<p>The retention rate for SVA from freshman to sophomore year is 89%. Which is not that bad. I could only find the six-year graduation rate for RISD which at 90% is actually amazing. While I think that school spirit might have some impact on the freshman to sophomore rentention rate, I think it likely that other factors are at work on the graduation rate. I think that RISD is somewhat self-selected toward more affluent students and that the students with greater financial means are more likely to afford to graduate in a timely manner. One of the things which as bothered my daughter about SVA is the emphasis that is placed on being able to make a living as an artist after graduation. I wonder if the pounding they take on that aspect probabably causes a higher drop-out rate down the road when some students realize that they don't want an artist's life.</p>