Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

Monitoring retention rates is important because students who return the second year are more likely to graduate. Student characteristics and behaviors, such as preparation for college, motivation and engagement, time spent studying, finances, work, and family obligations affect retention rates. Institutional characteristics also affect retention rates. Although institutions that enroll better-prepared students who are traditional freshmen and who live on campus have higher retention rates, institutions that make personal connections with students and have high levels of faculty involvement with students also retain students at higher rates (Source: USG).

GCSU GOAL: Increase retention of first year students - For fall 2018 cohort, Georgia College & State University seeks to attain an 86% rate of retention of students from the first year into the second year, representing a 2-percentage point increase over current benchmark data.