by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding GCSC 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 freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Florida, the average is 70.38%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| GCSC | |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Florida | 70.38% |
How many of the estimated 664 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
40% of the cohort completed their degree in four years, 33% in six years, and 34% in eight years.
The official graduation rate of GCSC is 33%. 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.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 594 | 29% |
| Six Years | 664 | 33% |
| Eight Years | 18 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,344 | 66% |
Approximately 1344 students or 66% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1344 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
328 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 978 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 328 | 24.4% |
| Dropped Out | 978 | 72.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 43% |
| Asian | 65% |
| Black / African-American | 26% |
| Hispanic | 40% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 40% |
| Unknown | 27% |
| White | 42% |
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25 are much more likely to graduate in four years. Some schools cater to mostly traditional students while others cater to 'non-traditional' students. So called 'non-traditional' students include part-time students or those who may be returning after an absense. It is common for part-time and/or adult students to take longer to graduate.
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 GCSC are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Gulf Coast State College represent 41% of the students in the class of 2015, and 54.37% of GCSC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 40%, first-time students in the GCSC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the GCSC graduation rate was 44%, and by the eight year mark, 44% 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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 44% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
462 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
129 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 318 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 129 | 27.92% |
| Dropped Out | 318 | 68.83% |
First-time / part-time students at Gulf Coast State College represent 31.65% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 20%, first-time, part-time students in the GCSC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 21%.
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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 16% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 20% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 21% | 23.72% |
510 first-time / part-time students or 79% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
84 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 412 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 2.75% |
| Transferred | 84 | 16.47% |
| Dropped Out | 412 | 80.78% |
191 GCSC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 9.34% 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 41%, 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 42%.
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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 41% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
111 non first-time / part-time students or 58% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
32 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 77 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.80% |
| Transferred | 32 | 28.83% |
| Dropped Out | 77 | 69.37% |
360 GCSC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 17.61% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 27%, 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 28%.
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 | GCSC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 27% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 28% | 37.80% |
261 non first-time / part-time students or 72% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
7 are still enrolled.
83 transferred to another institution.
GCSC lost contact with the remaining 171 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 7 | 2.68% |
| Transferred | 83 | 31.80% |
| Dropped Out | 171 | 65.52% |
