Colleges skewing retention rates?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Do you think this scenario (significantly) effects the reported retention rates of colleges? </p>

<p>I transfered from a small, private LAC 2 years ago. When I left the college, I met with a dean to discuss transferring, and while I entered in the conversation with full intentions to leave and never come back, the dean encouraged me to just take a leave of absence so I could change my mind if I wanted to. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well I visited the school again 8 months later to visit friends and again I met with the dean to talk about transferring. This time, I was about 99% positive I would never want to return to the college, but again, she strongly argued that I just extend my leave of absence instead of withdrawing permanently. I'm now about 30 credits away from graduating from my University and never plan to go to the LAC every again. But I'm still "on leave." Changing this status requires a significant amount of papers work. I can't just email the dean and let her know that I will never be returning. Things have to be PHYSICALLY signed to alter my current status. </p>

<p>In theory, this makes sense. It took a lot of work to be accepted to that college and I would HATE to have to reapply if I did change my mind. However, staying as a student "on leave" means that the college does not have to report me as a student who came and left in their retention rate. Through talking to friends at my new University, I've found that this practice of "permanent leave" happens a lot. </p>

<p>Do you think this practice might effect the reported retention rates? Are they actually lower than what is reported?</p>

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<p>Colleges carefully monitor and report their retention rate after one year. Yes, some colleges fake their retention rate by encouraging Leaves of Absence, maybe 2%-10% of students. Only a miniscule percentage of students who take a Leave early in their career will actually return and graduate.</p>

<p>Government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education and Maryland Dept. of Education DO NOT count Leaves as retention so colleges that count Leaves as enrolled students are not in compliance with government policy. </p>

<p>Usually, a Leave is only good for one year and colleges should convert that student to "drop-out" after one year but they may not convert the Leave to "drop-out".</p>

<p>Leaves don't affect graduation rates because there is a time limit on graduations.</p>

<p>source: relative who works in higher ed</p>