Page 81 - Crisis in Higher Education

Underlying Problems • 55

TABLE 3.1
Percent Completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Four Years and in Six Years
% Completing 4-Year Degree % Completing 4-Year Degree
in 4 Years in 6 Years
Private Private Private Private
Cohort Not- For- Not- For-
Starting in All Public for-Profit Profit All Public for-Profit Profit
1996 33.7% 26.0% 48.6% 21.8% 55.4% 51.7% 63.1% 28.0%
2000 36.1% 29.0% 50.3% 25.7% 57.5% 54.8% 64.5% 32.6%
2002 36.4% 29.9% 51.0% 14.2% 57.2% 54.9% 64.6% 22.0%
2003 37.0% 30.7% 51.6% 14.8% 57.8% 55.8% 65.1% 23.5%
2004 38.0% 31.4% 52.6% 20.6% 58.4% 56.1% 65.5% 28.6%
2005 38.3% 32.0% 52.2% 20.0% 58.6% 56.6% 65.2% 29.1%
2006 39.0% 32.8% 52.9% 22.8% 59.2% 57.2% 65.5% 31.5%
2007 39.4% 33.5% 52.8% 22.5% 59.4% 57.7% 65.3% 31.9%
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Graduation Rates, 2015. https://nces.ed.gov/fast-
facts/display.asp?id=40
Note: Graduation rates are from the first institution attended for the first time. These rates are for
full-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree at a four-year postsecondary institution.

universities are at 57.7%, 65.3%, and 31.9%, respectively. Following are
4
important points about the data.

1. The 2007 cohort is used because some students may not graduate
until 2013, which is a six-year lag.
2. Graduation rates are from the first institution attended for the first
time. These rates are for full-time students seeking a bachelor’s
degree at four-year postsecondary institutions.
3. An overall graduation rate of 39.4% in four years is a very poor show-
ing. It seems reasonable for universities to admit students with the
ability to do the work and do the work in a reasonable time. To have
a completion rate of less than 40% is not acceptable. When compar-
ing private, not-for-profit and public universities, there is a 19.3%
difference in four-year graduation rates (52.8% minus 33.5%). When
six-year graduation rates are examined, public universities close the
gap on private, not-for-profit universities to 7.6% (65.3 minus 57.7).
4
The difference in performance between public universities and private,
not-for-profit universities is likely caused by private, not-for-profit uni-
versities having, on average, higher admission standards.