by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to SCC after their first year? Are SCC students graduating in a timely manner? What happens to the students who don't graduate? Get all your questions answered here.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 71% students making it past their freshmen year, SCC 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 California, the average is 73.07%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| SCC | 71% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| California | 73.07% |
Of the 4,298 students in the class of 2015, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 47% of those students had graduated. By 2017, six years after starting their degree, 22% of the students had graduated and after eight years 24% 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 SCC graduation rate 22%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3,804 | 20% |
| Six Years | 4,298 | 22% |
| Eight Years | 368 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 14,490 | 76% |
Approximately 14490 students or 76% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 14490 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
8507 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 5854 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 8507 | 58.7% |
| Dropped Out | 5,854 | 40.4% |
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 SCC 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 Santiago Canyon College represent 5% of the students in the class of 2015, and 12.61% of SCC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 47%, first-time students in the SCC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the SCC graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 56% 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 | 47% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 53% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 47.82% |
456 first-time / full-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
384 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 66 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 384 | 84.21% |
| Dropped Out | 66 | 14.47% |
First-time / part-time students at Santiago Canyon College represent 10.51% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 15%, 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 16%.
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 | 12% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 15% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 16% | 23.72% |
1683 first-time / part-time students or 84% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
19 are still enrolled.
876 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 788 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 19 | 1.13% |
| Transferred | 876 | 52.05% |
| Dropped Out | 788 | 46.82% |
1954 SCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 10.20% 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 47%, 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 50%.
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 | 47% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 55.07% |
985 non first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
15 are still enrolled.
839 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 131 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 15 | 1.52% |
| Transferred | 839 | 85.18% |
| Dropped Out | 131 | 13.30% |
14162 SCC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 73.93% 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 20%.
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 | 18% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 20% | 37.80% |
11366 non first-time / part-time students or 80% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
89 are still enrolled.
6408 transferred to another institution.
SCC lost contact with the remaining 4869 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 89 | 0.78% |
| Transferred | 6408 | 56.38% |
| Dropped Out | 4,869 | 42.84% |
