Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18 through 2019-20

Graduation Rates 200
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18

This IPEDS Graduation Rates 200 data collection instrument will be
used again during the 2017-18 data collection.

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

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2016-17 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/25/2016

200% Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Overview 
Graduation Rates 200 Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates 200 (GR200) survey component. The GR200 component is a further
extension of the traditional Graduation Rates (GR) component which carries forward 100% and 150% graduation rates
data previously reported in the GR component and requests information on any additional completers and exclusions
from the cohort between 151% and 200% of normal time for students to complete all requirements of their program of
study. This information is collected to assist institutions with complying with the requirements of the Higher Education
Act, as amended.
Data Reporting Reminders
The reporting of data for the 200% completion period is not cumulative. Respondents are ONLY asked to report data
for the time period between 151% and 200% of normal time to completion.
When reporting award levels for sub-baccalaureate certificates, determine program length by the number of credit
or contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide
context.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Screening Question 
Your institution reported to the GR survey component as having the following number of students who did not
complete, but were still enrolled at your institution: (preload the number reported from GR)
Do you have students who received an award between 151% and 200% of the normal time to complete?
No
Yes

Completers within 200% 
For 4-year institutions, report on the 2008 cohort of full-time, first-time bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
students.
Information for this cohort was originally reported by your institution in the 2014-15 IPEDS Graduation Rates
survey component. The data on lines 1-5 are preloaded based on the information provided.
Graduation rates
1
2
3
4

Revised cohort
Exclusions within 150%
Adjusted cohort 150%
Number of students in the cohort who completed a bachelor’s degree within 100%
of normal time to completion
5 Number of students in the cohort who completed a bachelor’s degree within 150%
of normal time to completion
6 Additional exclusions (between 151% and 200% of normal time)
7 Adjusted cohort 200% (line 3 - line 6)
8 Number of students in the cohort who completed a bachelor’s degree between
151% and 200% of normal time to completion
9 Still enrolled as of 200% of normal time to completion
10 Total completers within 200% of normal time (line 5 + line 8)
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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.

Prepared by 
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact

SFA Contact

HR Contact

Academic Library Contact

Other

hours

minutes

Name:
Email:

How long did it take to prepare
this survey component?

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.

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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2016-17 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/25/2016

200% Graduation Rates Full Instructions - 4-year institutions

Purpose of Survey
General Instructions
Reporting period covered
Context boxes

Coverage
Where to get help
Where data appears
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Data Reporting Instructions
Purpose of the Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS GR200 survey component is to collect more extensive data on graduation rates as
required by the Higher Education Act, as amended.  The necessary data are collected to calculate graduation rates at
200% of normal time to complete all requirements of their program of study for the cohort of full-time, first-time
bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking students at 4-year institutions; and for all full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students at less than 4-year institutions.
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General Instructions
Reporting period covered
This survey component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2008 (or the institution's official fall
reporting date) for institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (e.g.,
semesters, trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan); or (2) during the period between September 1, 2008 and August 31,
2009 for institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms.
Institutions are to report the status of these students as of August 31, 2016.
The status of this cohort of students (the 2008 Graduation Rates cohort) within 150% of normal time to completion
was previously reported on the 2014-15 IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component. The GR200 component further
tracks the status of these students at 200% of normal time to completion.

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
Data on the cohort of full-time, first-time bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking undergraduate students in your
institution's 2008 Graduation Rates cohort, previously reported on the  2014-15 IPEDS Graduation Rates survey
component, are preloaded into the GR200 survey.  The parameters for coverage of the original cohort are outlined
below.

Who to include in the cohort
Include all full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon entering the institution either
during the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. For institutions that do not determine degree
intent upon entry, this should include any students whose intent was not known. Include 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 graduating from high school).
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 full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. This includes students who:
•
•
•

Received any type of federal financial aid, regardless of what courses they took at any time
Received any state or locally based financial aid with an eligibility requirement that the student be enrolled in a
degree, certificate, or transfer-seeking program
Obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution

A student who is designated as a member of the 2008 cohort remains in the 2008 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., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution
Foreign students who are only taking coursework at a host institution (e.g., an American institution overseas),
if these students are not enrolled at a U.S. institution

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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 Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data
collection, a self-paced overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials,
taxonomies, information centers (e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.),
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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Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
The File Import/Upload option is found under the Tools menu. In order to perform the upload you’ll need to have a file
formatted to specifications. Upload specifications are included with the survey materials found under the Help menu.
There are two upload formats available for the GR200 survey component:

•
•

Fixed width file
Key value file

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Data Reporting Instructions
The GR200 survey component collects additional data on the cohort of full-time, first-time bachelor's degree-seeking
undergraduate students in your institution's 2008 Graduation Rates cohort, as first reported on the  2014-15 IPEDS
Graduation Rates survey component. Institutions must report the status of these students as of August 31, 2016 so
that a 200% graduation rate may be calculated. One hundred percent and 150% graduation rates were previously
calculated in the 2014-15 Graduation Rates survey.
Graduation rates data reported in the GR200 component are NOT reported by race and ethnicity.
A number of data elements are preloaded in this survey. Lines 1-5 are preloaded based on your institution's 2014-15
Graduation Rates reporting. These fields may not be updated. The 100% and 150% graduation rates calculated for the
cohort based on the data reported in 2014-15 are also preloaded and may not be adjusted.
On line 6, please enter any additional allowable exclusions to the cohort. This should include any additional students
who left your institution between 151% and 200% of the normal time to complete their program (and have neither
graduated nor transferred to another institution) due to 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 up 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 above, but return prior to the status date of
August 31, 2016, may still be reported as exclusions.
Line 7, the 200% adjusted cohort, is a calculated value representing the difference between the 150% adjusted
cohort (line 3) and the additional exclusions reported on line 6.
On line 8, report the number of students who completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent within the period from
September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2016. Once you save the page, the total completers within 200% and the
200% graduation rate will be calculated in the appropriate boxes on line 10.
On line 9, report the number of students who are still enrolled at your institution as of 200% of normal time to
completion.
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date: 8/25/2016

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Fall
Enrollment component, it is the cohort for calculating retention rate; for the Graduation Rates
component, this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; and for the Outcome
Measures component, these are the four cohorts (full-time, first-time; part-time-first-time; full-time, non-first-time;
and part-time, non-first-time) for which outcomes rates are calculated at 6 and 8 years.

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.

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.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

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.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.)

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).

U.S. Department of Education
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2016-17 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/25/2016

200% Graduation Rates for less-than-4-year institutions reporting on a fall
cohort (academic reporters)
Overview 
Graduation Rates 200 Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates 200 (GR200) survey component. The GR200 component is a further
extension of the traditional Graduation Rates (GR) component which carries forward 100% and 150% graduation rates
data previously reported in the GR component and requests information on any additional completers and exclusions
from the cohort between 151% and 200% of normal time for students to complete all requirements of their program of
study. This information is collected to assist institutions with complying with the requirements of the Higher Education
Act, as amended.
Data Reporting Reminders
The reporting of data for the 200% completion period is not cumulative. Respondents are ONLY asked to report data
for the time period between 151% and 200% of normal time to completion.
When reporting award levels for sub-baccalaureate certificates, determine program length by the number of credit
or contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide
context.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Screening Question 
Your institution reported to the GR survey component as having the following number of students who did not
complete, but were still enrolled at your institution: (preload the number reported from GR)
Do you have students who received an award between 151% and 200% of the normal time to complete?
No
Yes

Completers within 200% 
For less than 4-year institutions, report on the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students.
Information for this cohort was originally reported by your institution in the 2015-16 IPEDS Graduation Rates
survey component. The data on lines 1-5 are preloaded based on the information provided.
Graduation rates
1
2
3
4

Revised cohort
Exclusions within 150%
Adjusted cohort 150%
Number of students in the cohort who completed a program within 100%
of normal time to completion
5 Number of students in the cohort who completed a program within 150%
of normal time to completion
6 Additional exclusions (between 151% and 200% of normal time)
7 Adjusted cohort 200% (line 3 - line 6)
8 Number of students in the cohort who completed a program between
151% and 200% of normal time to completion
9 Still enrolled as of 200% of normal time to completion
10 Total completers within 200% of normal time (line 5 + line 8)
Image
description.
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context
notes
will
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posted
the
College
Navigator.
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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.

Prepared by 
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact

SFA Contact

HR Contact

Academic Library Contact

Other

hours

minutes

Name:
Email:

How long did it take to prepare
this survey component?

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.

U.S. Department of Education
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Of
Education
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Software Provider Resources
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Use of Cookies
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2016-17 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/25/2016

200% Graduation Rates for less-than-4-year institutions reporting on a full-year
cohort (program reporters)
Overview 
Graduation Rates 200 Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates 200 (GR200) survey component. The GR200 component is a further
extension of the traditional Graduation Rates (GR) component which carries forward 100% and 150% graduation rates
data previously reported in the GR component and requests information on any additional completers and exclusions
from the cohort between 151% and 200% of normal time for students to complete all requirements of their program of
study. This information is collected to assist institutions with complying with the requirements of the Higher Education
Act, as amended.
Data Reporting Reminders
The reporting of data for the 200% completion period is not cumulative. Respondents are ONLY asked to report data
for the time period between 151% and 200% of normal time to completion.
When reporting award levels for sub-baccalaureate certificates, determine program length by the number of credit
or contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide
context.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Screening Question 
Your institution reported to the GR survey component as having the following number of students who did not
complete, but were still enrolled at your institution: (preload the number reported from GR)
Do you have students who received an award between 151% and 200% of the normal time to complete?
No
Yes

Completers within 200% 
For less than 4-year institutions, report on the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students.
Information for this cohort was originally reported by your institution in the 2015-16 IPEDS Graduation Rates
survey component. The data on lines 1-5 are preloaded based on the information provided.
Graduation rates
1
2
3
4

Revised cohort
Exclusions within 150%
Adjusted cohort 150%
Number of students in the cohort who completed a program within 100%
of normal time to completion
5 Number of students in the cohort who completed a program within 150%
of normal time to completion
6 Additional exclusions (between 151% and 200% of normal time)
7 Adjusted cohort 200% (line 3 - line 6)
8 Number of students in the cohort who completed a program between
151% and 200% of normal time to completion
9 Still enrolled as of 200% of normal time to completion
10 Total completers within 200% of normal time (line 5 + line 8)
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.

Prepared by 
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact

SFA Contact

HR Contact

Academic Library Contact

Other

hours

minutes

Name:
Email:

How long did it take to prepare
this survey component?

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.

U.S. Department of Education
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Education
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Software Provider Resources
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Section 508 Compliance
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2016-17 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/25/2016

200% Graduation Rates Full Instructions - Less Than 4-Year Institutions

Purpose of Survey
General Instructions
Reporting period covered
Context boxes

Coverage
Where to get help
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Data Reporting Instructions
Purpose of the Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS GR200 survey component is to collect more extensive data on graduation rates as
required by the Higher Education Act, as amended.  The necessary data are collected to calculate graduation rates at
200% of normal time to complete all requirements of their program of study for the cohort of full-time, first-time
bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking students at 4-year institutions; and for all full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students at less than 4-year institutions.
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General Instructions
Reporting period covered
This survey component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled at your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2012 (or the institution's official fall reporting date)
for institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (e.g., semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan); or (2) during the period between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013 for
institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms. Institutions are
to report the status of these students as of  August 31, 2016.
The status of this cohort of students (the 2012 Graduation Rates cohort) within 150% of normal time to completion
was previously reported on the 2015-16 IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component. The GR200 component further
tracks the status of these students at 200% of normal time to completion.

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
Data on the cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in your institution's  2012
Graduation Rates cohort, previously reported on the  2015-16 IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component, are
preloaded into the GR200 survey.  The parameters for coverage of the original cohort are outlined below.

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 and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
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 full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. This includes students who:

•
•
•

Received any type of federal financial aid, regardless of what courses they took at any time
Received any state or locally based financial aid with an eligibility requirement that the student be enrolled in a
degree, certificate, or transfer-seeking program
Obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution

A student who is designated as a member of the 2012 cohort remains in the 2012 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., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution
Foreign students who are only taking coursework at a host institution (e.g., an American institution overseas),
if these students are not enrolled at a U.S. institution.

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 Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data
collection, a self-paced overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials,
taxonomies, information centers (e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.),
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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Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
The File Import/Upload option is found under the Tools menu. In order to perform the upload you’ll need to have a file
formatted to specifications. Upload specifications are included with the survey materials found under the Help menu.
There are two upload formats available for the GR200 survey component:

•
•

Fixed width file
Key value file

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Data Reporting Instructions
The GR200 survey component collects additional data on the cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students in your institution's 2012 Graduation Rates cohort, as first reported on the 201516 Graduation Rates survey component. Institutions must report the status of these students as of August 31, 2016 so
that a 200% graduation rate may be calculated. One hundred percent and 150% graduation rates were previously
calculated in the 2015-16 Graduation Rates survey.
Graduation Rates data reported in the GR200 component are NOT reported by race and ethnicity.
A number of data elements are preloaded in this survey. Data elements 1-5 are preloaded based on your institution's 
2015-16 Graduation Rates reporting. These fields may not be updated. The 100% and 150% graduation rates
calculated for the cohort based on the data reported in 2015-16 are also preloaded, and may not be adjusted.
On line 6, please enter any additional allowable exclusions to the cohort. This should include any additional students
who left your institution between 151% and 200% of the normal time to complete their program (and have neither
graduated nor transferred to another institution) due to 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 up 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 above, but return prior to the status date of
August 31, 2016, may still be reported as exclusions.
Line 7, 200% adjusted cohort, is a calculated value representing the difference between the 150% adjusted cohort
(line 3) and the additional exclusions reported on line 6.
On line 8, report the number of students who completed a program (including eligible transfer-preparatory programs;
as outlined in the instructions for the Graduation Rates survey component) within the period of 151% to 200% of
normal time. Once you save the page, the total completers within 200% and the 200% graduation rate will be
calculated in the appropriate boxes on line 10.
On line 9, report the number of students who are still enrolled at your institution as of 200% of normal time to
completion.
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date: 8/25/2016

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Fall
Enrollment component, it is the cohort for calculating retention rate; for the Graduation Rates
component, this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; and for the Outcome
Measures component, these are the four cohorts (full-time, first-time; part-time-first-time; full-time, non-first-time;
and part-time, non-first-time) for which outcomes rates are calculated at 6 and 8 years.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

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.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

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.

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 athleticallyrelated 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.

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).

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.

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.

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-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.

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