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Beginning Freshmen - Retention and Graduation Rates Tables

Definitions

  • Retention and graduation rates are reported as of the 11th class day of the term specified
  • Study includes all four-year, degree-seeking beginning freshmen.
  • Beginning in 1993, when a new student information system was implemented, only full-time, beginning freshmen are reported.
  • Prior to 1993, approximately 2-3% of the degree-seeking beginning freshmen in this report were part-time.
  • Retention, graduation, and attrition percentages for a specific class are cumulative over the six years.
  • Students reported as graduated at the "Beginning of Year Five - Fall" are the equivalent of students graduating within four years.

Data Issues

Several problems exist with the 1991 data.

  • Coding errors related to the students' identification as a beginning freshmen resulted in the omission of students who attended UAF as beginning freshmen in the summer of 1991. Slightly over 100 students were probably missing.
  • All other years include the summer.

Because of this problem the six-year graduation rate is reported from the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey. It is believed to be a more accurate representation of the percentage of 1991 beginning freshmen completing a degree.

Due to another error that affected both 1990 and 1991, the beginning freshmen cohorts are based on students enrolled at the end of the first fall semester rather than on the 11th day. Therefore, students who withdrew during the first semester are not part of the tracking study. As a result the retention rates in these years may be inflated by 1-2%.