COLLEGE SUCCESS AND PROGRESS IN ILLINOIS

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released a data snapshot highlighting the yearly success and progress of first-time college students who enrolled full-time in fall 2011. This rich informational source allows researchers to follow student success and progression over a six-year time horizon as they remained enrolled, transferred, graduated, or stopped out of college altogether. IBHE compared the results for the Illinois’ community colleges, public universities, and not-for-profit private colleges to the national sector-specific averages.

Generally, at the end of the six-year tracking period, students initially enrolling full-time at Illinois public universities and community colleges had higher graduation rates (both at the original school and transfer institutions) than the national averages (see Figure 1 and Figure 2). Relatedly, lower proportions of students from Illinois public universities and community college stop out of college without earning a credential. Students from not-for-profit (NFP) private colleges generally had higher graduation rates than students in the public university and community college sectors, and completed at the national rate of other NFP private colleges (see Figure 3).

Figure 1: Community Colleges

As shown in Figure 1, by the end of the second academic year (AY 2012-13), over 70% of Illinois community college students had either completed a postsecondary credential or were retained at their first college. Nationally, only two-thirds (66%) had either completed their credential or remained at the first college. An additional 8% of Illinois community college students had persisted by transferring to another college, which was fairly close to the national average of 9%.

By the end of academic year 2013-14, 70% of Illinois community college students had either completed a postsecondary credential or were still enrolled in college. Nationally, only 64% had met that same status. More importantly, the graduation rate for students who initially enrolled at Illinois community colleges was seven percentage points higher than the national average when completions at transfer institutions are considered (28% compared to 21%).

Six years after initial full-time enrollment (by the end of AY 2016-17), slightly less than one-half (49%) of Illinois students had either earned a credential at their original community college or a transfer institution. This was eight percentage points higher than the national average. An additional 11% were still enrolled at either their original community college or at a transfer institution and this was closely aligned with the national average of 12%.

Figure 2: Public Universities

As illustrated in Figure 2, by the end of the second academic year (AY 2012-13), 80% of students who initially enrolled at Illinois public universities were still enrolled at their original school or had earned a postsecondary credential. This was the same as the national average. Roughly the same proportion of students transferred to different college: 12% in Illinois, 10% nationally.

By the end of the academic year 2013-14, a slightly higher proportion of Illinois students (11%) had completed a credential (either at their first college or at a transfer institution), compared to 9% nationally. Roughly the same proportion of students were still enrolled at their original institution (62% in Illinois, 63% nationally) or transferred and remained enrolled at a different institution (16% in Illinois, 14% nationally).

At the end of the fourth academic year (AY 2014-15), 46% of the students initially enrolling at Illinois public universities had graduated. This was significantly higher than the national average of 41% (+12% and five percentage points).

Six years after initial full-time enrollment, nearly three-quarters (73%) of students had either earned a credential at their original Illinois public university or a transfer institution, compared to 69% nationally. Similar proportions were still enrolled, 8% in Illinois and 9% nationally. Therefore, a slightly smaller proportion of individuals from Illinois public universities were no longer enrolled and had not earned a credential at the end of academic year 2016-17 (19% in Illinois, 21% nationally).

Figure 3: Private, Not-for-Profit Institutions

As shown in Figure 3, by the end of the second academic year (AY 2012-13) 93% of students who initially enrolled full-time at Illinois private, not-for-profit (NFP) institutions were still enrolled or had completed a postsecondary credential (at either their original college or a transfer institution), which paralleled the national average. However, a noticeably higher proportion of the students from Illinois private, NFP institutions had completed a credential compared to the national average (9% to 5%).

By the end of academic year 2013-14, 90% of the students from Illinois private, NFP institutions Illinois were either still enrolled or had graduated, which was also the same at the national average. Once again, the students from Illinois private, NFP colleges outpaced the national average in terms of graduation rates (15% in Illinois relative to 10% nationally).

At the end of the fourth academic year (AY 2014-15) the Illinois specific information begins to almost mirror the national averages and this continues throughout the rest of the six-year tracking period. Six years after initial enrollment, more than three-quarters (78%) of students had either earned a credential at their original Illinois private institutions or a transfer institution, compared to 78% nationally.

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (Spring, 2018). Yearly success and progress rates (Fall 2011 entering cohort): Snapshot Report. Herdon, VA. Retrieved from: https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/SnapshotReport32.pdf

State-level Dashboard Retrieved from: https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/%20Snapshot_Success_and_Progress_State_Level_2018.xlsx

Illinois Board of Higher Education. (April 2018). College Success and Progress in Illinois (IBHE DataPoints 2018-6). Springfield, IL.