Bridgewater first-time, part-time students.
53 Bridgewater students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 10.08% 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 68%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average for students in this category.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 68%.
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 | Bridgewater | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 68% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 68% | 55.07% |
17 non first-time / part-time students or 32% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 16 | 94.12% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 5.88% |
1 Bridgewater students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 0.19% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 100%, 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 100%.
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 | Bridgewater | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 100% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 100% | 37.80% |
