by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to ESU after their first year? Are ESU 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 78% students making it past their freshmen year, ESU 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 Kansas, the average is 65.77%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| ESU | 78% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Kansas | 65.77% |
There were approximately 589 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
After four years 25% of the cohort graduated. After six years 51% had completed their degree, and 53% 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 ESU graduation rate 51%.
The average length of time it takes an ESU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.49 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 416 | 36% |
| Six Years | 589 | 51% |
| Eight Years | 21 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 549 | 47% |
Approximately 549 students or 47% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 549 students who did not complete their degree?
5 are still enrolled.
340 transferred to another institution.
ESU lost contact with the remaining 195 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 0.9% |
| Transferred | 340 | 61.9% |
| Dropped Out | 195 | 35.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 33% |
| Asian | 29% |
| Black / African-American | 26% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 35% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 44% |
| Unknown | 17% |
| White | 50% |
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 ESU 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 Emporia State University represent 51% of the students in the class of 2015, and 44.48% of ESU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 25%, first-time students in the ESU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the ESU graduation rate was 44%, 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 | ESU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 45% | 47.82% |
325 first-time / full-time students or 55% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
197 transferred to another institution.
ESU lost contact with the remaining 118 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.54% |
| Transferred | 197 | 60.62% |
| Dropped Out | 118 | 36.31% |
First-time / part-time students at Emporia State University represent 2.33% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 41%, first-time, part-time students in the ESU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 44%.
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 | ESU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 41% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 23.72% |
15 first-time / part-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
ESU lost contact with the remaining 12 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 6.67% |
| Transferred | 2 | 13.33% |
| Dropped Out | 12 | 80.00% |
441 ESU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 38.05% 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 59%, 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 61%.
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 | ESU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 59% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 55.07% |
174 non first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
118 transferred to another institution.
ESU lost contact with the remaining 55 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.57% |
| Transferred | 118 | 67.82% |
| Dropped Out | 55 | 31.61% |
95 ESU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 8.20% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 60%, 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 63%.
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 | ESU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 60% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 63% | 37.80% |
35 non first-time / part-time students or 37% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
23 transferred to another institution.
ESU lost contact with the remaining 10 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 5.71% |
| Transferred | 23 | 65.71% |
| Dropped Out | 10 | 28.57% |
