<p>Wow, thanks to sikorsky in another thread for the link to the Academic Data Reference Book. So much information. Much of it made me happy – ds should be able to get in – but one stat really stuck out to me as the mom of a Hispanic male. I decided to start a new thread rather than add to that one.</p>
<p>The retention rate for Hispanic males from year two to year three drops from 86% to 57%. The drop is only a few points from year 1 to year 2. Any ideas about what is happening from that second to third year? Is there something about how the program is structured that causes this huge dropoff? I actually know a Hispanic male who left after the first year (though not well enough to ask why) but didn’t think too much of it as it’s far from home and I just figured he didn’t like the cold weather/distance/whatever.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on the Hispanic retention rate?</p>
<p>I can’t think of any structural issues, except that by junior year most students have finished up the bulk of their gen ed requirements and are taking higher level courses in their majors. I don’t know the number of Hispanic males at AU, but if it’s small, the statistics could be heavily skewed by just a handful of departures. This certainly sounds like a question to pose to the Admissions office.</p>
<p>Good point, MommaJ. I’ll have to go back and look at raw numbers. Ds is meeting with an adcom today; wish I’d known this beforehand so he could have asked! But he’s a junior so he’s got time to figure it out. Thanks for the reply.</p>
<p>Oh, I’m glad you found that amazing source of information helpful.</p>
<p>I’m afraid I don’t have any insight into your retention question. My kid’s on a gap year before starting AU, so I’m deferring my worries about retention while she defers her enrollment.</p>