Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2013-2016

IPEDS 2013 IC Graduation Rates

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2013-2016

OMB: 1850-0582

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Graduation Rates

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

This IPEDS Graduation Rates data collection instrument was used
during the 2012-13 data collection and will be used again during the
2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16 data collections.

2012-13 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic
reporters)
Screening questions
Does your institution post the Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates on a website?
No.

Yes. Please provide the URL.
http://
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional
Characteristics Header survey from the IPEDS Fall 2012 Data Collection, your institution must report graduation
rates data using a
Fall Cohort (Fall 2006)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A fullyear cohort is used by institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a
continuous basis.
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context
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

will be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and
parents.

Section I - Graduation Rate - Establishing cohorts
Establishing cohorts
NOTE: Reporting using the new race categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to revise your
preloaded 2006 cohort to the new race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with this, please visit AIR's
Race/Ethnicity FAQ page.
Screen 1 of 2
Cohort year 2006
Initial cohort
Revised cohort
(Column 01)
Men
NEW categories:
Notes for NEW categories:
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
OLD categories:
Black, non-Hispanic
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Categories used in BOTH New and Old:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
NEW categories:
Notes for NEW categories:
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Hispanic/Latino

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

White

Two or more races

OLD categories:
Black, non-Hispanic
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Categories used in BOTH New and Old:
Nonresident alien

Race and ethnicity unknown

Total women

Total men + women

Section I - Graduation Rate - Establishing cohorts
•Incoming students who are seeking a bachelor's degree should be reported in Column 02. Column 03 will then be
generated for you. It is meant to include any full-time, first-time entering students who are seeking an associate's
degree or undergraduate certificate.
•If you have no changes to the preloaded data on this screen, you must click the "Save and Next" button to generate
screens to report completers and transfers.
Establishing cohorts
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 2 of 2

Men
Nonresident alien

Cohort year 2006
Bachelor's or equivalent
Other degree-seeking
degree-seeking
subcohort
subcohort
(Revised cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort)
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
(Column 03)
Cohort

Hispanic/Latino

American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White

Two or more races

Race and ethnicity unknown

Total men
Women
Nonresident alien

Hispanic/Latino

American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White

Two or more races

Race and ethnicity unknown

Total women
Total men + women

Section II - Graduation Rate - Completers within 150%
•In the columns below, report the status of the bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort of students reported in Column 10.
•Those undergraduate students who attained OTHER THAN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE within 150% of normal time as
of August 31, 2012 should be reported in either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program.
•Those who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% or normal time should be reported in Column 18.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 1 of 3

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Cohort year 2006
Bachelor's or
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150%
Total
equivalent degreeof normal time to completion
completers
seeking subcohort
within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of
programs of less programs of at least 2
bachelor's or
than 2 years (or
and less than 4 years
equivalent
equivalent)
(or equivalent)
degrees
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
(Column 29)

Section II - Graduation Rate - Bachelor's completers by length of time to degree
The students who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent as reported on the previous page are listed in Column 18.
In Column 19, report the number of bachelor's degree seekers who earned a bachelor's degree in 4 years. In Column
20, the number of bachelor's degree seekers who earned a bachelor's degree in 5 years. Column 21 will be calculated
for you.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 2 of 3

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2006
Completed
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's
bachelor's
degree or equivalent
degree
Completed the Completed the Completed the
or equivalent
program in
program in
program in
within 150%
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)

Section II - Graduation Rate - Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of the BACHELOR'S DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS reported in the
subcohort in Column 10, who did not complete a program as of 150% of normal time to completion.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed their programs,
you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A school is required to report only on those students that the school
knows have transferred to another school. A school must document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part
of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who have dropped out or who
completed in greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to enter in either Columns 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on
this screen
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 3 of 3

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Cohort year 2006
Total
Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
completers
students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%

Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)

(Column 29)

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

(Column 30)

Section III - Graduation Rate - Completers within 150%
•In the columns below, report the status of the subcohort of other undergraduate degree- or certificate-seeking students
reported in Column 10.
•Those undergraduate students who attained OTHER THAN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE within 150% of normal time as
of August 31, 2012 should be reported in either Column 11 or 12, depending on the type of the program.
•Those who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% or normal time should be reported in Column 18.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 1 of 2

Cohort year 2006
Other degree- Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of
Total
seeking subcohort
normal time to completion
completers
within 150%
Completers of
Completers of programs Completers of
programs of less
of at least 2 years but
bachelor's or
than 2 years (or
less than 4 years (or
equivalent
equivalent)
equivalent)
degrees
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
(Column 29)

Section III - Graduation Rate - Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of the OTHER THAN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS
reported in the subcohort in Column 10, who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2012.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed their programs,
you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A school is required to report only on those students that the school
knows have transferred to another school. A school must document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part
of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces(or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This will include students who dropped out as well as those
who completed in greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to enter in either Columns 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on
this screen
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 2 of 2

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Cohort year 2006
Other degreeTotal completers Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
seeking subcohort
within 150%
students
exclusions
enrolled
(Column 10)
(Column 29)
(Column 30)
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column
52)

Prepared by
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Finance Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How long did it take to prepare this survey component?
hours
minutes
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there
are questions concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the
reporting burden associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions,
query and search data sources, complete and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection
System.
Thank you for your assistance.

2012-13 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates Full Instructions - 4-Year Institutions

Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Who to Include
Who to Exclude
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Screening Questions
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Section I: Establishing and Revising Cohorts
Section II: Bachelor's Degree Subcohort
Section III: Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohorts
Worksheets

Purpose of Survey
The purpose of the Graduation Rates component of IPEDS is to track the cohorts of first-time, fulltime degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates, as well as their completion status at 100% and
150% of normal time at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist institutions
in complying with the Student Right to Know Act.
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Changes in Reporting
Institutions must report using the new race/ethnicity categories. Cohorts must be revised to reflect the new
categories. A page has been added to crosswalk any data in the initial cohort that was reported in the old or
mixed race/ethnicity categories to the new categories.
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General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
This report requests data on a cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
enrolled in your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2006 or (2) during the period between September 1,
2006 and August 31, 2007. Institutions are to report the status of these students as of August 31, 2012.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component
items. Note that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search
tool offered by NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness
before posting them on the College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of
their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution
either during the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the
fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term. For institutions that will report
using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who entered the institution between
September 1, 2006 and August 31, 2007, and who were enrolled for at least 15 days in a program of up to,
and including, one year in length, or 30 days in a program of greater than one year in length.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those
enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for
the purpose of student financial aid determination.
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
Becomes a part-time student.
•
Transfers to another institution.
•
Drops out of the institution.
•
Stops out of the institution.
•
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate.

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
DO NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational
program.
•
Exclusively taking CEUs.
•
Exclusively auditing classes.
•
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is only nominal.
•
In any branch campus located in a foreign country.
•
Part time.
•
Transfers into the institution.
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Where to Get Help
IPEDS Data Collection Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org

AIR Website
You can also consult the AIR website that contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resources Page
In addition, the IPEDS Resources Page contains frequently asked questions, a link to the glossary, data tip
sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the new race/ethnicity categories and other relevant
information.
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•
•
•
•
•

IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education

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Reporting Instructions
Screening Questions
•

Please provide the URL where the Student-Right-to-Know information is posted on your
institution's website.

•

The method used to establish the cohort reported on this survey has been predetermined
by your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (D1) on the
Institutional Characteristics survey component of the IPEDS Fall 2012 Data Collection,
according to the following rules:
1.

Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic
terms (semesters, trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of
students. Institutions may use a census date of October 15, 2006, or the end of the
institution's drop-add period, or another official fall reporting date to determine the cohort.
This should be the same reporting date established for your IPEDS Fall Enrollment report.

Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic
terms (as defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count
as entering students all those students who entered the institution between September 1,
2006 and August 31, 2007, and who were enrolled for at least 15 days in a program of up to,
and including, one year in length, or 30 days in a program of greater than one year in length.

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•

American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and
South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal
affiliation or community attachment.
•
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the
Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
•
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
•
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of
Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
•
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North
Africa.
Other descriptive categories
•
Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this
country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE Nonresident aliens are to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of
the seven racial/ethnic categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid purposes) noncitizens who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal
immigrants for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien
registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an ArrivalDeparture Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status such as Section
207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in
the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States citizens.
•
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a
racial or ethnic designation.
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Section I – Establishing Cohorts
Report each student only once.
If your institution determines degree intent upon entry, students in your revised initial cohort are to be
separated into two groups or subcohorts: (1) students entering bachelor’s or equivalent degree programs and
(2) students seeking other than a bachelor’s degree (associate’s degree, certificates, etc.).
Institutions that do not determine degree intent upon entry should report all students as if they are bachelor’s
degree-seeking.
Please complete all of Section I; screens for Sections II and III will be generated based on the data you report
in Section I.

Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information you reported on line 01 of your 2006
IPEDS Fall Enrollment report will be preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you
are reporting on a full-year cohort, the column will be blank.

Revised cohort (Column 01) - Please review the data in the initial cohort column, and re-enter the
cohort data according to the 1997 racial/ethnic categories and gender in this column. Also make any
necessary corrections for omissions or double counting in the revised cohort column. If your data do not
appear in the initial cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in the revised cohort
column.

Section I – Establishing Subcohorts

Revised Cohort (Column 01) – These are data are loaded from page 1 of Section I.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 02) – of the revised cohort,
indicate how many students declared intent to seek the bachelor's or equivalent degree upon
entry. As indicated above, this should also include any students whose intent was not known.
These data are brought forward to Section II.
Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 03) – This is the difference between
the revised cohort and the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort. It is calculated for
you. This indicates how many students declared intent to seek other than a bachelor's level degree
(i.e., an associate's degree or other formal award) upon entry. These data are brought forward to
Section III.

Section II – Completers - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort

Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2006 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of
normal time to completion or August 31, 2012 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers
by type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.

Report only for full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree.
DO NOT include students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest degree level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers out and the mission of particular
programs to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those
students who have successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section
668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit
toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree
program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent of an associate’s degree. Similarly, institutions may
count as completers, those students who have successfully completed the first three years of a 3-2 program
and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program. The student receives full credit toward a
5-year bachelor’s degree and qualifies the student for admission into the fourth year of a 5-year bachelor’s
degree program.

Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) - These are the data as
reported in Section I.
In order to calculate a graduation rate to comply with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions can
count as completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transferpreparatory program) within 150% of normal program time (normal time to completion is the amount of time
necessary to complete all requirements for a program according to your institution's catalog). Do not count as
completers students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of type of program completed as defined by award levels.
Program types may not be indicative of the actual calendar time a program takes to complete for programs
that are defined in terms of contact or credit hours. For more information of program types, please consult
the IPEDS Glossary.
Completers of less-than 2-year program within 150% (Column 11) - Enter the number of students
who completed programs of less than 2 years within 150% of normal time. This includes certificates of less
than one year (or equivalent) and certificates of at least one year, but less than two years (or equivalent).
Completers of at least 2 years, but less than 4 years within 150% (Column 12) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of at least 2 years but less than 4 years within 150% of normal time to
completion of their program. This includes certificates of at least two years but less than four years
(or equivalent) and associate's degrees.
Completed Bachelor's degree within 150% (Column 18) - Enter the number of students who completed
a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal time. Note: Include completers of 3-year
bachelor’s degree programs only if they completed within 4-1/2 years.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous three columns, and
is calculated by the data collection system.

Section II – Bachelor’s Degree Completers Length of Time to Degree
Report each student only once.
Report completers of bachelor's degrees or equivalent according to how long it took them to complete their
program. Include all baccalaureate level degrees, including 5-year bachelor's (including cooperative)
programs, and those bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3 years. Of the
total number of completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees within 150% of normal time you reported
(Column 18), provide the following breakout:

Completed the program in 4 yrs or less (Column 19) - Report all students who completed a
bachelor's degree or equivalent in 4 years or less in this column. Include all students who completed a
bachelor's degree or equivalent by August 31, 2010.

Completed the program in 5 yrs (Column 20) - Report all students who completed a bachelor's
degree or equivalent in 5 years in this column. Include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or
equivalent in the period from September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011. Do NOT include students who
completed their program in 4 years or less in this column.

Completed the program in 6 yrs (Column 21) - This column is the difference between the
completers of bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time (Column 18) and the sum of those
who completed the program in 4 years or less (Column 19) and those who completed the program in 5 years
(Column 20). Included are all students who completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent in the period from
September 1, 2011 through August 31, 2012. This column will be calculated by the data collection system.

Section II – Noncompleters - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the noncompleters from the 2006 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking
students as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31,

2012 (whichever was earlier) . Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. DO NOT include students
who transferred into your institution.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) – These data are loaded
from page 2 of Section I.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - These data are loaded from page 2 of Section I.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, report the total number
of students who transferred out of your institution (without a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and
subsequently re-enrolled. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you
wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution
within 150% of normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor
transferred to another institution) because of one of the following documented reasons:
1.
2.
3.
4.

The student is deceased or is totally and permanently disabled and thus unable to return to school.
The student left school to serve in the armed forces or was called to active duty. (DO NOT include
students already in the military who transfer to another duty station.)
The student left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government, such as the
Peace Corps.
The student left school to serve on an official church mission.

NOTE: Students who leave the institution for one of the reasons noted in b, c, or d above, but
return prior to the status date of August 31, 2012, may be subtracted from the cohort during the
calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Report the number of students who were still enrolled at your
institution as 150% of normal time to completion of their program (or August 31, 2012 if 150% of
normal time to completion had not elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column is generated by subtracting from Column 10 the
sum of Columns 29, 30, 45 and 51. This column should include students who graduated from their
program after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.

Section III – Completers - Other Than a Bachelor’s Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2006 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's degree as of 150% of
normal time to completion or August 31, 2012 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers
by type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students seeking undergraduate degrees or certificates other
than a bachelor’s degree. DO NOT include students who transferred into your institution.

Count completers only once and indicate the highest degree level attained.

SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers out and the mission of particular
programs to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those
students who have successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section
668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit
toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree
program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent of an associate’s degree. Similarly, institutions may
count as completers, those students who have successfully completed the first three years of a 3-2 program
and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program. The student receives full credit toward a
5-year bachelor’s degree and qualifies the student for admission into the fourth year of a 5-year bachelor’s
degree program.
Other degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) - These are the data as reported in Section I.
In order to calculate a graduation rate to comply with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions can
count as completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transferpreparatory program) within 150% of normal program time (normal time to completion is the amount of time
necessary to complete all requirements for a program according to your institution's catalog). Do not count as
completers students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of type of program completed as defined by award levels.
Program types may not be indicative of the actual calendar time a program takes to complete for programs
that are defined in terms of contact or credit hours. For more information of program types, please consult
the IPEDS Glossary.
Completers of less-than 2-year program within 150% (Column 11) - Enter the number of students
who completed programs of less than 2 years within 150% of normal time. This includes certificates of less
than one year (or equivalent) and certificates of at least one year, but less than two years (or equivalent).
Completers of at least 2 years, but less than 4 years within 150% (Column 12) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of at least 2 years but less than 4 years within 150% of normal time to
completion of their program. This includes certificates of at least two years but less than four years
(or equivalent) and associate's degrees.
Completed Bachelor's degree within 150% (Column 18) - Enter the number of students who completed
a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal time. Note: Include completers of 3-year
bachelor’s degree programs only if they completed within 4-1/2 years.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous three columns, and
is calculated by the data collection system.

Section III – Noncompleters - Other than a Bachelor’s Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the noncompleters of the 2006 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's degree as of
150% of normal time to completion or August 31, 2012 (whichever was earlier). Report all students by
race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. DO NOT include students who
transferred into your institution.
Other degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) – These are data are loaded from page 2 of Section II.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - These are data are loaded from page 2 of Section I.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, report the total number of students who
transferred out of your institution (without a degree/award) within 150% of normal time to completion.
Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled. If it is not part of your
mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150%
of normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another
institution) because of one of the following documented reasons:
1.
The student is deceased or is totally and permanently disabled and thus unable to return to school.
2.
The student left school to serve in the armed forces or was called to active duty. (DO NOT include
students already in the military who transfer to another duty station.)
3.
The student left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government, such as the
Peace Corps.
4.
The student left school to serve on an official church mission.

Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
Worksheets calculating the Student Right-To-Know completion/graduation and transfer-out rates of full-time,
first-time degree/certificate-seeking students for the 2006 student cohort are provided as a convenience to
the institution. A worksheet calculating 4-year, 5-year, and 6-year graduation rates for the 2005 bachelor's or
equivalent degree-seeking subcohort are provided for those institutions that are able to report bachelor's or
equivalent completers by length of time to degree.
Worksheets calculating the overall four-year average completion/graduation and transfer-out rates of fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students for the student cohort are also provided. Data previously
reported by the institution have been preloaded to use in these calculations.

Note that the information on these worksheets will NOT appear on College Navigator or on any of
the IPEDS data tools.
Privacy Issues With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions
not disclose information where students could be identified.

Glossary

date: 1/16/2013

Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation
Rates component, this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for
the Fall Enrollment component, it is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

American Indian or
Alaska Native (new
definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central
America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian (new definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the
Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of
Education) that normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent collegelevel work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year cooperative (work-study)
program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business,
industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their
college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed
in 3 years.

Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

In the GR component of IPEDS, a cohort of students who were seeking a bachelor's or equivalent
degree upon entry.

Black or African American
(new definition)

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150%
of normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation
Rates and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they
left the institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in
the armed forces (including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the
federal government, such as the Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any
institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or
occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for
the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits , or 12 or more quarter credits,
or 24 or more contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester
credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that
is considered full time by the institution. Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the
institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August
31 that is established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to
be considered in the cohort.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This
rate is calculated as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the
revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of
the Student Right-to-Know legislation. Data are collected on the number of students entering the
institution as full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in a particular
year (cohort), by race/ethnicity and gender; the number completing their program within 150
percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to other institutions if transfer is part
of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athletically-related student aid
were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they completed
within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL
where the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates
worksheets that calculate rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Hispanic or Latino (new
definition)

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or
origin, regardless of race.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates component
of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking students during either (1) the fall term of a given academic year, or (2)
between September 1st and August 31st of the following year.

Long programs

Undergraduate programs that exceed the usual program length for a specific level. This would
include programs of 5 years or longer for 4-year institutions and programs of 3 years or longer for 2year institutions.

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander (new
definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific
Islands.

Nonresident alien

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or
temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

Normal time to
completion

The amount of time necessary for a student to complete all requirements for a degree or certificate
according to the institution's catalog. This is typically 4 years (8 semesters or trimesters, or 12
quarters, excluding summer terms) for a bachelor's degree in a standard term-based institution; 2
years (4 semesters or trimesters, or 6 quarters, excluding summer terms) for an associate's degree
in a standard term-based institution; and the various scheduled times for certificate programs.

Other degree-seeking
subcohort

A subset of students belonging to a GR cohort who were seeking a degree or certificate other than
bachelor's degree upon entry.

Race/ethnicity (new
definition)

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to
describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community.
The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are
used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:

•
•

Hispanic or Latino or
Not Hispanic or Latino

Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:

•
•
•
•
•

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

Race/ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that
incorrect data were reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know
Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was
passed by Congress November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV
funding to calculate completion or graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time
students entering that institution, and to disclose these rates to all students and prospective
students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any Title IV program and
is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the Secretary
of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of
all students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender
and by sport, and the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These
data are also required to be disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the
institution offers athletically-related student aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was
developed specifically to help institutions respond to these requirements. See Graduation Rates for
the current description of data collected.

Subcohort

A predefined subset of the initial cohort or the revised cohort established for tracking purposes on
the Graduation Rates (GR) component of IPEDS. (e.g., bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort.)

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within
150% of normal time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory
program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer
into a higher level program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level
program for which the institution does not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed
for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or more years of undergraduate study needed for
entrance into health services fields.

White (new definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

2012-13 Survey Materials > F.A.Q.

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.

General
1) My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do I choose
my cohort?
2) Why do 4-year institutions need to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
3) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
4) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
5) Do I need to track students every term?

Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
2) I have a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to report on the GR? (Updated: 1/14/2013)
3) How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a confirmation of
transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
7) If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree-seeking student this fall, can I count the
student as "first-time"?
8) What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9) Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10) How do I treat new entrants that get credit for life experience?
11) Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12) Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers out?
13) My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my
IPEDS Fall Enrollment report. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students who enroll part time next semester, or students
who switch to another program?
14) If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degrees (AA and BA) within the 6-year period, can I count both
completions?
15) I have a student that intends to get a bachelor’s degree so he is in my Section II cohort. He does not complete his BA within the
6-year period BUT he did get an associate’s degree along the way and it was completed within 3 years. Where do I report him?

Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1) How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
2) How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
3) According to the Technical Amendment, I can count students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year, but
what if the student does not receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
4) How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?

Transfer-Out
1) Does my institution need to report transfers out?
2) What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer out?
3) My school does not track transfers out and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do this. Am I still in
compliance with the requirements of SRK and am I still responsive to the GR if I don’t report transfers out? (Updated: 1/14/2013)

Other
1) My institution belongs to the NCAA; do I have to report GR data to IPEDS? Do I also need to report to the Secretary of
Education? (Updated: 1/14/2013)
2) The number of students who could be considered for the adjustment to cohort (exclusions) is very small in my school. Do I need
to try to track these "leavers"?
3) How do I deal with "3/2" programs? My institution provides the first 3 years of an engineering program and our students go on to
another university for the last 2 years of study to attain their degree. Can we count them as completers when they get their degree
from the second institution?
4) My institution offers pre-med and pre-vet programs, but formal awards are not given. What happens to these students?
5) My institution offers a PharmD program where a student is accepted into the program after completing a 2 or 3 year program of
undergraduate studies. What happens to these students?
6) There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar provision for
excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
8) Will the GRS satisfy all my requirements for SRK?
9) Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with SRK?

Answers:

General
1) My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How
do I choose my cohort?

If most programs operate on a term basis (semester, quarter or trimester), you must use a fall cohort;
otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort method you must use has been pre-determined by
your answer to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey.
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2) Why do 4-year institutions need to separate their entering cohort into two groups?

NCES is asking 4-year schools that offer undergraduate awards other than the bachelor’s degree to define
two subcohorts: (1) students who enter with the intent to complete a bachelor’s degree, and (2) students
who intend to complete other than a bachelor’s degree program. Students whose intent is unknown are to be
placed in the subcohort with those seeking a bachelor’s degree. By separating the cohort this way, the
graduation and transfer rates of the first group can be compared to those at like institutions as well as those
at institutions offering only a bachelor’s degree. Likewise, the rates of the second group can also be
compared to rates at 2-year institutions.
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3) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?

Student Right-to-Know legislation states that reporting is mandatory for institutions that did enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the cohort year. If you did not enroll this
type of student or your institution was not in operation during the cohort year, please report this information
on the Institutional Characteristics survey.
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4) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?

There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means to change the
cohort by taking into consideration better information that has become available since you first reported your
cohort on the Fall Enrollment survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on
the cohort). You can revise a fall cohort by entering new data in the Revised Cohort column on the data
collection screen. Adjusting a cohort means to subtract the Exclusions from the Revised Cohort to establish
a denominator for rate calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts will be adjusted for you on the worksheet
screens when graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated.
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5) Do I need to track students every term?

No, you can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry and then, at the end of 150% of normal
time for the longest program, look back to see what happened to those in the cohort. You will need to know
when they completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track from term-to-term.
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Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?

According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student attending any institution for the first time
at the level enrolled." By this we mean at the undergraduate level, graduate level, or first-professional level.
Since the GRS is only interested in undergraduates, it means that the student is first time in postsecondary
education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution). There are two
exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution the summer prior to entering your institution in the fall
term are to be counted as "first-time," as are (2) students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2) I have a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to report on the GR? (Updated: 1/14/2013)

Yes. You need to report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions on disclosure for
further information.
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3) How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?

You should report the student as a transfer-out.
Back to top
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?

The IPEDS GRS does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED
IN ANY COHORT.
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5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?

These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to
a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award and if they are not eligible for Title IV Federal financial
aid.
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6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?

Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking on your
IPEDS Fall Enrollment report. If they are degree/certificate-seeking for purposes of qualifying for student
financial aid, then they must be included in the cohort.
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7) If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree-seeking student this fall, can I
count the student as "first-time"?

No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a
postsecondary institution (yours or another school) even though they enter with no credit.
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8) What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?

Neither should be included in your cohort.
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9) Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?

Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they are not
to be included in your cohort according to the SRK regulations. Be sure to carefully read the definition of
degree-seeking in the Glossary.
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10) How do I treat new entrants that get credit for life experience?

If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they are to be counted as "first-time."
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11) Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?

Since these students must have been enrolled in an institution in order to obtain credit through
correspondence or distance learning, they are not "first-time."
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12) Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers out?

No. Keep the students in your cohort since they return in the fall and continue their programs of study.
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13) My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled as of October 15 - the
same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment report. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students who enroll part
time next semester, or students who switch to another program?

It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop
out or drop out do not change the cohort number. They remain in the count; if they complete within 150%
please report them as such. Students who switch to part time or to another program are not given extra
time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as requested.
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14) If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degrees (AA and BA) within the 6-year period, can I
count both completions?

No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your
decision as to which one you prefer to report.
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15) I have a student that intends to get a bachelor’s degree so he is in my Section II cohort. He does not complete his
BA within the 6-year period BUT he did get an associate’s degree along the way and it was completed within 3 years.
Where do I report him?

By all means count him as a completer of the associate’s degree (2- but less than 4-year program) since that
degree was completed within 150% of normal time. Remember, intent is not important when reporting your
completers...what is important is whether or not they finished any program within 150% of normal time.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1) How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?

There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time is applied to the start date and is the
same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still complete within
150% of normal time.
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2) How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?

In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion." IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time.
Normal time is defined as "the time necessary for a student to complete all requirements for a degree or
certificate according to an institution’s catalog. This is typically 4 years (8 semesters or trimesters, or 12
quarters, excluding summer terms) for a bachelor’s degree, 2 years (4 semesters or trimesters, or 6
quarters, excluding summer terms) for an associate’s degree, and the scheduled times for certificate
programs." Let’s look at some examples:
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs - 8 semesters – usually fall and spring.
Extending this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would take 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the
sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree that is advertised as a 2-year program - 6 quarters (fall, winter, spring, with
no scheduled summer quarter), would extend to (1.5 x 6) or 9 quarters through the end of the spring
quarter of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendments that redefine the cohort year allow you to count completers through
August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year for 2-year
programs).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact hour course is advertised as
taking 30 weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the
student completes within that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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3) According to the Technical Amendment, I can count students who complete their program through August 31 of the
6th year, but what if the student does not receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot
count them as completers?

Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree
upon completion (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and just
allow the student to "pick it up" at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the student in
your completions.
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4) How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?

If a student has switched programs, you will use 150% of normal time to completion for his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. The student's "clock" does not reset when a student switches
programs. He or she must have graduated, transferred, or qualified as an exclusion within 150% of normal
time to completion starting from the date he or she first entered the cohort.
Back to top
Transfer-Out
1) Does my institution need to report transfers out?

The November 1, 2000 regulations state that "An institution that determines that its mission includes
providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers
out so that a transfer out rate can be calculated. The students to be reported as transfers are those who
have NOT completed a degree, certificate, or transfer preparatory program, so they cannot be counted as
completers. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers out is optional.
Back to top
2) What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer out?

None. All verification requirements were dropped from the November 1, 2000 regulations.
Back to top
3) My school does not track transfers out and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do this. Am I
still in compliance with the requirements of SRK and am I still responsive to the GR if I don’t report transfers out?
(Updated: 1/14/2013)

As long as your institution does not include the substantial preparation of students to enroll in another
eligible institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers out. However,
if your institution does have such a mission, you need to be able to track transfers out and report them.
Back to top
Other
1) My institution belongs to the NCAA; do I have to report GR data to IPEDS? Do I also need to report to the Secretary
of Education? (Updated: 1/14/2013)

Completing the IPEDS GR form through the web-based data collection system satisfies all your reporting
requirements to the Secretary of Education. However, the NCAA is now collecting their own data on
graduation rates themselves, separately from IPEDS. You will still need to report data to the NCAA. If you
have any questions, you should contact the NCAA directly.
Back to top
2) The number of students who could be considered for the adjustment to cohort (exclusions) is very small in my
school. Do I need to try to track these "leavers"?

No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of
students who require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
Back to top
3) How do I deal with "3/2" programs? My institution provides the first 3 years of an engineering program and our
students go on to another university for the last 2 years of study to attain their degree. Can we count them as
completers when they get their degree from the second institution?

No, you should NEVER count a student as a completer when they get their degree from another institution.
Your job is done when they leave your school. If the student completed the first 3 years of a 3/2 program
(within 150% of normal time) so that they are now ready to "transfer" in order to complete the remaining 2
years at another institution, then you should count the student as a completer of a "2- but less than 4-year
program." This works the same way as the "transfer-preparatory program" described above.
Back to top
4) My institution offers pre-med and pre-vet programs, but formal awards are not given. What happens to these
students?

Assuming these are 2- or 3-year programs, count the students as completers of a "2- but less than 4-year
program" if they complete within 150% of normal time.
Back to top
5) My institution offers a PharmD program where a student is accepted into the program after completing a 2 or 3
year program of undergraduate studies. What happens to these students?

Students who complete the undergraduate portion within 150% of normal time should be counted in the
other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Section III) as completers of a "2- but less than 4-year
program". However, do not track their progress any further towards the PharmD, since it is a firstprofessional degree, and thus is not part of the Graduation Rates Survey.
Back to top
6) There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?

No, there is no such provision.
Back to top
8) Will the GRS satisfy all my requirements for SRK?

NO! NO! and NO! The GRS provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is
some consistency in the way the rates are calculated. SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. By completing the GRS, you now have the rates you need to disclose. But you need to
make them available. For schools that offer athletically-related student aid, there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. The GRS satisfies the reporting requirements only.
Back to top
9) Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with SRK?

The regulations state that beginning with the group of students who enter the institution between September
1, 2000 and August 31, 2001, an institution shall disclose its completion or graduation rate and transfer-out
rate information no later than the July 1 immediately following the point in time that 150% of the normal
time for completion or graduation has elapsed for all of the students in the groups on which the institution
bases its completion or graduation rate and transfer-out rate calculations.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must disclose (July 1) your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31
of the prior year). In addition, institutions for which transfer out is an important part of their mission must
also disclose a transfer-out rate. The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information
as warranted to help consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider additional
rates as well, such as rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students take
longer to complete. The SRK regulations state that if a category of students within an athletic subcohort
contains 5 or fewer students, institutions need not disclose information on the category of students.
Back to top

2012-13 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2012-13 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to 4-year institutions
Note: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.
Screening Question
Section I: Establishing Cohorts
Sections II and III: Subcohort Data
Worksheets
Screening Question
You must respond to the following screening question:
•

Does your institution use a website to disclose Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates?
◦ If you select Yes, the URL must be provided.

The above screening question is a critical data item. To lock the survey, this question must be answered completely.
Top
Section I: Establishing Cohorts
Part 1
The screen shown here will depend on whether your institution has a preloaded cohort. Use this screen to enter 2006
Revised cohort or Cohort values, as applicable, for each race/ethnicity and gender category. These values will be used to
represent the Cohort on all subsequent screens.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

•

Part 2
On this screen, enter the number of Men and Women who belong to the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort (column 02) for each applicable race/ethnicity category.
The system will calculate the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 03) by subtracting the Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort (column 02) from the Cohort (column 01) for each row of data.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort
(column 02) cannot be greater than the Cohort (column 01).
If your institution reported offering bachelor's degrees in the 2010 Institutional Characteristics survey, then the
Total men + women seeking a Bachelor's or equivalent degree (column 02) is expected to be greater than
0; otherwise, an explanation is required.
If your institution reported offering award levels other than bachelor's degrees in the Institutional Characteristics
survey, the Total men + women seeking an Other degree (column 03) is expected to be greater than 0;
otherwise, an explanation is required.
The sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29) from Sections II and III must be greater than 0.
Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College Navigator
page.
If the sum of Total completers within 150% from Sections II and III is greater than 10, then this value
must be less than the Cohort (column 01) minus the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III (found
on the Transfers/Exclusions screen). Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 100%
on your institution's College Navigator page.

•

If the prior year Adjusted cohort (from the 4-year-average, part 1 worksheet) is greater than 0; AND the sum of
Total Exclusions from Sections II and III is greater than 0; THEN:
The sum of Total Completers within 150% from Sections II and III * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Cohort (column 01) – the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III
Should be within a 20% range of the following:
PY Total Completers within 150% (from the 4-year-average, part 2 worksheet) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

Top
Section II and Section III: Subcohort Data
Completers 150%
Use Sections II and III to report data on the specified student subcohorts at the institution based on the descriptions below:
•
•

Section II: Report the status of the Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent
degree for Cohort year 2006.
Section III: Report the status of the Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's or
equivalent degree for Cohort year 2006.
Note: Section III is only applicable if you reported students seeking a degree other than a bachelor's or
equivalent degree on the Establishing Cohorts, Part 2 screen.

The following screens must be completed for Section II and Section III (if applicable to your institution):
Completers within 150%
On this screen, you must report the subcohort of students who completed their program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less-than-2-years (column 11), Completers of programs of at-leasttwo but less-than-four-years (column 12), and Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (column 18) by
race/ethnicity and gender.
For each individual program length (columns 11, 12, and 18), the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine
the grand total number of completers by length of time to completion.
In addition, for each row of data, the system will calculate the sum of columns 11, 12, and 18 to determine the number of
Total completers within 150% (column 29).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered in Section II:
•
•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be less than or
equal to the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10).
If the calculated Total men + women in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column
10) is greater than 25, then the Total men + women for Total completers within 150% (column 29) is
expected to be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edit on the data entered in Section III:
•
•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be
less than or equal to the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 10).
If the calculated Total men + women in the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) is greater than 25,
then the Total men + women for Total completers within 150% (column 29) is expected to be greater
than 0.

Bachelor's completers by length of time to degree
Applicable to Section II ONLY
On this screen, you must report the number of students in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who Completed the program in 4
years or less (column 19) and Completed the program in 5 years (column 20) by race/ethnicity and gender. The system will then subtract these
values from the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) to determine the number of students who Completed the program
in 6 years (column 21).
For each individual program length (columns 19, 20, and 21), the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of
completers by length of time to completion.
In addition, for each row of data, the system will calculate the sum of columns 19, 20, and 21 to determine the total number of students who Completed
a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time (column 18).
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered:

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the number of students who Completed the program in 6
years should be greater than or equal to 0. To correct this value, you must adjust the number of students who
Completed the program in 4 years or less and/or Completed the program in 5 years, so that the sum of
these values is less than or equal to the number of students in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort.

Transfers/Exclusions
Use Sections II and III to report data on the specified student subcohorts at the institution. For these screens, you must report
the number of Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and the number of students Still
enrolled (column 51) in the subcohort by race/ethnicity and gender for Cohort year 2006.

The system will calculate the Total men + women for each column to determine the grand total number of transfer-out
students and exclusions.
In addition, for each row of data, the sum of columns 30, 45, 51 and Total completers within 150% (column 29) is subtracted
from the subcohort (column 10) to determine the total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) must
be greater than or equal to 0. To correct this value, the sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29),
Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and Still enrolled (column 51) must
be less or equal to the subcohort (column 10).
If the number of Total transfer-out students (men + women) (column 30) is greater than 10, then this value is
expected to be less than or equal to 40% of the total number of men and women in the subcohort (column 10).
Note: Transfer-out students should ONLY include students who transferred out to another eligible institution. Do
NOT include all non-completers here.
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to
be less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the subcohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join
the military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church
mission. Do NOT include all non-completers here.
An explanation must be provided if your institution reported having 0 students No longer enrolled (column 52);
and your institution reported having more than 100 men and women in the subcohort (column 10); and your
institution reported having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30).
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).

Top
Worksheets
Additional worksheet screens have been included at the end of the survey. These screens provide your institution with a
summary of the data entered, along with prior year data. This includes: Graduation and transfer-out rates, Graduation and
transfer-out rates by length of time to degree, and 4-year average Graduation rates.
Top

2012-13 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program
reporters)
Screening questions
Does your institution post the Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates on a website?
No.

Yes. Please provide the URL.
http://
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional
Characteristics Header survey from the IPEDS Fall 2012 Data Collection, your institution must report graduation
rates data using a
Full-Year Cohort (September 1, 2006 - August 31, 2007)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A fullyear cohort is used by institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a
continuous basis.
Image
description.
These
context
notes
will
be on
posted
the College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

will be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and
parents.

Section I - Graduation Rate - Establishing cohorts
Establishing cohorts
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

NOTE: Reporting using the new race categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to establish your 2006
cohort using the new race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with this, please visit AIR's
Race/Ethnicity FAQ page.
Screen 1 of 2
Cohort year 2006
Cohort
(Column 01)
Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Screen 2 of 2

Men
Nonresident alien

Hispanic/Latino

American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White

Two or more races

Race and ethnicity unknown

Total men
Women
Nonresident alien

Hispanic/Latino

American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White

Two or more races

Race and ethnicity unknown

Total women
Total men + women

Screen 1 of 3

Screen 2 of 3

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Screen 3 of 3

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Cohort year 2006
Total
Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
completers
students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%

Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)

(Column 29)

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

(Column 30)

Screen 1 of 2

Screen 2 of 2

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

2012-13 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates Full Instructions - 4-Year Institutions

Where to Get Help
IPEDS Data Collection Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org

AIR Website
You can also consult the AIR website that contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools and other valuable resources.

•
•
•
•
•

IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education

Image
description.
Top of Page
End
of image
description.

Reporting Instructions
Screening Questions
•

Please provide the URL where the Student-Right-to-Know information is posted on your
institution's website.

•

Image
description.
Top of Page
End
of image
description.

•

Section I – Establishing Subcohorts

Section II – Completers - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort

Count completers only once and indicate the highest degree level attained.

Glossary

date: 1/16/2013

Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

American Indian or
Alaska Native (new
definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central
America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian (new definition)

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree

Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

In the GR component of IPEDS, a cohort of students who were seeking a bachelor's or equivalent
degree upon entry.

Black or African American
(new definition)

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150%
of normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Exclusions

First-time student
(undergraduate)

Full-time student

Full-year cohort

Graduation rate

Graduation Rates (GR)

Hispanic or Latino (new
definition)

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or
origin, regardless of race.

Initial cohort

Long programs

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander (new
definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific
Islands.

Nonresident alien

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or
temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

Normal time to
completion

Other degree-seeking
subcohort

A subset of students belonging to a GR cohort who were seeking a degree or certificate other than
bachelor's degree upon entry.

Race/ethnicity (new
definition)

•
•

Hispanic or Latino or
Not Hispanic or Latino

Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:

•
•
•
•
•

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

Race/ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that
incorrect data were reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know
Act

Subcohort

A predefined subset of the initial cohort or the revised cohort established for tracking purposes on
the Graduation Rates (GR) component of IPEDS. (e.g., bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort.)

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within
150% of normal time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory
program

White (new definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

2012-13 Survey Materials > F.A.Q.

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.

Answers:

General
1) My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How
do I choose my cohort?

You should report the student as a transfer-out.
Back to top
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?

Neither should be included in your cohort.
Back to top
9) Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?

2) How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?

No, there is no such provision.
Back to top
8) Will the GRS satisfy all my requirements for SRK?

2012-13 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/16/2013

Does your institution use a website to disclose Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates?
◦ If you select Yes, the URL must be provided.

•

Top
Section II and Section III: Subcohort Data
Completers 150%
Use Sections II and III to report data on the specified student subcohorts at the institution based on the descriptions below:
•
•

The system will perform the following edit on the data entered in Section III:
•
•

•

2012-13 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic
reporters)
Screening questions
Does your institution post the Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates on a website?
No.

Yes. Please provide the URL.
http://
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional
Characteristics Header survey from the IPEDS Fall 2012 Data Collection, your institution must report graduation
rates data using a
Fall Cohort (Fall 2009)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A fullyear cohort is used by institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a
continuous basis.
Image
description.
These
context
notes
will
be on
posted
the College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

will be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and
parents.

Graduation Rate - Establishing cohort
Cohort of Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
NOTE: Reporting using the new race categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to reclassify your 2009
cohort to the new race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with this, please visit AIR's Race/Ethnicity
FAQ page.
Screen 1 of 4
Cohort year 2009
Initial cohort
Revised cohort
Men
NEW categories:
Notes for NEW categories:
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
OLD categories:
Black, non-Hispanic
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Categories used in BOTH New and Old:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
NEW categories:
Notes for NEW categories:
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
OLD categories:
Black, non-Hispanic
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Categories used in BOTH New and Old:
Nonresident alien

Race and ethnicity unknown

Total women
Total men + women

Graduation Rate - 2-year institutions completers within 150%
Cohort of Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 2 of 4

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Cohort year 2009
Cohort students who completed their program
within
150% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs Completers of programs
of
of
<2-yrs
2<4-yrs
(Column 11)
(Column 12)

Cohort

(Column
10)

(Column 29)

Total
completers
within 150%

Graduation Rate - 2-year institutions transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students in cohort in
Column 10, who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2012.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed their programs,
you should report transfer-out data in Column 30. A school is required to report only on those students that the school
knows have transferred to another school. A school must document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part
of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 - No longer enrolled - will be calculated for you. This includes students who have dropped out as well as
students who completed in greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to enter in either Columns 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on
this screen
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

Screen 3 of 4

Cohort
(Column
10)

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and
women)

Cohort year 2009
Total transfer-out
Total
students
exclusions

Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)

(Column 30)

No longer
enrolled

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

Still enrolled

Graduation Rate - 2-year completers within 100%
•In the columns below, report the status of the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students reported in the
cohort in Column 10.
•Those who completed their program within 100% of normal time should be reported in either Column 55 or 56,
depending on the length of the program.
Cohort of Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Screen 4 of 4

Total men +
women

Revised
cohort

Exclusions

Cohort year 2009
Cohort students who completed their
program within
100% of normal time to completion
Completers of
Completers of
programs of
programs of
<2-yrs
2<4-yrs
(Column 55)
(Column 56)

Total completers within 100%
(Column 55 + 56)

(Column 57)

2012-13 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/16/2013

GR- 2yr - Full Instructions

Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Coverage
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Worksheets

General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
This report requests data on a cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
enrolled in your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2009 or (2) during the period between September 1,
2009 and August 31, 2010. Institutions are to report the status of these students as of August 31, 2012.

Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort

Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution
either during the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the
fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term. For institutions that will report
using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who entered the institution between
September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010, and who were enrolled for at least 15 days in a program of up to,
and including, one year in length, or 30 days in a program of greater than one year in length.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those
enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for
the purpose of student financial aid determination.
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
Becomes a part-time student.
•
Transfers to another institution.
•
Drops out of the institution.
•
Stops out of the institution.
•
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate.

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
DO NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational
program (i.e., nondegree seeking).
•
Taking CEUs unless they are also enrolled full time in courses creditable toward a degree or other
formal award.
•
Exclusively auditing classes.
•
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is only nominal.
•
In any branch campus located in a foreign country.
•
Part time.
•
Transfers into the institution.
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Where to Get Help
IPEDS Data Collection Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org

AIR Website
You can also consult the AIR website that contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools and other valuable resources.

Where the Data Will Appear
Data collected through IPEDS will be accessible at the institution- and aggregate-levels.
At the institution-level, data will appear in the:
•
College Navigator Website
•
IPEDS Data Center
•
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
•
IPEDS First Looks
•
IPEDS Table Library
•
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
•
The Digest of Education Statistics
•
The Condition of Education
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Reporting Instructions

Screening Questions
•

Please provide the URL where the Student-Right-to-Know information is disclosed on your
institution's website.

•

Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic
terms (semesters, trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of
students. Institutions may use a census date of October 15, 2009, or the end of the
institution's drop-add period, or another official fall reporting date to determine the cohort.
This should be the same reporting date established for your IPEDS Fall Enrollment report.

Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic
terms (as defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count
as entering students all those students who entered the institution between September 1,
2009 and August 31, 2010, and who were enrolled for at least 15 days in a program of up to,
and including, one year in length, or 30 days in a program of greater than one year in length.

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Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational
Education Act. These instructions correspond with the Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting,
and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S. Department of Education, published in the
Federal Register on October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question
format. The first question is whether the respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is
whether the respondent is from one or more races from the following list: American Indian or
Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and
White. Institutions should allow students and staff to self-identify their race and ethnicity. For
further details on the guidance for collecting data, please see the full Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of
Education using the NINE categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States
citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
•
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
•
American Indian or Alaska Native
•
Asian
•
Black or African American
•
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
•
White
•
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
•
Nonresident alien
•
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific
definitions of anthropological origins. The categories are:
•
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other
Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
•
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and
South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal
affiliation or community attachment.
•
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the
Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
•
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
•
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of
Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
•
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North
Africa.
Other descriptive categories

•

Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this
country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE Nonresident aliens are to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of
the seven racial/ethnic categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid purposes) noncitizens who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal
immigrants for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien
registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an ArrivalDeparture Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status such as Section
207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in
the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States citizens.
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a
racial or ethnic designation.

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Establishing Cohorts
Report each student only once.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information you reported on line 01 of your 2009
IPEDS Fall Enrollment report will be preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you
are reporting on a full-year cohort, the column will be blank.

Revised cohort - Please review the data in the initial cohort column, and re-enter the cohort data
according to the 1997 racial/ethnic categories and gender in this column. Also make any necessary
corrections for omissions or double counting in the revised cohort column. If your data do not appear in the
initial cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in the revised cohort column.

Completers within 150% of Normal Time to Completion
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the students from the 2009 cohort of degree/certificate-seeking students who completed
their program as of 150% of normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2012
(whichever was earlier) by type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. DO NOT include students who
transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest degree level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers out and the mission of particular
programs to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those
students who have successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section
668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit
toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree
program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent of an associate’s degree. Similarly, institutions may
count as completers, those students who have successfully completed the first three years of a 3-2 program
and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program. The student receives full credit toward a
5-year bachelor’s degree and qualifies the student for admission into the fourth year of a 5-year bachelor’s
degree program.

Revised Cohort (Column 10) – These are data are loaded from the "Establishing a Cohort"
section.
Completers within 150% of Normal Time (Column 11, Column 12)
In order to calculate a graduation rate to comply with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions can
count as completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transferpreparatory program) within 150% of normal program time (normal time to completion is the amount of time
necessary to complete all requirements for a program according to your institution's catalog). Do not count as
completers students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of type of program completed as defined by award levels.
Program types may not be indicative of the actual calendar time a program takes to complete for programs
that are defined in terms of contact or credit hours. For more information of program types, please consult
the IPEDS Glossary.

Completers of less-than 2-year program within 150% (Column 11) - Enter the number of students
who completed programs of less than 2 years within 150% of normal time. This includes certificates of less
than one year (or equivalent) and certificates of at least one year, but less than two years (or equivalent).
Completers of at least 2 years, but less than 4 years within 150% (Column 12) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of at least 2 years but less than 4 years within 150% of normal time to
completion of their program. This includes certificates of at least two years but less than four years
(or equivalent) and associate's degrees.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous two columns, and is
calculated by the data collection system.

Noncompleters
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the noncompleters from 2009 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
students as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2012
(whichever was earlier) . Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. DO NOT include students who
transferred into your institution.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – These are data are loaded from the "Establishing a Cohort" section.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - These are data are loaded from the "Completers" section.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, report the total number of students who
transferred out of your institution (without a degree/award) within 150% of normal time to completion.
Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled. If it is not part of your
mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150%
of normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another
institution) because of one of the following documented reasons:
1.
The student is deceased or is totally and permanently disabled and thus unable to return to school.
2.
The student left school to serve in the armed forces or was called to active duty. (DO NOT include
students already in the military who transfer to another duty station.)
3.
The student left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government, such as the
Peace Corps.
4.
The student left school to serve on an official church mission.
NOTE: Students who leave the institution for one of the reasons noted in b, c, or d above, but return prior to
the status date of August 31, 2012, may be subtracted from the cohort during the calculation of graduation
rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Report the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as
150% of normal time to completion of their program (or August 31, 2012 if 150% of normal time to
completion had not elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column is generated by subtracting from Column 10 the sum
of Columns 29, 30, 45 and 51. This column should include students who graduated from their program after
150% of normal time to completion elapsed.

Completers within 100% of Normal Time to Completion
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the students from the 2009 cohort of degree/certificate-seeking students who completed
their program as of 100% of normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2012
(whichever was earlier) by type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender. Note
that this should be a subset of the students reported as completers within 150% of normal time to
completion.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. DO NOT include students who
transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.

Revised Cohort (Column 10) – These are data are loaded from the "Establishing a Cohort"
section.
Exclusions - These data are loaded from the "Noncompleters" section.
Completers within 100% of Normal Time (Column 55, Column 56)
Completed a less-than 2-year program within 100% (Column 55) - Enter the number of students who
completed programs of less than 2 years within 100% of normal time. This includes certificates of less than
one year (or equivalent) and certificates of at least one year, but less than two years (or equivalent).
Completed a program of at least 2 years, but less than 4 years within 100% (Column 56) - Indicate
the number of students who completed programs of at least 2 years but less than 4 years within 100% of
normal time to completion of their program. This includes certificates of at least two years but less than four
years (or equivalent) and associate's degrees.

Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates, and 4-Year Average Rates

Worksheets
Worksheets calculating the Student Right-To-Know completion/graduation and transfer-out rates of full-time,
first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2009 student cohort are provided as a
convenience to the institution.
Worksheets calculating the overall four-year average completion/graduation and transfer-out rates of fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates for the student cohort are also provided. Data
previously reported by the institution have been preloaded to use in these calculations.
Note that the information on these worksheets will NOT appear on College Navigator or on any of the IPEDS
data tools.

Glossary

date: 1/16/2013

Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

American Indian or
Alaska Native (new
definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central
America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian (new definition)

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Black or African American
(new definition)

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150%
of normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Exclusions

First-time student
(undergraduate)

Full-time student

Full-year cohort

Graduation rate

Graduation Rates (GR)

Hispanic or Latino (new
definition)

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or
origin, regardless of race.

Initial cohort

Long programs

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander (new
definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific
Islands.

Nonresident alien

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or
temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

Normal time to
completion

Race/ethnicity (new
definition)

•
•

Hispanic or Latino or
Not Hispanic or Latino

Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:

•
•
•
•
•

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

Race/ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that
incorrect data were reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know
Act

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within
150% of normal time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory
program

White (new definition)

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

2012-13 Survey Materials > F.A.Q.

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.

General
1) My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do I choose
my cohort?
2) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4) Do I need to track students every term?

Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
2) I have a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to report on the GRS?
3) How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a confirmation of
transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
7) If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree-seeking student this fall, can I count the
student as "first-time"?
8) What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9) Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10) How do I treat new entrants that get credit for life experience?
11) Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12) Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers out?
13) My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my
IPEDS Fall Enrollment report. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students who enroll part time next semester, or students
who switch to another program?
14) If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degree/awards (certificate in cosmetology and an AA) within the 3year period, can I count both completions?

Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1) How do I report a student who has switched programs?
2) How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
3) According to the Technical Amendment, I can count students who complete their program through August 31 of the 3rd year, but
what if the student does not receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
4) How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?

Other
1) The number of students who could be considered for the adjustment to cohort (exclusions) is very small in my school. Do I need
to try to track these "leavers"?
2) What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
3) My school enrolls students on a monthly basis so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest program is 9 months, how do I
calculate 150% of normal time and which cohort do I use?
4) There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar provision for
excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
5) Will the GRS satisfy all my requirements for SRK?
6) Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with SRK?

Answers:
General
1) My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How
do I choose my cohort?

2) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?

You should report the student as a transfer-out.
Back to top
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?

Neither should be included in your cohort.
Back to top
9) Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?

It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop
out or drop out do not change the cohort number. They remain in the count; if they complete within 150%
please report them as such. Students who switch to part time or to another program are not given extra
time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as requested.
Back to top
14) If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degree/awards (certificate in cosmetology and an AA)
within the 3-year period, can I count both completions?

No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your
decision as to which one you prefer to report.
Back to top
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1) How do I report a student who has switched programs?

If a student has switched programs, you will use 150% of normal time to completion for his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. The student's "clock" does not reset when a student switches
programs. He or she must have graduated, transferred, or qualified as an exclusion within 150% of normal
time to completion starting from the date he or she first entered the cohort.
Back to top
2) How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?

Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact hour course is advertised as
taking 30 weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the
student completes within that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
Back to top
3) According to the Technical Amendment, I can count students who complete their program through August 31 of the
3rd year, but what if the student does not receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot
count them as completers?

Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree
upon completion (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted on the student’s record), and just
allow the student to "pick it up" at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the student in
your completions.
Back to top
4) How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?

As long as your institution does not include the substantial preparation of students to enroll in another
eligible institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers out. However,
if your institution does have such a mission, you need to be able to track transfers out and report them.
Back to top
Other
1) The number of students who could be considered for the adjustment to cohort (exclusions) is very small in my
school. Do I need to try to track these "leavers"?

This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the
successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s
degree and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The
Secretary considers this the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory
programs (although they do not receive a "formal award") are to be counted as completers.
Back to top
3) My school enrolls students on a monthly basis so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest program is 9
months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time and which cohort do I use?

Let’s look at this one step at a time. First, schools with programs of less than 4 years are to report on a 2008
cohort; therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1,
2008 and August 31, 2009. Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2009,
150% of 9 months following this date would extend to October 15, 2010 (13 1 /2 months later). In order to
complete the IPEDS GR, the first status date following this is August 31, 2011 and the report is due in the
Spring 2012 data collection, so you are on track for reporting on this cohort.
Back to top
4) There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?

No, there is no such provision.
Back to top

5) Will the GRS satisfy all my requirements for SRK?

NO! NO! and NO! The GRS provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is
some consistency in the way the rates are calculated. SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. By completing the GRS, you now have the rates you need to disclose. But you need to
make them available. For schools that offer athletically-related student aid, there are additional disclosure
Back to top
6) Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with SRK?

The regulations state that beginning with the group of students who enter the institution between September
1, 1999 and August 31, 2000, an institution shall disclose its completion or graduation rate and transfer-out
rate information no later than the July 1 immediately following the point in time that 150% of the normal
time for completion or graduation has elapsed for all of the students in the groups on which the institution
bases its completion or graduation rate and transfer-out rate calculations.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must disclose (July 1) your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31
of the prior year). In addition, institutions for which transfer out is an important part of their mission must
also disclose a transfer-out rate. The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information
as warranted to help consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider additional
rates as well, such as rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students take
longer to complete. The SRK regulations state that if a category of students within an athletic subcohort
contains 5 or fewer students, institutions need not disclose information on the category of students.
Back to top

2012-13 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2012-13 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to 2-year institutions
Note: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.
Screening Question
Section III: Cohort Data
Worksheets
Screening Question
You must respond to the following screening questions:
•

Does your institution use a website to disclose Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates?
◦ If you select Yes, the URL must be provided.

The above screening question is a critical data item. To lock the survey, this question must be answered completely.
Top
Section III: Establishing Cohorts
The screen shown here will depend on whether your institution has a preloaded cohort. Use this screen to enter 2009
Revised cohort or Cohort values, as applicable, for each race/ethnicity and gender category. These values will be used to
represent the Cohort on all subsequent screens.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

•

The calculated Total men + women in the Revised cohort (column 01) must be greater than 0.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded, then the calculated Total men + women in the Revised cohort (column 01)
must be less than or equal to the Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the cohort year's 12-month
enrollment survey.
The Revised cohort must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort, as outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 50% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the prior year Adjusted cohort (from the 4-year-average, part 1 worksheet) is greater than 0; AND the
number of Total Exclusions is greater than 0; THEN:
Total Completers within 150% * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The cohort (column 10) – the number of Total Exclusions
Should be within a 20% range of the following:
PY Total Completers within 150% (from the 4-year-average, part 2 worksheet) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

Section III: Cohort Data

Use Section III to report the status of the Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate seeking students for Cohort year
2009. The following screens must be completed:
Completers within 150%
On this screen, you must report the cohort of students who completed their program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less-than-2-years (column 11) and Completers of programs of at-least
-two but less-than-four years (column 12) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each individual program length (columns 11 and 12), the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the
grand total number of completers by length of time to completion.

In addition, for each row of data, the system will calculate the sum of columns 11 and 12 to determine the number of Total
completers within 150% (column 29).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

The number of Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be greater than 0. Otherwise, a fatal error will
occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College Navigator page.
If the number of Total Completers within 150% is greater than 10; THEN, this value must be less than:
The cohort (column 10) – the number of Total Exclusions (from the Transfers/Exclusions screen)
Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 100% on your institution's College Navigator
page.

Transfers/Exclusions
On this screen, you must report the number of Total transfer-out students (column 30) and Total exclusions (column 45)
from the cohort by race/ethnicity and gender for Cohort year 2009.
The system will calculate the Total men + women for each column to determine the grand total number of transfer-out
students and exclusions.
In addition, for each row of data, the sum of columns 30, 45, 51 (Still enrolled) and 29 (Total completers within 150%) is
subtracted from the cohort (column 10) to determine the total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the calculated total number of students No longer enrolled (column

•

52) must be greater than or equal to 0. To correct this value, the sum of Total completers within 150%
(column 29), Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and Still enrolled
(column 51) must be less than or equal to the cohort (column 10).
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to
be less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the cohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join
the military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church
mission. Do NOT include all non-completers in this column.
If the number of Total Transfer-out students (column 30) is greater than 50; AND, the Total in prior year
(men and women) value is greater than 0 for both Total transfer-out students and the cohort (column 10);
THEN, the number of Total Transfer-out students in the current year must be within a 25% range of the
following:
The cohort (column 10) * the PY number of Total transfer-out students
____________________________________________________________________________
The PY cohort

•

An explanation must be provided if your institution reported having 0 students No longer enrolled (column 52);
and your institution reported having more than 100 men and women in the cohort (column 10); and your
institution reported having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30).
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).

Completers within 100%
On this screen, you must report the cohort of students who completed their program within 100% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less-than-2-years (column 55) and Completers of programs of at-least
-two but less-than-four years (column 56). The system will calculate the sum of columns 55 and 56 to determine the number
of Total completers within 100% (column 57).
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered:
•

The number of Total completers within 100% (column 57) should be less than or equal to the previously
reported Total completers within 150% (from the Completers within 150% screen).

2012-13 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/16/2013

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program
reporters)
Screening questions
Does your institution post the Student-Right-to-Know student athlete graduation rates on a website?
No.

Yes. Please provide the URL.
http://
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional
Characteristics Header survey from the IPEDS Fall 2012 Data Collection, your institution must report graduation
rates data using a
Full-Year Cohort (September 1, 2009 - August 31, 2010)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A fullyear cohort is used by institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a
continuous basis.
Image
description.
These
context
notes
will
be on
posted
the College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

will be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and
parents.

Graduation Rate - Establishing cohort
Cohort of Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only

NOTE: Reporting using the new race categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to establish your 2009
cohort using the new race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with this, please visit AIR's
Race/Ethnicity FAQ page.
Screen 1 of 4
Cohort year 2009
Cohort
(Column 01)
Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Screen 2 of 4

Men
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Cohort year 2009
Cohort students who completed their program within
Total
150% of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of programs Completers of programs within 150%
of
of
<2-yrs
2<4-yrs
(Column
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 29)
10)
Cohort