How To Get A Degree

(1)

!

For too many students, the path through college ends with no degree —

and often lots of debt.

Return as

sophomores

Enroll

Graduate on time

(100% time)

Total graduates

Additional graduates

150% time

200% time

Associate

Bachelor’s

100% time

2 years

4 years

150% time

3 years

6 years

200% time

4 years

8 years

Too few students make it through college.

2-Year Public College

Full-Time

Part-Time

4-Year Public College

Full-Time

Part-Time

100 Key to measuring time

Graduate in 8 years

Graduate in 4 years

For a strong economy, the skills gap must be closed.

By 2020, jobs requiring a career certificate or college degree

Skills gap

ILLINOIS

2011

67%

43%

24%

39

25

4

24

11

0

1

2

37

28

15

9

1

25

0

12

25 Data: 2-year cohort started in fall 2004; 4-year cohort started in fall 2002

Illinois adults who currently have an associate degree or higher

Of students who enroll in a public college or university

Data: See the Sources and Methodology section on our website.

2

(2)

!

And all credentials should provide clear pathways to success.

!

Now we must have more success from all students.

We’re making great progress in providing access to more students.

For states to compete, their students must earn more degrees

and certificates.

Total public college enrollment:

Overall Credentials

Awarded

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)

Credentials Awarded

Complete College America

n

2 Certificate

Associate

Bachelor’s

Certificate

Associate

Bachelor’s

536,027

Data: 2007–08

Full-time

283,311

4-year

colleges

152,067

Hispanic

17%

White

61%

White

60%

White

74%

Data: Fall 2009 enrollment from IPEDS; population data from Census ACS PUMS 06-08; degrees by race from 2007-10 state submissions

4,843

5,469

23,039

25,188

31,612

33,125

2003

2008

2003

2008

2003

2008

2003

2008

2003

2008

2003

2008

335

451

986 1,352

6,776

6,713

Part-time

252,716

_2-year

colleges

383,960

African

American

16%

Other races

6%

Hispanic

14%

African

American

15%

Other races

11%

Hispanic

7%

African

American

10%

Other races

8%

Attending

Pursuing Degrees & Certificates

Total State Population,

Age 18-24

College

Enrollment

(3)

!

Given changing demographics, our country will not have enough skilled

Americans to compete unless many more students from all backgrounds and

walks of life graduate.

Graduation rates are very low, especially if you’re poor, part time,

African American, Hispanic, or older.

Certificate-Seeking

Students

All

White

Hispanic

African

American

Age

25 and

Over

Age

20–24

Directly

from HS

(age 17–19)

Pell Grant

Recipients

(at entry)

Remedial

2005

Full-Time

On-time (1 year)

Within 1

1

_/

₂

_years

Within 2 years

2005

Part-Time

Within 1 year

Within 1

1

_/

₂

_years

Within 2 years

Associate Degree-

Seeking Students

All

White

Hispanic

African

American

Age

25 and

Over

Age

20–24

Directly

from HS

(age 17–19)

Pell Grant

Recipients

(at entry)

Remedial

2004

Full-Time

On-time (2 years)

Within 3 years

Within 4 years

2004

Part-Time

Within 2 years

Within 3 years

Within 4 years

Bachelor’s Degree-

Seeking Students

All

White

Hispanic

African

American

Age

25 and

Over

Age

20–24

Directly

from HS

(age 17–19)

Pell Grant

Recipients

(at entry)

Remedial

2002

Full-Time

On-time (4 years)

Within 6 years

Within 8 years

2002

Part-Time

Within 4 years

Within 6 years

Within 8 years

Associate degree graduation rates are abysmal

across the country — for Hispanic and African

American students, they’re tragic.

Almost no one over the age of 25

graduates; students fresh out of high

school are most likely to succeed.

In most states, very few students seeking certificates

ever graduate.

(4)

!

Staying enrolled is particularly tough for part-time students, who must often

balance jobs and school.

Retention rates drop from year to year.

Complete College America n 4

… after falling off track early.

Many get discouraged and drop out …

Students who earn

expected first-year

credits

Full-Time (24 credits)

Part-Time (12 credits)

Associate

Bachelor’s

Associate

Bachelor’s

Students in 2-year

colleges who

return to campus

Students in 4-year

colleges who

return to campus

Full-Time

Part-Time

100%

Start

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Start

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

!

Current approaches almost always guarantee failure.

Remediation PXVWEHIL[HG.

2-Year Colleges

Complete

remediation

Complete

remediation

Complete

and associated

college-level

courses in

two years

Complete

remediation

and associated

college-level

courses in

two years

Graduate

within

3 years

(projected)

Graduate

within

6 years

(projected)

of freshmen require remediation

of those …

4-Year Colleges

of freshmen require remediation

of those …

Data: Associate cohort started in 2004–05, bachelor's cohort started in 2002–03; earned credits from fall 2006

(5)

!

More students must graduate on time.

Precious time and money are lost when students don’t graduate

on schedule.

… and too many credits.

Students are taking too much time …

Bachelor’s

Certificate

Associate

Data: 2007–08

Should take

1 year

for full-time students

Should take

2 years

for full-time students

Should take

4 years

for full-time students

Full-time

students take

3 years

Part-time

students take

4 years

Part-time

students take

5.5 years

Full-time

students take

4.5 years

Part-time

students take

5 years

Full-time

students take

3 years

Should take

30 credits

Should take

60 credits

Should take

120 credits

(6)

Complete College America

n

6

!

Even modest progress provides little comfort when overall graduation rates

are so low.

More time isn’t giving us enough success.

For certificate and associate degree students, graduation rates are

very low … even when students take more time.

On-time graduation rates for bachelor’s degree students are

shockingly low. And adding time beyond six years produces

little additional success.

Certificate

In 1 year

In 1.5 years

In 2 years

Full-Time

Part-Time

Associate

In 2 years

In 3 years

In 4 years

Full-Time

Part-Time

Bachelor’s

In 4 years

In 6 years

In 8 years

Full-Time

Part-Time

(7)

Graduation rates by campus

Public two-year colleges

(In 3 years)

Public four-year colleges

(In 6 years)

Illinois Eastern Community

Colleges-Frontier Community _57% College

52% Colleges-Lincoln Trail College

50% Colleges-Wabash Valley College

Rend Lake College _48% Kaskaskia College

40% Southeastern Illinois College

34% Spoon River College _34% Sauk Valley Community College _33%

Highland Community College

32% Illinois Valley Community

32% College

31% Colleges-Olney Central College

John Wood Community College

31% Carl Sandburg College

30% Lake Land College _29% Shawnee Community College _28%

Illinois Central College

26% Parkland College

26% Elgin Community College _25% Heartland Community College _25% Kankakee Community College

25% Kishwaukee College

25% Rock Valley College _25% McHenry County College _24% Danville Area Community

23% College

Lincoln Land Community College _23% Waubonsee Community College _23%

John A. Logan College

22% Black Hawk College

21%

Data: Reported by institutions to NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Graduation rates are for first-time,

full-time students completing certificate or degree within 150 percent of normal program time. Source: U.S. Department of Education,

IPEDS 2009–10 Graduation Rates

University of Illinois at

83% Urbana-Champaign

Illinois State University _69% University of Illinois at

67% Springfield

Western Illinois University

59% Eastern Illinois University _58%

University of Illinois at

54% Chicago

Northern Illinois University

48% Southern Illinois University

46% Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University

44% Carbondale

Northeastern Illinois

20% University

(8)

Graduation rates by campus

Public two-year colleges

(In 3 years)

Public four-year colleges

(In 6 years)

Complete College America

n

Richland Community College

21% Southwestern Illinois College

21% Morton College _20% Moraine Valley Community

18% College

College of Lake County

17% Lewis and Clark Community

16% College Harper College _15% Triton College 15% College of DuPage 14% Prairie State College _13% South Suburban College _13%

City Colleges of

11% Chicago-Malcolm X College

Joliet Junior College _10% Oakton Community College _10%

City Colleges of

8% Chicago-Kennedy-King College

City Colleges of Chicago-Richard

8% J. Daley College

City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur

8% Wright College

City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S 5% Truman College City Colleges of

5% Chicago-Olive-Harvey College City Colleges of Chicago-Harold

4% Washington College