Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2015-2016 Pension Liabilities Update

THIS SURVEY HAS NO NEW CHANGES AND IS NOT
SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE FULL CONTENT OF THIS
DOCUMENT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED ON
MAR 2015. THIS COLLECTION IS CURRENTLY OPEN.

Outcome Measures
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS)

This IPEDS Outcome Measures data collection instrument will be used during the
2015-16 data collection.

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

Outcome Measures
Overview 
Outcome Measures Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Outcome Measures (OM) survey component. The OM component collects award and
enrollment data from degree-granting institutions on four undergraduate cohorts at two points in time: six-year and
eight-year.
The four cohorts of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates are:
• Full-time, first-time
• Part-time, first-time
• Full-time, non-first-time
• Part-time, non-first-time
Changes:
The OM survey component is new to IPEDS for the 2015-16 collection cycle and has no new changes.
Data Reporting Reminders:
All reporting institutions will report on an entering cohort year: 2007
Six-year status will be as of August 31, 2013
Eight-year status will be as of August 31, 2015
Reporting Tips:
• Follow directions on who to include and exclude in your cohorts. Inclusion and exclusion directions are
similar to Graduation Rates.
• As a new survey component, carefully read each OM FAQ before reporting your institution's data.
Coverage:
For academic reporters (standard academic terms - semesters, trimeters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan), institutions will
report using a fall cohort. Institutions may either use October 15, 2007 or the institution's official fall reporting date.
For program reporters (not on standard academic terms), institutions will report using a full-year cohort. Institutions will
report during the period between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008.
Resources:
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Award Status at Six Years 
Award Status at Six Years
Directions: Refer to 2015-16 Survey Materials' Instructions for Award Status at Six Years.
2007
cohort

Revisions
Exclusions
Adjusted
Awarded
Percent of
to 2007 cohort
to 2007 cohort
2007
by your institution
adjusted cohort
(through August 31, (through August 31, cohort (through August 31, who received an award from
2013)
2013)
2013)
your institution
by August 31, 2013
First-time entering
Full-time
Part-time
Non-first-time entering
Full-time
Part-time

Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years 
Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years
Directions: Refer to 2015-16 Survey Materials' Instructions for Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years.
2007 Revisions Exclusions Adjusted Awarded
Students who did not receive an award from
Percent of
Percent of
cohort to 2007
to 2007
2007
by your
your institution by August 31, 2015
adjusted cohort adjusted cohort
cohort
cohort
Cohort institution Number still Number who Number of Total
who received
who are still
(through
(through
(through enrolled at subsequently students number
award from
enrolled
August 31, August 31,
August 31,
your
enrolled at
whose
who did your institution (at institution or
2015)
2015)
2015)
by August 31,
another
institution
another subsequent
not
2015
institution)
institution enrollment receive
status is an award
unknown from your
institution
First-time entering
Full-time
Part-time
Non-first-time entering
Full-time
Part-time

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

Outcome Measures

Purpose of Survey
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes

Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Instructions
I. Establishing Cohorts
II. Cohort Status Update

Purpose of Survey
The purpose of the Outcome Measures (OM) component of IPEDS is track the status of four undergraduate student
cohorts at degree-granting institutions. Student completion awarded by the reporting institution and enrollment status
is collected six and eight years after they entered the reporting institution.
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General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
This report requests data on four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in your
institution either (1) as of October 15, 2007 (or the institution's official Fall census date)  or (2) during the period
between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008. Institutions are to report the award status of these students as of
August 31, 2013 (Six Year Status) and the award and enrollment status of these students as of August 31, 2015
(Eight Year Status).

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
The Outcome Measures component collects data from degree-granting institutions on four degree/certificate-seeking
student cohorts:
• Full-time, first-time entering students
• Part-time, first-time entering students
• Full-time, non-first-time entering students
• Part-time, non-first-time entering students

Who to Include in the Cohorts
All degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution (either during the fall term or during the
12-month period as described in the "Reporting Period Covered" section above) should be included in one of these four
cohorts. Include students enrolled in the fall term who entered the institution 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, 2007 and August 31, 2008, 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 offcampus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include 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 a cohort remains in that cohort, even if the student:
• Started as either a full-time or part-time student and later changes enrollment intensity.
• 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.
• In any branch campus located in a foreign country.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org

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

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, and other
valuable information.
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Where the Reported 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
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website

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

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 Header survey component of the IPEDS Fall 2015 Data Collection, according to the
following rules:
a.
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) are considered academic reporters and will report using a fall cohort of
students. Institutions may use a census date of October 15, 2007, 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.
b.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) are considered either program or hybrid reporters and will report using a full-year cohort.
These institutions must count as entering students all those students who entered the institution between
September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008, 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.

Award Status at Six Years
Six years after entering your institution, report the status of each of the four the 2007 cohorts of entering
degree/certificate-seeking students. All students entering in 2007 should be included in one of these four cohorts.
Report each student only once.
2007 Cohort: If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information you reported on line 01 of your 2007 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 not be preloaded and will be blank for data entry.
Revisions to 2007 Cohort (through August 31, 2013): Please review the data in the @OM cohort column, and
make any necessary corrections for omissions or double counting in the revised cohort column through August 31,
2013. If your data do not appear in the initial 2007 cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in
the revised cohort column.
Exclusions to 2007 Cohort (through August 31, 2013): Indicate the total number of students who left your
institution as of August 31, 2013 for one of the following allowable reasons:
a.
The student is deceased or is totally and permanently disabled and thus unable to return to school.
b.
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.)
c.
The student left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government, such as the Peace Corps.
d.
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, 2013, may be subtracted from the cohort.
Adjusted 2007 Cohort: The adjusted cohort is calculated by subtracting the exclusions from the revised cohort.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2013): Report the number of students from the four entering
cohorts who have received an award (degree or certificate) from your institution by August 31, 2013, which is six
years after the students have entered your institution. Include in these columns students who have received an award
from your institution even if they are still enrolled at your institution or have transferred to another institution. For
students who have earned multiple awards at your institution: only count the student once and report on the first
award conferred by your institution (not the highest award conferred by your institution). 
Percent of adjusted cohort who received award from your institution by August 31, 2013: This column will
calculate the proportion of students who received an award from your institution for each entering cohort. The data
from Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2013) are divided by 2007 Cohort.
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Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years
Eight years after entering your institution, report the award and enrollment status of each of the four the 2007 cohorts
of entering degree/certificate-seeking students. All students entering in 2007 should be included in one of these four
cohorts. Report each student only once.
2007 Cohort: This information will be preloaded from the Award Status at Six Years screen.
Revisions to 2007 Cohort (through August 31, 2015): Please review the data in the 2007, and make any
necessary corrections for omissions or double counting in the revised cohort column through August 31, 2015. Do not
enter revisions since the six year status. Enter all revisions for the entire eight years since the students entered the
cohorts.
Exclusions to 2007 Cohort (through August 31, 2015): Indicate the total number of students who left your
institution as of August 31, 2015. do not enter exclusions since the six year status. Enter all exclusions for the entire
eight years since the students entered the cohorts. Students may be excluded for the following allowable reasons:

a. The student is deceased or is totally and permanently disabled and thus unable to return to school.
b. 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.)
c. The student left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government, such as the Peace
Corps.
d. 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, 2015, may be subtracted from the cohort.
Adjusted 2007 Cohort Cohort: The adjusted cohort is calculated by subtracting the exclusions from the revised
cohort.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2015): Report the number of students from the four entering
cohorts who have received an award (degree or certificate) from your institution by August 31, 2015, which is eight
years after the students entered your institution. Include in these columns students who have received an award from
your institution even if they are still enrolled at your institution or have transferred to another institution. For students
who have earned multiple awards at your institution: only count the student once and report on the first award
conferred by your institution (not the highest award conferred by your institution).

Students who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2015:
Report the enrollment status of each student from the four 2007 entering cohorts who have not received an award by
August 31, 2015. Each student who has not received an award should be reported in only one of these columns.
Number still enrolled at reporting institution: Report the number of students still enrolled at the institution as of
August 31, 2015. Do not include any students who have received an award by August 31, 2015. You may include
students who you know are enrolling at your institution in the fall term immediately following August 31, 2015.
Number subsequently enrolled at another institution: Report the total number of students who transferred out of
your institution (without a degree/award) and enrolled in another institution as of August 31, 2015. You may include
students who you know are enrolling at the other institution in the fall term immediately following August 31, 2015.
Only include students for whom you have confirmed subsequent enrollment.
Number of students whose subsequent enrollment status unknown: This column will be calculated by
subtracting the sum of the Number still enrolled at your institution and Number who subsequently enrolled at another
institution from the Number awarded by your Institution (through August 31, 2015).  
Total number of students who did not receive an award from your institution – The total number of students
who did not receive an award by August 31, 2015 will be calculated by summing three columns: Number still enrolled
at your institution, Number who subsequently enrolled at another institution, and Number of students whose
subsequent enrollment status is unknown. 

Percent of adjusted cohort who received an award from your institution by August 31, 2015: This
column will calculate the proportion of students who received an award by August 31, 2015 from your
institution for each entering cohort. The data from Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2015) are
divided by Adjusted 2007 Cohort.
Percent of adjusted cohort who are still enrolled (at institution or another institution): This column
will calculate the proportion of students who are still enrolled by August 31, 2015 either at your institution or
another institution. The sum of data from the Number still enrolled at your institution and Number who
subsequently enrolled at another institution are divided by Adjusted 2007 Cohort.
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date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
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.

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 college-level 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.

Calculated value (CV)

Calculated value (CV) is used to designate fields that are generated (or calculated) based on data provided on other
lines within the same part of a survey component. For example, a "balance" line or "other (detail)" line will be
calculated as the difference between the total line and the sum of the remaining detail.

Certificate

A formal award certifying the satisfactory completion of a postsecondary education program.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Entering students
(undergraduate)

Students at the undergraduate level, both full-time and part-time, coming into the institution for the first time in the
fall term (or the prior summer term who returned again in the fall). This includes all first-time undergraduate
students, students transferring into the institution at the undergraduate level for the first time, and nondegree/certificate seeking undergraduates entering in the fall.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , 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) and Outcome Measures (OM) 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. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).

Part-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for either less than 12 semester or quarter credits, or less than 24 contact hours
a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for less than 9 semester or quarter credits.

Postsecondary award,
certificate, or diploma (at
least 1 but less than 2
academic years)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the
baccalaureate degree) in at least 1 but less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years , or designed for completion
in at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or in at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit
hours, or in at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours.

Postsecondary award,
certificate, or diploma (at
least 2 but less than 4
academic years)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the
baccalaureate degree) in at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years , or designed for completion
in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, or in at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit
hours, or in at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 contact or clock hours.

Postsecondary award,
certificate, or diploma (less
than 1 academic year)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the
baccalaureate degree) in less than 1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters), or designed for completion in less
than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or in less than 45 quarter credit hours, or in less than 900 contact or
clock hours.

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.

Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-in student

A student entering the reporting institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate). This includes new students enrolled in the fall term
who transferred into the institution the prior summer term.  The student may transfer with or without credit.

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.
Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Outcome Measures
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1) Who is the best institutional representative to complete the Outcome Measures (OM) survey?
2) Will race/ethnicity and gender be required in future years?
3) Is the Outcome Measures survey component similar to the Student Achievement Measure (SAM) project?
OM Terminology Clarified
1) What is a “still enrolled” degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student?
2) What is a “non-first-time” degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student?
3) Are the Outcome Measures’ 6-year and 8-year time points the same as Graduation Rates’ 150% and 200% of normal time?
Cohorts
1) Does OM have two different cohort years for 4-year and 2-year institutions in the same fashion as Graduation Rates cohort
years?
2) How do I count students who enrolled during the prior summer?
3) What about spring cohorts? Should students who enroll during the spring be included?
Data Reporting Revisions
1) If an institution classified and reported a student as first-time, but learned after the current collection closed that student
should have been classified as non-first-time, how does the institution make the correction?
Degree-granting Status
1) If an institution was not a degree-granting institution in 2007, but later became a degree-granting institution, will that
institution be required to complete the Outcome Measures survey component?
Degree-seeking and Non-degree-seeking Students
1) Should students be included in Outcome Measures cohorts if degree/certificate-seeking intent is not explicitly stated?
2) If I am an academic year reporter, how do I report students who begin at my institution as non-degree/certificate-seeking
students in the fall, but in the following spring term enroll as degree/certificate-seeking students? 
3) If I am a program or hybrid reporter, how do I report students who begin at my institution as non-degree/certificate-seeking
students, but the following year they become degree/certificate-seeking?   
4) How do I report students who were non-degree-seeking at another institution and subsequently enrolled at my institution as
degree/certificate-seeking students?
Award Related Questions
1) What does “award” mean?
2) How would a student who transfers from a 4-year institution to a 2-year institution and then completes a lower-level
degree/certificate be counted? 
3) If a student earns multiple awards at my institution, do I count the higher award? In which award column would the
student’s award be counted?
4) If a student transfers-in with an award from another institution, and then earns an award at my institution, which award do I
count?
5) How do I count students seeking a second baccalaureate degree?
6) How should I count a student who left my institution and is known to have received an award at a subsequent institution?
7) Does transfer-prep count as an award? 
8) Can stackable credentials count as an award?
Counting Non-first-time Entering Students (Aka Transfer Students)
1) How should I count transfer-in students?
2) Won’t there be double counting of a student if two institutions are counting the same student who earned an award?  
3) Are first-time or non-first-time students who transfer-out to another institution included in the non-first-time entering cohort
of the transfer-in institution?
4) How do I report a degree-seeking student who starts out at my institution, transfers to another institution, but then returns
to my institution within the 8-year timeframe?
Students Without a High School Diploma or Equivalent
1) How do I count students in a dual enrollment program? What about students who received early admission to my
institution?
2) How do I count adult learners who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but are certificate-seeking students
taking credit-bearing undergraduate courses?
Tracking Subsequent Enrollment
1) Are institutions required to subscribe to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) in order to obtain data needed to report
the number students that subsequently enrolled at another institution? 
2) Can social media be used to confirm the enrollment at subsequent institutions?
3) What other resources are available to help me report on subsequent enrollment?

Answers:
General

1) Who is the best institutional representative to complete the Outcome Measures (OM) survey?
The individual who completes the Graduation Rates (GR), Graduation Rates 200 (GR200), and Completions (C) survey
components may be the best person to complete the Outcome Measures survey. This individual will most likely have to work
closely with the registrar and enrollment managers.
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2) Will race/ethnicity and gender be required in future years?
There are currently no plans to collect race/ethnicity and gender for Outcome Measures because of the institutional burden and
the federal need to obtain the data as soon as possible.
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3) Is the Outcome Measures survey component similar to the Student Achievement Measure (SAM) project?
OM is similar to SAM in that both have the same goal of measuring postsecondary success and progression of undergraduate
students. However, the methodologies used to measure the outcomes are different. First, OM is part of the mandatory IPEDS
collection compared to SAM’s voluntary participation. Second, OM has 4 cohorts and SAM has up to 7 cohorts. Third, SAM
captures student progress and success at the award level (bachelor’s and associate’s/certificates awards), whereas OM does not
make a distinction between award levels.  Lastly, the time points for SAM varies depending on the cohorts compared to OM’s
standard use of 6-year and 8-year time points across all cohorts. For more information on SAM,
see http://www.studentachievementmeasure.org/resources
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OM Terminology Clarified
1) What is a “still enrolled” degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student?
For academic year reporters, a degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student who is actively enrolled for credit at the
institution during the most recent term (spring or summer) is considered still enrolled. For program and hybrid reporters, a still
enrolled degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate would be an undergraduate student enrolled for credit during the previous
year.
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2) What is a “non-first-time” degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student?
A non-first-time degree/certificate undergraduate student is new to your institution, but has prior postsecondary experience.
This term will most likely refer to students reported as transfer-in on the Fall Enrollment (EF) component of the entry year of
the cohort. Transfer-in students may enter with or without credit.
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3) Are the Outcome Measures’ 6-year and 8-year time points the same as Graduation Rates’ 150% and 200% of
normal time?
No, these are not the same. Graduation rates of 150% and 200% of normal time are accumulated progress of time-to-degree.
 The 6-year and 8-year snapshots used in OM provide the status of awards and enrollment at 6- and 8-years after a cohort
enters the reporting institution. More specifically, OM counts the first award conferred regardless of the length of time it took
the student to complete the program relative to the “normal” time to complete. OM requires institutions to report the
award/enrollment status for each of the four student cohorts, and there are no specific reporting requirements as to how quickly
an award must be earned. Do not equate or use Graduation Rates’ “normal time to degree” as the same period of time for
Outcome Measures’ 6- and 8-year award statuses. 
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Cohorts
1) Does OM have two different cohort years for 4-year and 2-year institutions in the same fashion as Graduation
Rates cohort years?
No, OM has only one cohort year for both 2-year and 4-year institutions. Furthermore, the OM forms for 2-year and 4-year
institutions are the same. For the 2015-16 collection year, all degree-granting institutions, regardless of institution level, will
report on undergraduate students who entered their institutions in 2007. Academic year reporters will report on a fall cohort
(either the institution’s official fall census date or October 15, 2007). Program and hybrid reporters will report on a full-year
cohort (September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008).
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2) How do I count students who enrolled during the prior summer?
Academic year reporters should include students who enrolled in the fall term and also those who entered the institution for the
first time in the prior summer term.  This guidance is not applicable to program or hybrid reporters. 
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3) What about spring cohorts? Should students who enroll during the spring be included?
Academic year reporters should only report on a fall cohort and should not include students who entered the institution during
the spring. However, program and hybrid reporters should include in their full-year cohort students who entered during the full
year of September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008. Thus, for the 2015-16 OM collection, program and hybrid reporters will include
students starting in the spring of 2008.
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Data Reporting Revisions
1) If an institution classified and reported a student as first-time, but learned after the current collection closed
that student should have been classified as non-first-time, how does the institution make the correction?
The institution should contact the IPEDS Help Desk.  In some cases, it may be possible to make the correction in the current
collection year.  In other cases, it will be necessary to wait and use the Prior Year Revision System during the subsequent
collection year. The Help Desk can provide guidance on the appropriate solution.
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Degree-granting Status
1) If an institution was not a degree-granting institution in 2007, but later became a degree-granting institution,
will that institution be required to complete the Outcome Measures survey component?

Yes.  All degree-granting institutions are required to complete the OM survey component, including those that were non-degreegranting in 2007.
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Degree-seeking and Non-degree-seeking Students
1) Should students be included in Outcome Measures cohorts if degree/certificate-seeking intent is not explicitly
stated?
The institution should try to determine, to the greatest extent possible, whether the student is degree/certificate-seeking. For
example, students must be degree/certificate-seeking to receive federal student aid. Students who are eligible for federal
student aid but decide not to receive aid are still considered degree/certificate-seeking and should be included in the
appropriate Outcome Measures cohort. Students who are not eligible for federal student aid and who have not clearly stated
their degree/certificate-seeking intent should be excluded from OM.
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2) If I am an academic year reporter, how do I report students who begin at my institution as nondegree/certificate-seeking students in the fall, but in the following spring term enroll as degree/certificateseeking students?
For academic year reporters, do not include these students in any of the fall cohorts because the students did not enter at that
same institution as degree/certificate-seeking students during the reporting period. For example, if the student enters an
institution the fall of 2007 as non-degree/certificate-seeking, but then becomes degree/certificate-seeking at the same
institution the fall of 2009, this student should not be included in either fall 2007 (OM collection 2015-16) or fall 2009
(OM Collection 2017-18). For the 2015-16 OM collection, the reporting period for academic year reporters

is either as of October 15, 2007, or the institution’s official fall census date.
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3) If I am a program or hybrid reporter, how do I report students who begin at my institution as nondegree/certificate-seeking students, but the following year they become degree/certificate-seeking?
For program or hybrid reporters, if during the reporting period these students become degree/certificate-seeking students,
include these students in the OM cohorts. However, if the students become degree/certificate-seeking at the same institution
outside of the OM reporting period, do not include these students in OM reporting. For example, if a non-degree/certificateseeking student entered an institution on October 15, 2007, and then became degree/certificate-seeking on September 16,
2008, this student would not be included in OM reporting. For the 2015-16 OM collection, the reporting period covered for
program or hybrid reporters is September 1, 2007, to August 31, 2008.
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4) How do I report students who were non-degree-seeking at another institution and subsequently enrolled at my
institution as degree/certificate-seeking students?
Because these degree/certificate-seeking students entered a new institution, these students should be included in that
institution’s OM reporting according to that institution’s reporting type (academic or program/hybrid) and the respective
reporting period covered (fall cohort or full-year cohort).
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Award Related Questions
1) What does “award” mean?
An award can be either a formal certificate or degree (e.g., Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree) conferred by the reporting
institution that would be included on the IPEDS Completions Survey. For OM, an award does not mean financial aid award.
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2) How would a student who transfers from a 4-year institution to a 2-year institution and then completes a lower
-level degree/certificate be counted?
When completing OM, the 4-year institution would report this student from the appropriate cohort as subsequently enrolled at
another institution. The 2-year institution would place this student in one of the two non-first-time entering cohorts and then
count this non-first-time entering student as having received an award from the institution.
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3) If a student earns multiple awards at my institution, do I count the higher award? In which award column
would the student’s award be counted?
Report only the first award conferred by your institution, and do not report subsequent awards. Award levels are not
differentiated for purposes of OM reporting. Therefore, one (and only one) award is reported for each student, regardless of
whether the student earns multiple awards at your institution. The first award must be reported in either the 6-year or 8-year
column depending on when the first award was conferred.  
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4) If a student transfers-in with an award from another institution, and then earns an award at my institution,
which award do I count?
Do not count awards conferred from another institution. Institutions should only count and report the first award conferred by
their own institution.  
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5) How do I count students seeking a second baccalaureate degree?
The answer depends on whether the student is seeking the second baccalaureate at the same institution or a different
institution. 
If the student is seeking a second baccalaureate at the same institution (Fall Enrollment counts these students as “continuing
students”), do not reset the time period for this student or place him/her in a new cohort. OM wants to know when these
students received their first award (degree/certificate) at the same institution over a span of 8 years. These students should be
counted in one of the four cohorts for the first award only. Any additional degrees/certificates beyond the first award at the
same institution are not counted in future/different cohort years or cohorts. See response to FAQ# 3 in Awards Related
Questions regarding students earning multiple awards at the same institution.

If the student is seeking a second baccalaureate at a different institution from where the student received his/her first
baccalaureate (Fall Enrollment counts these students as “transfer-in students”), then count these students as degree/certificateseeking, non-first-time entering students (either full-time or part-time). These students have prior postsecondary experience,
but are seeking a degree/certificate at the different institution.
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6) How should I count a student who left my institution and is known to have received an award at a subsequent
institution?
At the 8-year status, count such students in the category “did not receive an award and subsequently enrolled at another
institution.” If your institution did not confer the award, your institution does not report the award.
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7) Does transfer-prep count as an award?
Yes. As is also the case with the Graduation Rates component, the OM component has a provision that allows institutions to
count students who have successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program as having received an award. 
A 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 transfer-prep the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although these students do not receive a “formal
award”) should be counted as having received an award for purposes of OM.
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8) Can stackable credentials count as an award?
Yes, stackable credentials can be counted, as long as the credentials meet the definition of an award. According to the
Department of Labor, stackable credentials are “a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build up an
individual’s qualifications and help them to move along a career pathway or up a career ladder to different and potentially
higher-payer jobs” (Source: TEGL 15-10, www.doleta.gov). Educause (Jan 27, 2014) explains these credentials as an institution
-designed “pathway for students to acquire credentials along a trajectory that can lead to a baccalaureate and beyond but that
has exit and entry points designed in a way to allow students to pick up wherever they left off en route to the next level of
achievement.”
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Counting Non-first-time Entering Students (Aka Transfer Students)
1) How should I count transfer-in students?
At your institution, transfer-in students should be counted as non-first-time entering students in either the full-time or part-time
cohort.  The progress of transfer-in students should be tracked at 6 and 8 years after entering your institution.
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2) Won’t there be double counting of a student if two institutions are counting the same student who earned an
award?
Institutions should report only awards conferred by their institution. Students who transfer into your institution and receive an
award from your institution within the reporting period should be reported only by your institution. The institution sending the
student to your institution would report the student only as a “student who subsequently enrolled at another institution.” Thus,
the same student should not appear in the same outcome category for both institutions.
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3) Are first-time or non-first-time students who transfer-out to another institution included in the non-first-time
entering cohort of the transfer-in institution?
Yes. If first-time or non-first-time students who transfer into your institution and never have been previously enrolled in your
institution, you should include them in either your full-time or part-time, non-first-time entering cohort.
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4) How do I report a degree-seeking student who starts out at my institution, transfers to another institution, but
then returns to my institution within the 8-year timeframe?
Students should be counted in their original cohort only. If the student subsequently enrolls in another institution and returns to
your institution within the reporting period, the student should be reported in one of the two categories: 1) did not receive an
award and still enrolled at your institution or 2) received an award from your institution. Once a student enters a cohort year,
that student remains in that same cohort year at your institution.  
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Students Without a High School Diploma or Equivalent
1) How do I count students in a dual enrollment program? What about students who received early admission to
my institution?
Students who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but are enrolled in a high school diploma or equivalent program
while taking college-credit coursework, are considered “non-degree-seeking” students. After the students have earned their
high school diploma or equivalent, and when they enroll at a postsecondary institution the following fall, they are then
considered “first-time” students . This guidance is the same for the early admission students. Until the high school student has
received a high school diploma or equivalent, the student is not considered degree-seeking and is not included in any of the OM
cohorts. In other words, these students do not enter an Outcome Measures cohort until after earning their high school diploma
or equivalent.
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2) How do I count adult learners who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but are certificate-seeking
students taking credit-bearing undergraduate courses?
Students, who are enrolled in college-credit coursework, but have not earned a high school diploma or its equivalent and do not
plan on earning a high school diploma or its equivalent, should be included in OM if they are degree/certificate-seeking
students.

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Tracking Subsequent Enrollment
1) Are institutions required to subscribe to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) in order to obtain data
needed to report the number students that subsequently enrolled at another institution?
IPEDS neither requires nor endorses institutions to subscribe to the NSC or any other third-party organization to help with
reporting. However, IPEDS realizes that fee-based services can facilitate an institution’s reporting of the Outcome Measures
survey component.
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2) Can social media be used to confirm the enrollment at subsequent institutions?
Yes, however IPEDS neither requires nor endorses the use of social media (e.g., LinkedIn), which may help with OM reporting of
enrollment at subsequent institutions. IPEDS strongly encourages institutions to use additional methods, such as alumni
surveys, to verify and confirm subsequent enrollment. 
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3) What other resources are available to help me report on subsequent enrollment?
For institutions that report student unit-record data to a coordinated-system office (e.g., coordinating board, system office,
state department of higher education, board of regents/trustees, etc.), those offices may be a resource to help identify
subsequent enrollment at another institution within that coordinated system .
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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Outcome Measures
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Outcome Measures (OM) Component
Applicable to degree-granting institutions with a 2007 cohort
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to all institutions completing the IPEDS Outcome Measures
component. 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.

Award Status at Six Years
Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years
Award Status at Six Years
On this screen, you must report on the award status of four cohorts who entered your institution in 2007 as of August 31,
2013.
For some institutions, the original 2007 cohort data from the Fall Enrollment survey component will be preloaded for your
reference. If your institution did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the information will
not be preloaded and will be blank for data entry. 
Each degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who entered your fall or full-year cohort in 2007 must be placed in
one of four cohorts:
•

•

First-time entering
◦ Full-time
◦ Part-time
Non-first-time entering
◦ Full-time
◦ Part-time

Enter the Revisions to the 2007 cohort (through August 31, 2013) and Exclusions from the 2007 cohort (through
August 31, 2013). Upon saving the screen, the system will calculate the Adjusted 2007 cohort.
For each of the student cohorts, enter the number of students who have received an award from your institution through
August 31, 2013. The percent of your adjusted cohort who received an award from your institution will be calculated.
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Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years
On this screen, you must report on the award and enrollment status of the 2007 entering cohort as of August 31, 2015.
The four 2007 degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate cohorts will be preloaded from the Six Year Award Status
screen:
•

•

First-time entering
◦ Full-time
◦ Part-time
Non-first-time entering
◦ Full-time
◦ Part-time

Enter the Revisions to the 2007 cohort (through August 31, 2015) and Exclusions from the 2007 cohort (through
August 31, 2015). Upon saving the screen, the system will calculate the Adjusted 2007 cohort.
For the following types of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students, enter the following information for full-time and
part-time first-time entering and full-time and part-time non-first-time entering students:
•
•
•

Number of students who received an award from your institution by August 31, 2015
Students who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2015 and who are still enrolled at the
institution
Students who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2015 and who subsequently enrolled at
another institution

These columns will be calculated upon saving the screen:
•
•
•
•

Student who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2015 and whose enrollment is unknown
Student who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2015; Total number who did not receive an
award from your institution
Percent of your adjusted cohort who received an award from your institution by August 31, 2015.
Percent of adjusted cohort who are still enrolled (at institution or another institution).
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