by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding WLC 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 77% students making it past their freshmen year, WLC 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 Wisconsin, the average is 74.47%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| WLC | 77% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Wisconsin | 74.47% |
How many of the estimated 249 students in the class of 2015 completed their degree within eight years?
After four years 50% of the cohort graduated. After six years 66% had completed their degree, and 67% after eight years.
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 WLC graduation rate 66%.
The average length of time it takes an WLC undergraduate student to complete their bachelor's degree is 4.25 years.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 197 | 52% |
| Six Years | 249 | 66% |
| Eight Years | 4 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 127 | 33% |
Approximately 127 students or 33% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 127 students who did not complete their degree?
2 are still enrolled.
73 transferred to another institution.
WLC lost contact with the remaining 54 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.6% |
| Transferred | 73 | 57.5% |
| Dropped Out | 54 | 42.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 50% |
| Black / African-American | 63% |
| Hispanic | 13% |
| International | 60% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 25% |
| Unknown | 100% |
| White | 69% |
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 WLC 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 Wisconsin Lutheran College represent 69% of the students in the class of 2015, and 70.28% of WLC bachelor's degree graduations.
With a four-year graduation rate of 50%, first-time students in the WLC class of 2015 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate on time.
After six years, the WLC graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 67% 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 | WLC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 50% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 66% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 47.82% |
86 first-time / full-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
WLC lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Full-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 2.33% |
| Transferred | 71 | 82.56% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 17.44% |
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to data on WLC first-time, part-time students.
93 WLC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 24.47% 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 71%, 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 71%.
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 | WLC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 71% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 55.07% |
27 non first-time / part-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
WLC lost contact with the remaining 26 who we assumed dropped out.
| First-Time / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 3.70% |
| Dropped Out | 26 | 96.30% |
23 WLC students were classified as full-time / not first-time. This represents 6.05% of the students in the class of 2015.
With a six year graduation rate of 35%, returning students in the class of 2015 and attended classes full-time had a graduation rate similar to the national average.
After eight years, the graduation rate was 39%.
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 | WLC | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 35% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 37.80% |
14 non first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
WLC lost contact with the remaining 13 who we assumed dropped out.
| Returning / Part-Time Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 7.14% |
| Dropped Out | 13 | 92.86% |
