by our College Data Analytics TeamAre students coming back to TCU after their first year? Are TCU 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 92% students making it past their freshmen year, TCU 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 Texas, the average is 68.17%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| TCU | 92% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Texas | 68.17% |
How many of the estimated 1,990 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
After four years 69% of the cohort graduated. After six years 79% had completed their degree, and 80% after eight years.
The official graduation rate of TCU is 79%. 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 average length of time it takes an TCU undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.15 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1,708 | 68% |
| Six Years | 1,990 | 79% |
| Eight Years | 36 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 500 | 20% |
Approximately 500 students or 20% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 500 students who did not complete their degree?
1 are still enrolled.
342 transferred to another institution.
TCU lost contact with the remaining 155 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.2% |
| Transferred | 342 | 68.4% |
| Dropped Out | 155 | 31.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 92% |
| Asian | 82% |
| Black / African-American | 76% |
| Hawaiian | 83% |
| Hispanic | 80% |
| International | 81% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 100% |
| Unknown | 50% |
| White | 83% |
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 TCU 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 Texas Christian University represent 75% of the students in the class of 2015, and 77.99% of TCU bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 69%, first-time students in the TCU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the TCU graduation rate was 82%, and by the eight year mark, 83% 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 | TCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 69% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 82% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 83% | 47.82% |
326 first-time / full-time students or 17% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
262 transferred to another institution.
TCU lost contact with the remaining 63 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.31% |
| Transferred | 262 | 80.37% |
| Dropped Out | 63 | 19.33% |
First-time / part-time students at Texas Christian University represent 0.12% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six-year graduation rate of 67%, first-time, part-time students in the TCU class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 67%.
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 | TCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 67% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 23.72% |
1 first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
0 transferred to another institution.
TCU lost contact with the remaining 1 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dropped Out | 1 | 100.00% |
604 TCU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 23.91% 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 70%, 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 75%.
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 | TCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 70% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 75% | 55.07% |
154 non first-time / part-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
77 transferred to another institution.
TCU lost contact with the remaining 76 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.65% |
| Transferred | 77 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 76 | 49.35% |
35 TCU students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 1.39% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 46%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate higher than the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 46%.
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 | TCU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 46% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 46% | 37.80% |
19 non first-time / part-time students or 54% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
TCU lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 5.26% |
| Transferred | 3 | 15.79% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 78.95% |
