by our College Data Analytics TeamHow long does it take to earn a degree at SCC? Find out how many students return after their freshman year, how long it takes to graduate, and what happens to the students who don't.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 70% students making it past their freshmen year, SCC 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 North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SCC | 70% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
There were approximately 391 students in the class of 2015. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 22% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 23% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% of this class completed their degree.
The official graduation rate of SCC is 23%. 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 | 339 | 20% |
| Six Years | 391 | 23% |
| Eight Years | 18 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1,302 | 76% |
Approximately 1302 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1302 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
637 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 641 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 637 | 48.9% |
| Dropped Out | 641 | 49.2% |
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 SCC 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 Sandhills Community College represent 36% of the students in the class of 2015, and 39.13% of SCC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 22%, first-time students in the SCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the SCC graduation rate was 25%, and by the eight year mark, 26% 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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 22% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 25% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 47.82% |
448 first-time / full-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
192 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 242 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 192 | 42.86% |
| Dropped Out | 242 | 54.02% |
First-time / part-time students at Sandhills Community College represent 24.99% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 16%, first-time, part-time students in the SCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were less likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 18%.
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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 13% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 16% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 18% | 23.72% |
352 first-time / part-time students or 82% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
5 are still enrolled.
137 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 210 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 5 | 1.42% |
| Transferred | 137 | 38.92% |
| Dropped Out | 210 | 59.66% |
245 SCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 14.30% 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 27%, 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 27%.
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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 27% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 55.07% |
180 non 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.
107 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 70 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 1.67% |
| Transferred | 107 | 59.44% |
| Dropped Out | 70 | 38.89% |
431 SCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 25.16% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 24%, 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 25%.
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 | SCC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 24% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
322 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
201 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 119 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 0.62% |
| Transferred | 201 | 62.42% |
| Dropped Out | 119 | 36.96% |
