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Cohort
beginning
year:
TABLE IIF-2
RETENTION RATES AT ROWAN (ALL MAJORS) FOR 1996-2001 COHORTS A
Total
started
Total
graduated by
2002
Enrolled after
1 st year
Enrolled after
2 nd year
Enrolled after
3 rd year
Enrolled after 4 th
year
1996 1135 717 (63.2%) 953 (84.0%) 853(75.2%) 804(70.8%) 349 (30.7%)
1997 1039 554 (53.3%) 841 (80.9%) 740 (71.2%) 703(67.7%) 349 (33.6%)
1998 1114 409 (36.7%) 939 (84.3%) 836 (75.0%) 809 (72.6%) 389 (34.9%)
1999 1121 936 (83.5%) 845 (75.4%0 802 (71.5%)
2000 1049 916 (87.3%) 836 (79.7%)
2001 1277 1065 (83.4%)
Total 6735 5640 (83.7%) 4110 (75.3%)* 3118
(70.7%)**
a Source: Rowan Resource Book 2002.
*Out of total 1996-2000 (n=5458)
**out of total 1996-1999 (n=4409)
***out of total 1996-1998 (n=3288)
1087
(33.1%)***
Retention rates are somewhat difficult to compare to other settings because in
many colleges students do not declare major in first year. Retention estimates range from
44-64% depending on the measures and college used. The most definitive study is that of
Adelman (1998), who uses High School and Beyond data to calculate “engineering
paths” and reaches a figure of 57% completing B.A. in engineering of those who started
out on an engineering path in 1982 (giving them more than 10 years to have completed
the degree). Besterfield-Sacre et. al. (1997) report that nationwide, less than one half of
freshmen who start in engineering graduate in engineering. Similarly, Astin & Astin
(1993: 3-6) report that only 44% of the college students who started out in engineering in
1985 were majoring in engineering in 1989. Moller-Wong/Eide follow a cohort from
1990-95 and find a completion rate of 32%; the High School & Beyond sophomore
cohort 1982-7 they follow had a completion rate of 39%. Rowan’s graduation rate of
80% for the 1996 engineering cohort is therefore very high; 50.8% after 5 years for
the1997 cohort and 46.7% after 4 years for the 1998 cohort are also high.
IIF-216