by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to GSU after their first year? Are GSU students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 77% students making it past their freshmen year, GSU 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 Louisiana, the average is 67.86%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| GSU | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Louisiana | 67.86% |
There were approximately 442 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 29% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 37% of the students had graduated and after eight years 40% of this class completed their degree.
The official graduation rate of GSU is 37%. This is the percentage of students who completed their degree within 150% of the published time. That means six years for a standard bachelor's degree program.
The average GSU student takes 4.70 years to graduate with their bachelors.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 340 | 28% |
| Six Years | 442 | 37% |
| Eight Years | 35 | 3% |
| Did Not Complete | 720 | 60% |
Approximately 720 students or 60% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 720 students who did not complete their degree?
60 are still enrolled.
36 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 600 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 60 | 8.3% |
| Transferred | 36 | 5.0% |
| Dropped Out | 600 | 83.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Black / African-American | 43% |
| Hispanic | 50% |
| International | 60% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 50% |
| Unknown | 6% |
| White | 100% |
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 GSU 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 Grambling State University represent 70% of the students in the class of 2015, and 73.76% of GSU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 29%, first-time students in the GSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the GSU graduation rate was 39%, and by the eight year mark, 42% 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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 29% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 39% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 47.82% |
479 first-time / full-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
60 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 396 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 60 | 12.53% |
| Transferred | 24 | 5.01% |
| Dropped Out | 396 | 82.67% |
First-time / part-time students at Grambling State University represent 3.09% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 19%, first-time, part-time students in the GSU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 27%.
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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 8% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
27 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 11.11% |
| Transferred | 2 | 7.41% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 81.48% |
296 GSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 24.73% 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 35%, 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 36%.
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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 35% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 36% | 55.07% |
189 non first-time / part-time students or 64% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
9 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 160 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 10.58% |
| Transferred | 9 | 4.76% |
| Dropped Out | 160 | 84.66% |
32 GSU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 2.67% 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 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 | GSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 16% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 22% | 37.80% |
25 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.
1 transferred to another institution.
GSU lost contact with the remaining 22 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 8.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 4.00% |
| Dropped Out | 22 | 88.00% |
