Retention and Graduation by College

Retention and Graduation by College

Retention statistics are compiled for students affiliated with each college (e.g., Cowell, Merrill, Oakes). These figures are based on the students' colleges at the time they entered as frosh. The following figures are not adjusted to account for the students who chose to change their college affiliation.

Table 13

Retention and Graduation Rates for Residential Colleges
Cowell College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 206 68.0 26.7 50.0 57.8

1986 252 78.2 30.6 59.5 65.1

1987 264 76.5 38.6 64.8 70.5

1988 230 81.3 35.2 58.3 67.4

1989 192 78.1 46.9 67.7 71.9

1990 175 72.0 41.7 63.4 69.1

1991 193 77.7 48.7 61.1

1992 198 74.7 40.9

1993 210 73.8

1994 205 75.1

1995 218

Stevenson College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 223 74.9 33.6 52.0 58.3

1986 243 69.1 38.7 59.7 64.2

1987 268 69.0 34.0 57.1 63.1

1988 245 75.5 46.1 63.7 68.6

1989 215 77.2 43.3 64.2 70.2

1990 173 76.3 49.7 66.5 68.2

1991 214 73.8 47.7 65.9

1992 205 74.6 40.5

1993 200 72.5

1994 225 70.7

1995 220

Crown College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 202 70.8 24.3 47.5 55.0

1986 328 73.2 29.9 53.7 61.6

1987 354 70.6 33.3 57.1 62.1

1988 310 74.5 46.5 66.5 69.7

1989 275 78.9 46.2 66.5 71.6

1990 281 76.5 46.3 63.0 66.9

1991 270 74.1 43.3 63.0

1992 276 73.9 41.7

1993 239 73.6

1994 251 70.5

1995 251

Merrill College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 175 66.9 23.4 46.9 54.3

1986 298 69.1 32.2 57.7 61.4

1987 326 65.0 32.8 54.9 59.5

1988 279 74.2 39.4 62.0 68.1

1989 258 70.5 39.1 56.2 63.2

1990 227 70.9 39.2 62.6 67.8

1991 194 71.1 39.7 63.4

1992 228 71.5 32.5

1993 185 73.0

1994 215 67.9

1995 232

Porter College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 209 58.4 20.1 46.4 52.2

1986 253 61.3 25.3 49.8 56.5

1987 262 64.5 29.4 47.3 54.2

1988 226 65.5 39.4 58.8 62.4

1989 311 66.9 37.6 53.1 59.2

1990 263 70.0 39.5 57.8 62.4

1991 259 71.8 43.2 60.2

1992 263 60.8 37.3

1993 261 67.0

1994 243 66.3

1995 252

Kresge College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 146 61.6 17.8 34.9 41.1

1986 178 56.7 24.2 39.9 47.8

1987 198 63.1 28.3 52.5 58.6

1988 216 71.3 42.1 60.2 63.9

1989 168 66.1 33.3 51.8 57.1

1990 189 66.1 37.6 53.4 59.3

1991 172 59.3 34.9 51.7

1992 171 57.9 32.2

1993 152 61.8

1994 157 61.1

1995 174

Oakes College

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 124 66.1 17.7 37.9 46.8

1986 197 65.0 25.4 51.8 55.3

1987 177 66.1 33.3 53.7 62.1

1988 279 72.4 35.8 59.5 65.2

1989 257 71.6 38.9 54.9 61.5

1990 247 70.4 41.7 61.5 65.6

1991 225 72.0 32.4 53.8

1992 226 74.8 41.6

1993 199 72.9

1994 193 70.5

1995 212

College Eight

Entering Frosh
Percentage
Retained
Percentage Graduating

Year Number 2 years 4 years 5 years 6 years
1985 79 64.6 17.7 41.8 48.1

1986 82 59.8 22.0 46.3 52.4

1987 81 59.3 28.4 43.2 48.1

1988 61 75.4 29.5 62.3 68.9

1989 143 72.7 34.3 53.8 58.7

1990 351 70.1 36.2 57.8 63.0

1991 261 73.9 37.9 59.8

1992 241 71.8 35.3

1993 233 71.7

1994 265 72.1

1995 235

To assist in the comparison of the colleges, the average of the retention and graduation rates for the last five years are shown below. It is important to note that the five-year averages may disguise recent improvements. Like the averages developed for students of different cultural/ethnic backgrounds, the averages in Table 14 are based on different cohorts of entering students (see the footnote on page 13).

Table 14

College Five-Year Averages

Percent
Retained
Percentage Graduating

College 2 years 4 years 6 years
Cowell 74.7 45.0 68.6

Stevenson 73.5 45.3 66.6

Crown 73.8 44.8 66.1

Merrill 70.8 38.0 63.7

Porter 67.2 39.4 58.9

Kresge 61.4 36.4 57.6

Oakes 72.1 38.1 62.3

Eight 67.2 35.8 59.7

UC Santa Cruz 70.9 40.2 63.3

It is readily apparent that there are significant differences in the graduation and retention rates of the colleges. Notably, Kresge College has had consistently lower retention rates, and currently retains only 61% of students to their junior year. Kresge and College Eight have had the lowest four-year graduation rates, and this year's rates were significantly below the campus average (32% and 35% vs. 40%). Crown, Stevenson and Cowell Colleges have had an appreciably greater percentage of students graduating after four, five and six years than the other colleges. In general, older colleges have retained and graduated a greater percentage of their students than the newer colleges. The sizable differences in the retention and graduation rates between several of the colleges suggests that the differences in students that they attract and/or the programs that they offer are important. Further study would be required to determine whether the differences are programmatic and if programs could be successfully adopted in other colleges.

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Entering Frosh		Percentage Retained	Percentage Graduating
Year	Number	2 years	4 years	5 years	6 years
1985	206	68.0	26.7	50.0	57.8
1986	252	78.2	30.6	59.5	65.1
1987	264	76.5	38.6	64.8	70.5
1988	230	81.3	35.2	58.3	67.4
1989	192	78.1	46.9	67.7	71.9
1990	175	72.0	41.7	63.4	69.1
1991	193	77.7	48.7	61.1
1992	198	74.7	40.9
1993	210	73.8
1994	205	75.1
1995	218

	Percent Retained	Percentage Graduating
College	2 years	4 years	6 years
Cowell	74.7	45.0	68.6
Stevenson	73.5	45.3	66.6
Crown	73.8	44.8	66.1
Merrill	70.8	38.0	63.7
Porter	67.2	39.4	58.9
Kresge	61.4	36.4	57.6
Oakes	72.1	38.1	62.3
Eight	67.2	35.8	59.7

UC Santa Cruz	70.9	40.2	63.3