<p>Last time I glanced at the Temple University profile, the graduation rate was around 30% (I don't quite remember the exact number, I could be off by a margin, but I do know that it was below 50%).</p>
<p>Does anyone know the reason as to why Temple University has such a low graduation rate? Is it because the majority do not like it at Temple and transfer elsewhere?</p>
<p>It's a city school with many first time and part-time college students. Think of it as a four year CC and you might get the picture.</p>
<p>"Think of it as a four year CC"</p>
<ul>
<li>I wouldn't go that far; it's a step or so above a cc.</li>
</ul>
<p>Yes it is, but it's not a Michigan or Berkeley either. I should say many are working to put themselves through school too.</p>
<p>Remember that's not an absolute graduation rate--it's probably set to a certain time period, like 5 years. Any school with a lot of part-timers is going to have a low 5-yr graduation rate, even if many of its students successfully graduate. It's one thing to factor in.</p>
<p>'cause students and their families are poor, and have little in the way of assets.</p>
<p>So, any school that isn't Berkeley or Michigan is a"four-year cc"? And I thought Ivy Leaguers were supposed to be the snobs...</p>
<p>Come on folks, Temple is a respected, legimitate U that serves a difficult population. Barron's first sentence was accurate, but I don't know why the dis in the second. It is not a cc - not even close. It is heavily minority, first timer, urban etc.</p>
<p>I agree newmassdad... For example, Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple is like one of the best music schools around and people who audition for places like Julliard and Curtis also audition at Temple. My former tutor went to Temple for undergrad and he explained that one of the reasons why people who are at Temple who have the potential to be at Penn aren't there because of financial reasons and are working part time just to pay off the Temple tuition (let alone the Ivy tuition). He is now at Harvard by the way for grad school.</p>
<p>Hence my disdainful reply.</p>
<p>I never said CC's were bad. You assumed that. They serve a useful role by allowing anyone to try college--especially kids that need to work at the same time.</p>
<p>Except that that DOESN'T make Temple a cc just because you said so.</p>
<p>Mini is right on target - Over 35% of Temple students are Pell Grant recipients, read: "low income." So that undoubtably factors in to not being able to financially finish in 4 years. However, when you compare Temple's grad rate with schools of similiar size, URM enrollment and average SAT scores, Temple is not out of line with its grad rate - it's actually right in the middle of the pack of similar schools.</p>
<p>graduation rates are closely related to average SAT scores...that is, Temple may be doing a great job with the students they enroll...this is in no way meant as a criticism of Temple students, it is just a fact of life in higher ed...and I think there is a standard formula for calculating grad rates that all colleges adhere to-fulltime freshmen after six years- it excludes part-time</p>
<p>There was a recent article about this in Chronicle of Higher Ed by a guy named Astin (maybe)</p>
<p>Some schools that have relatively open admissions practices still maintain fairly high academic standards. The combination may lead to a high atriculation rate.</p>