<p>I recently saw a statistic that only 80% of St. Olaf students graduate within 4 years. College</a> Navigator - St. Olaf College I wonder why that is? Any insight?
Thanks.</p>
<p>Look again, on College Navigator the freshman retention rate is 93% and the four year graduation rate is 85%.</p>
<p>On Ucan it shows 82% for 4 years
85% for 5 years
86% for 6 years.</p>
<p>I looked again and I do see that the freshman retention rate is 93%, and that's good, but I still see the 4 year grad rate at 80%. Granted, it's 85% within 6 years, so 5% of the kids take longer than 4 years to graduate. I'm sure those figures are high compared to many other schools, yet I still wonder why 20% of the kids wind up not graduating. Do they transfer? Flunk out? Can't afford it?</p>
<p>On **************.com, it says 63% of the students would choose to go there again. In my mind it's a small sample, so it's not necessarily a valid statistic, but again, I can't help but wonder. It seems like a good school. I guess I'm just surprised that the numbers aren't higher.</p>
<p>I'll try to put the website in differently so that it doesn't get starred out...
students review dot com</p>
<p>I suspect most that don't graduate transfer elsewhere. I don't think flunking out or finances play a large role. Student websites of the sort you quote tend to attract more unhappy students looking for a place to whine. Their unhappiness is frequently due to things like professors penalizing a grade because of a failure to "understand" why an assignment "had" to be turned in late.</p>
<p>I believe that St. Olaf is one of the colleges that takes on, as part of its mission, students that are first generation college attenders. I seem to remember that 12 percent, or 17 percent?, of their admitted students are first generation college students. I would imagine that those students might have the deck stacked less in their favor, shall we say, for "ontime" graduation. And IMHO that is Just Fine--I believe that institutions, particularly colleges of faith communities, Ought to offer those students a chance, as a worthy risk--and not worry, as we need not either, about the graduation rate. Personally, some of us here on CC should check out some of the colleges that have 30 percent or 12 percent graduation rates--and THAT is what we, or our DSs and DDs (in their future careers), should be worrying about. Not meaning to be harsh toward the OP, but it would seem to me not to be a high priority worry. We ARE a nation that believes in upward social mobility--and where might that take place? St. Olaf would be a wonderful place!</p>
<p>Oh gosh, no, I didn't think you were being harsh at all. I was just really curious about what might cause people to leave the school or take longer to graduate. There can be so many reasons. I hadn't thought of your explanation, so see, I learned something new and that's great.
Thanks for your insight!</p>
<p>An 80 pct 4 yr grad rate is very good, and way above the national average, which is, hold on to your seatbelts, BELOW 50 pct.</p>
<p>I am trying to find the exact stat, but I first heard this at Illinois Wesleyan's presentation, in which it stated it had a stellar 4 yr grad rate, <em>at 76 or 77 pct.</em> I thought the same thing as you - why so low?</p>
<p>4 yr grad rate of kenyon, carleton, grinnell, 30-50 places above olaf.
85
88
85</p>
<p>Even though I just suggested that 80 is way above average and darn good, I wonder if many students do music majors as an extra thing, and which might prolong the grad?</p>