by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Paradise Valley Community College 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 59% students making it past their freshmen year, Paradise Valley Community College has freshmen retention rates similar to the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Arizona, the average is 67.94%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Paradise Valley Community College | 59% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Arizona | 67.94% |
There were approximately 808 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 25% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 15% of the students had graduated and after eight years 15% 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 Paradise Valley Community College graduation rate 15%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 704 | 13% |
| Six Years | 808 | 15% |
| Eight Years | 45 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 4,675 | 85% |
Approximately 4675 students or 85% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 4675 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
2538 transferred to another institution.
Paradise Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 2071 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 2538 | 54.3% |
| Dropped Out | 2,071 | 44.3% |
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 Paradise Valley Community College 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 Paradise Valley Community College represent 12% of the students in the class of 2015, and 24.38% of Paradise Valley Community College bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 25%, first-time students in the Paradise Valley Community College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Paradise Valley Community College graduation rate was 29%, and by the eight year mark, 31% 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 | Paradise Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 25% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 29% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 47.82% |
459 first-time / full-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
257 transferred to another institution.
Paradise Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 192 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 257 | 55.99% |
| Dropped Out | 192 | 41.83% |
First-time / part-time students at Paradise Valley Community College represent 26.88% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 10%, first-time, part-time students in the Paradise Valley Community College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 10%.
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 | Paradise Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 10% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 10% | 23.72% |
1330 first-time / part-time students or 90% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
25 are still enrolled.
459 transferred to another institution.
Paradise Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 846 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 25 | 1.88% |
| Transferred | 459 | 34.51% |
| Dropped Out | 846 | 63.61% |
399 Paradise Valley Community College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 7.22% 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 40%, 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 | Paradise Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 40% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 42% | 55.07% |
232 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.
164 transferred to another institution.
Paradise Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 66 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.86% |
| Transferred | 164 | 70.69% |
| Dropped Out | 66 | 28.45% |
2975 Paradise Valley Community College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 53.82% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 10%, 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 11%.
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 | Paradise Valley Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 10% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 37.80% |
2654 non first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
29 are still enrolled.
1658 transferred to another institution.
Paradise Valley Community College lost contact with the remaining 967 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 29 | 1.09% |
| Transferred | 1658 | 62.47% |
| Dropped Out | 967 | 36.44% |
