College Success: A Manual
According to the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (USDENCES), in 2004 the graduation rate for students in four-year colleges and universities was 55 percent. During that same year, the graduation rate for two-year colleges was 33 percent. These numbers show that substantial numbers of college students don’t complete their degrees. What these statistics don’t show, however, are the numerous reasons that students don’t finish—such as financial pressures, familial responsibilities, other opportunities, unmet needs. And unfortunately, some students don’t finish college because they simply don’t understand what is expected of them until it’s too late.
The USDENCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/ offers statistical information about many individual colleges and universities; explore those pages to learn what you can about your school. Then explore your college’s or university’s web pages, and look for information about the school, about graduation rates, and about the things successful students do to graduate. Look specifically at how graduation requirements are publicized.
The USDENCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/ offers statistical information about many individual colleges and universities; explore those pages to learn what you can about your school. Then explore your college’s or university’s web pages, and look for information about the school, about graduation rates, and about the things successful students do to graduate. Look specifically at how graduation requirements are publicized.