by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to Rock Valley College after their first year? Are Rock Valley College 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 64% students making it past their freshmen year, Rock Valley 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 Illinois, the average is 72.64%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Rock Valley College | 64% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Illinois | 72.64% |
How many of the estimated 711 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
Four years after beginning their degree, 32% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 27% of the students had graduated and after eight years 28% of this class completed their degree.
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 Rock Valley College graduation rate 27%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 595 | 22% |
| Six Years | 711 | 27% |
| Eight Years | 36 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,931 | 72% |
Approximately 1931 students or 72% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1931 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
640 transferred to another institution.
Rock Valley College lost contact with the remaining 1247 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 640 | 33.1% |
| Dropped Out | 1,247 | 64.6% |
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 Rock Valley College 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 Rock Valley College represent 41% of the students in the class of 2015, and 55.70% of Rock Valley College bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 32%, first-time students in the Rock Valley College class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the Rock Valley College graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 38% 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 | Rock Valley College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 32% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 38% | 47.82% |
687 first-time / full-time students or 62% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
256 transferred to another institution.
Rock Valley College lost contact with the remaining 410 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 256 | 37.26% |
| Dropped Out | 410 | 59.68% |
First-time / part-time students at Rock Valley College represent 40.66% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 19%, first-time, part-time students in the Rock Valley 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 20%.
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 | Rock Valley College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 19% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 23.72% |
874 first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
20 are still enrolled.
200 transferred to another institution.
Rock Valley College lost contact with the remaining 654 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 20 | 2.29% |
| Transferred | 200 | 22.88% |
| Dropped Out | 654 | 74.83% |
216 Rock Valley College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 8.07% 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 30%, 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 31%.
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 | Rock Valley College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 30% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 55.07% |
148 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
83 transferred to another institution.
Rock Valley College lost contact with the remaining 63 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.35% |
| Transferred | 83 | 56.08% |
| Dropped Out | 63 | 42.57% |
273 Rock Valley College students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 10.19% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 18%, 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 19%.
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 | Rock Valley College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 19% | 37.80% |
222 non first-time / part-time students or 81% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
101 transferred to another institution.
Rock Valley College lost contact with the remaining 120 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.45% |
| Transferred | 101 | 45.50% |
| Dropped Out | 120 | 54.05% |
