by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to LVC after their first year? Are LVC 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 83% students making it past their freshmen year, LVC 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 Pennsylvania, the average is 73.24%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| LVC | 83% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Pennsylvania | 73.24% |
How many of the estimated 391 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 71% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 71% of the students had graduated and after eight years 72% of this class completed their degree.
The official graduation rate of LVC is 71%. 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 typical LVC student takes 4.06 years to complete their bachelor's degree.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 377 | 69% |
| Six Years | 391 | 71% |
| Eight Years | 3 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 156 | 28% |
Approximately 156 students or 28% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 156 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
53 transferred to another institution.
LVC lost contact with the remaining 99 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 53 | 34.0% |
| Dropped Out | 99 | 63.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 69% |
| Black / African-American | 41% |
| Hispanic | 55% |
| International | 50% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 56% |
| Unknown | 54% |
| White | 81% |
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 LVC 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 Lebanon Valley College represent 86% of the students in the class of 2015, and 88.49% of LVC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 71%, first-time students in the LVC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the LVC graduation rate was 73%, and by the eight year mark, 73% 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 | LVC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 71% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 73% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 73% | 47.82% |
128 first-time / full-time students or 27% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
46 transferred to another institution.
LVC lost contact with the remaining 79 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 46 | 35.94% |
| Dropped Out | 79 | 61.72% |
First-time / part-time students at Lebanon Valley College represent 1.45% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 25%, first-time, part-time students in the LVC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 25%.
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 | LVC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 25% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 23.72% |
6 first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
LVC lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 16.67% |
| Transferred | 1 | 16.67% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 66.67% |
57 LVC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 10.34% 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 72%, 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 72%.
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 | LVC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 72% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 72% | 55.07% |
16 non first-time / part-time students or 28% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
4 transferred to another institution.
LVC lost contact with the remaining 12 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 4 | 25.00% |
| Dropped Out | 12 | 75.00% |
10 LVC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 1.81% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 20%, 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 40%.
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 | LVC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 20% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 37.80% |
6 non first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
2 transferred to another institution.
LVC lost contact with the remaining 4 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 2 | 33.33% |
| Dropped Out | 4 | 66.67% |
