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Graduation Rates
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2019-20 to 2021-22
The changes for 2019-20 through 2021-22 include general changes to cross-cutting definitions and
instructions for reporting students in Experimental Pell programs as well as changes to key GR
definitions and the addition of a new FAQ. These changes are detailed on p. 2 and highlighted in
the document.
Glossary clarifications
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 reporting institution the prior summer term. The student
may transfer with or without credit. For systems of coordinated institutions (multi-campus system), students
are to be identified as transfer-in students upon entering an institution from another institution within the
same coordinated system.
Transfer-out student
A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution. For systems of coordinated
institutions (multi-campus system), students are to be identified as transfer-out students when leaving an
institution to enroll into another institution within the same coordinated system.
New GR FAQ (new FAQ #4 under “Transfer Out”TFFQBHFT
BOE
Q: My institution is part of a coordinated system of institutions. If a student transfers out of my institution
and goes to another institution within the coordinated system, can I count that student at my institution as a
completer?
A: No. Your institution may not count that student as completer because that student is considered a
transfer-out student. Each reporting entity that has an IPEDS UnitID is recognized as an individual
reporting institution for Graduation Rates purposes and can only report completers if that campus confers
the award or degree.
Image description. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System End of image description.
IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic reporters)
Overview
Graduation Rates Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) survey component. The GR component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and tracks their completion status at 150% of the normal time to complete all
requirements of their program of study. This information is collected to assist institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student
Right-to-Know Act.
Data Reporting Reminders
Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the
institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent
disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.
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.
Recent Changes to the Graduation Rates Component:
•
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.
Section I - Establishing cohorts
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional Characteristics Header
survey component from the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection, your institution must report graduation rates data using a:
Fall Cohort (Fall 2012)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A full-year cohort is used by
institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a continuous basis.
Establishing cohorts
NOTE: Reporting using the new race/ethnicity categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to revise your preloaded 2012 cohort
of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students to the new race/ethnicity categories (if applicable). For information and
assistance with this, please visit the IPEDS Race/Ethnicity Information Center.
Men
Screen 1 of 2
Cohort year 2012
Initial cohort
Revised cohort
(Column 01)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 2
Initial cohort
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2012
Revised cohort
(Column 01)
Section I - Establishing cohorts
•Incoming students seeking a bachelor's degree should be reported in Column 02. Column 03 will then be generated for you. Column 03 is
meant to include any full-time, first-time entering students who were seeking a degree or certificate other than a bachelor's degree, such as
an associate's degree or undergraduate certificate.
•If you have no changes to the preloaded data on this screen, click the "Save and Next" button to generate additional screens for reporting
completers and transfers/exclusions.
Establishing cohorts
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 2
Cohort
Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
Cohort
Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
Cohort year 2012
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort)
(Column 03)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 2
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2012
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort)
(Column 03)
Section II - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort - Completers within 150%
•In the columns below, report the status of the bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort of students listed in Column 10.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a degree or certificate OTHER THAN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE within 150% of the normal
time to complete the program as of August 31, 2018 should be reported in either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program
completed.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time should be reported in Column
18.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 1 of 4
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal time
degree-seeking
to completion
subcohort
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs of
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2
at least 2 but less than 4
equivalent
degrees
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent)
equivalent)
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 4
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal time
degree-seeking
to completion
subcohort
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs of
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2
at least 2 but less than 4
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent) equivalent degrees
equivalent)
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Total men + women
Section II - Bachelor's completers by length of time to degree
Those students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of
normal time to completion, as reported on the previous screen, are listed in Column 18. In Column 19, report the number of these students
who earned a bachelor's degree in 4 years. In Column 20, report the number of these students who earned a bachelor's degree in 5 years.
Column 21 will be calculated for you.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 4
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent degreeCompleted
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's degree or
seeking subcohort
bachelor's degree
equivalent
or equivalent within
Completed the
Completed the
Completed the
150%
program in
program in
program in
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 10)
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 4
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent degreeCompleted
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's degree or
seeking subcohort
bachelor's degree
equivalent
or equivalent within
Completed the
Completed the
Completed the
150%
program in
program in
program in
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 10)
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)
Section II - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort - Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the BACHELOR'S OR EQUIVALENT DEGREE-SEEKING SUBCOHORT listed in
Column 10 who did not complete a program within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial preparation
for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed a program, you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A
school is required to report only on those students that the school knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must
document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the subcohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
Students who died or became permanently disabled
Students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
Students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
Students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who have dropped out as well as those who completed in
greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to report in either Column 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on this screen to continue.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 3 of 4
Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
students
(Column 30)
Total
exclusions
Still enrolled
No longer
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 3 of 4
Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
students
(Column 30)
Total
exclusions
Still enrolled
No longer
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Total men + women
Section II - Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort - Pell recipients and a recipients of a
subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, the number of students that completed a
bachelor’s or equivalent degree within 150% of normal time to completion, and the total completers within 150%.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
Screen 4 of 4
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (within entering
year) that did not receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized
Loan (within entering year)
Cohort year 2012
Number of students Total exclusions Completed bachelor's
in cohort
degree
or equivalent within
150%
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 18)
Total completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Section III - Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort - Completers within 150%
•In the columns below, report the status of the subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's or equivalent degree listed in Column 10.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a degree or certificate other than a bachelor's degree within 150% of the normal time to
complete the program as of August 31, 2018 should be reported in either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program
completed.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time should be reported in Column
18.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 1 of 3
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort
(Column 10)
Cohort year 2012
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal
time to completion
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2 of at least 2 but less than 4
equivalent
degrees
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent)
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 3
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort
(Column 10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Cohort year 2012
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal
time to completion
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2 of at least 2 but less than 4
equivalent
degrees
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent)
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Total men + women
Section III - Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort - Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the OTHER DEGREE/CERTIFICATE-SEEKING SUBCOHORT listed in Column
10 who did not complete a program within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. A school is required to report only on those students that the school
knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your
mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the subcohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
Students who died or became permanently disabled
Students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
Students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
Students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who dropped out as well as those who completed in greater
than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to report in either Column 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on this screen to continue.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 3
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Cohort year 2012
Total completers Total transfer-out
within 150%
students
(Column 29)
(Column 30)
Total
Still enrolled No longer
exclusions
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Cohort year 2012
Total completers Total transfer-out
within 150%
students
(Column 29)
(Column 30)
Total
Still enrolled No longer
exclusions
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 3
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Section III - Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort - Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized
Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, the number of students who completed a
bachelor’s or equivalent degree with 150%, and the total completers within 150%.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the other degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
Screen 3 of 3
Other degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (within entering
year) that did not receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized
Loan (within entering year)
Cohort year 2012
Number of students Total exclusions
Completed
in cohort
bachelor's degree
or equivalent within
150%
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 18)
Total completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Prepared by
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.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates Full Instructions - 4-Year Institutions
Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Who to Include
Who to Exclude
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Reporting Directions
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Section I: Establishing and Revising Cohorts
Section II: Bachelor's Degree Subcohort
Section III: Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohorts
Worksheets
Purpose of the Survey
The purpose of the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component is to track given cohorts of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students - as well as their completion status at 150% of the normal time to
complete all requirements of their program of study - at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist
institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act.
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Changes in Reporting
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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 in 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, 2018.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution either during
the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the fall term who
attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all students who entered the
institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013, 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.
Include all students enrolled for credit toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary
credential. Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING
those enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. 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 enroll at a U.S. postsecondary institution
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Becomes a part-time student
Transfers to another institution
Drops out of the institution
Stops out of the institution
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution
Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential 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.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 three upload formats available for the Graduation Rates survey component:
•
•
•
Fixed width file
Key value file
XML format
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Reporting Instructions
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions
correspond with the Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S.
Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first
question is whether the respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or
more races from the following list: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow students and staff to self-identify their race
and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education
using the NINE categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident
aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
•
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
•
•
•
•
•
•
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
•
•
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of
anthropological origins. The categories are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or
community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii,
Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Other descriptive categories
•
Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country
on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are
to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic
categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or
nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for the purpose of obtaining
permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that
conveys legal immigrant status such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee
or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States
citizens.
•
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or
ethnic designation.
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Section I – Establishing Cohorts
Cohort Type
The method used to report graduation rates data on this survey is predetermined by your institution's response to the
predominant calendar system question (B3) on the IC Header survey component of the IPEDS Fall 2018 data
collection, according to the following rules:
•
•
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of students. Institutions may use October
15, 2012 or the institution's official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same
reporting date used for the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all
those students who entered the institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013, 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.
Establishing your Cohorts
Report each student only once.
Please complete all of Section I. Screens for Sections II and III will be generated based on the data reported in Section
I.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information reported on full-time, first-time degree/certificate
-seeking undergraduate student enrollment at your institution on the 2012 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey will be
preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the
column will be blank.
Revised cohort (Column 01) - Institutions have the option of revising their preloaded cohort if:
•
•
•
there are eligible students who were omitted in the past
students were reported who did not belong in the cohort (e.g., they were not actually first-time, or full-time)
better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available for eligible students
Please review the data in the Initial cohort column (if applicable) and re-enter the cohort data in the Revised cohort
column according to the 1997 racial/ethnic categories, making any necessary corrections for omissions, erroneous
reporting, or where better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available. If your data do not appear in the
Initial cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in the Revised cohort column.
Establishing Subcohorts
For 4-year institutions, the cohort is divided into two subcohorts: (1) those students who upon entry are seeking a
bachelor's or equivalent degree, and (2) those students who upon entry are seeking an undergraduate award other
than a bachelor's degree. Institutions that do not determine degree intent upon entry should report all students as if
they are bachelor's degree-seeking.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 02) –Of the revised cohort of students listed in
Column 1, indicate the number of these students who declared intent to seek a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon
entry. As indicated above, this should also include any students whose intent was not known. These data will be
carried forward to Section II.
Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 03) –This column represents the difference between the
Revised cohort (Column 1) and the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 2). The values in this
column are calculated for you, and represent the number of students who declared intent to seek an undergraduate
award other than a bachelor's level degree (e.g., an associate's degree or other recognized postsecondary credential)
upon entry. These data will be carried forward to Section III.
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Section II – Completers within 150% - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by type of
program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree upon
entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your institution, or students who changed
their program of study to a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of the type of program completed, as defined by award level. For
programs that are defined in terms of clock or credit hours, the program type may not be indicative of the actual
calendar time a program takes to complete. For more information on program types, please consult the IPEDS
Glossary.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) - The data in this column are carried forward
from Section I for your reference.
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 11) - Enter the number of
students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed programs of less than 2 full-time
equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or
diplomas of less than one academic year and of at least one but less than two academic years; or designed for
completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90 quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock
hours.
Completers of programs of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 12) - Enter the
number of students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards,
certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less than four academic years - or designed for completion in at least 60
but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least
1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and associate's degrees.
Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (Column 18) - Enter the number of students in the bachelor's or
equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal
time to completion. Note: Completers of 3-year bachelor’s degree programs should only be included if they completed
the program within 4-1/2 years.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous three columns, and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Section II – Bachelor’s Completers by Length of Time to Degree
Report each student only once.
Of those students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor's degree or
equivalent program within 150% of normal time to completion you must provide additional information on the length
of time it took them to complete their program. Include all baccalaureate level degrees, including 5-year
bachelor's/cooperative programs and those bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3
years. Of the total number of completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees within 150% of normal time listed in
Column 18, provide the following breakout:
Completed the program in 4 yrs or less (Column 19) - Enter the number of students who completed a bachelor's
degree or equivalent in 4 years or less. This should include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or
equivalent by August 31, 2016.
Completed the program in 5 yrs (Column 20) - Enter the number of students who completed a bachelor's degree
or equivalent in 5 years. This should include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent in the
period from September 1, 2016 through August 31, 2017. Do NOT include students who completed their program in 4
years or less in this column.
Completed the program in 6 yrs (Column 21) - This column represents the difference between the number of
completers of bachelor's degrees or equivalent within 150% of normal time (Column 18) and the sum of those who
completed their program in 4 years or less (Column 19) and those who completed their program in 5 years (Column
20). This should include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent in the period from September 1,
2017 through August 31, 2018. This column is calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Section II – Non-completers - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the non-completers from the 2012 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students
as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier). Report
all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon
entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your institution, or students who changed
their program of study to a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward
from Section I for your reference.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - The data in this column are carried forward from page 1 of Section
II for your reference.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, you must report
the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled at
another eligible institution. If it is not part of your mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as of 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (or August 31, 2018 if 150% of normal time to completion had not
elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) and the sum of Columns 29, 30, 45, and 51. This column should include
students who graduated from their program after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.
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Section II – Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort - Graduation Rate for Pell
recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree upon
entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your institution, or students who changed
their program of study to a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For each of two different subcohorts - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking students and Other degree/certificateseeking students, data will be collected on those students who were recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who
were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct loan. These students
must receive and use the award within their first year at the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a
later point, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort will be preloaded from Section 1 of the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who
received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell
Grant. These two categories() will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal
to the total of all students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort will be
preloaded from Section II of the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students who
received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell
Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to
the total of all students.
Completed bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% - The number of students in the bachelor's or
equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal
time to completion will be preloaded from Section II of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report
the number of students who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan
but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. This must be less than or equal to the Completers within 150% of normal time. The
total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all students.
Total completers within 150% of normal time - The total number of students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded from Section II of the GR form. Of those students reported as
completers, report the number of students who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a
subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of
these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all students.
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Section III – Completers within 150% - Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's degree as of 150% of normal time
to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by type of program
completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking undergraduate degrees or certificates
other than a bachelor’s degree upon entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into
your institution, or students who changed their program of study from a bachelor's level degree after the first
semester.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of the type of program completed, as defined by award level. For
programs that are defined in terms of clock or credit hours, the program type may not be indicative of the actual
calendar time a program takes to complete. For more information on program types, please consult the IPEDS
Glossary. Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 10) - The data in this column are carried forward
from Section I for your reference.
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 11) - Enter the number of
students in the other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent
academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than
one academic year and of at least one but less than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60
semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90 quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours.
Completers of programs of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 12) - Enter
the number of students in the other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort who completed programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards,
certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less than four academic years - or designed for completion in at least 60
but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least
1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and associate's degrees.
Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (Column 18) - Enter the number of students in the other
degree/certificateseeking subcohort who completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal
time to completion. Note: Completers of 3-year bachelor’s degree programs should only be included if they completed
the program within 4-1/2 years.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous three columns, and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Section III – Non-completers - Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the non-completers from the 2012 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's or
equivalent degree as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever
was earlier). Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking an undergraduate award other than a
bachelor's level degree upon entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your
institution, or students who changed their program of study from a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried
forward from Section I for your reference.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - The data in this column are carried forward from page 1 of Section
III for your reference.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, you must report
the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled at
another eligible institution. If it is not part of your mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as of 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (or August 31, 2018 if 150% of normal time to completion had not
elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the other degree/certificateseeking subcohort (Column 10) and the sum of Columns 29, 30, 45, and 51. This column should include students who
graduated from their program after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.
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Section III – Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort - Pell recipients and recipients of
a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of Other degree/certificate-seeking students as of 150% of normal time to
completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking Other degree/certificate. Do NOT include
part-time students, students who transferred into your institution.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For each of two different subcohorts - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking students and Other degree/certificateseeking students, data will be collected on those students who were recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who
were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct loan. These students
must receive and use the award within their first year at the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a
later point, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort will
be preloaded from Section 1 of the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who received a Pell
Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort will be preloaded from
Section III of the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students who received a Pell
Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
Completed bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% - The number of students in the Other
degree/certificate-seeking subcohort who completed a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time to
completion will be preloaded from Section III of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the
number of students who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but
DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. This must be less than or equal to the
Total completers within 150%. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all students.
Total completers within 150% - The total number of students in the Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort
who completed their degree/certificate program within 150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded from
Section III of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the number of students who received a
Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These
two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of
all students.
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Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
Worksheets calculating the Student Right-To-Know and overall four-year average completion/graduation and transferout rates of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2012 student cohort are
provided as a convenience to the institution. In addition, the 4-year, 5-year, and 6-year graduation rates for the 2012
bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort are provided for those institutions that are able to report bachelor's
or equivalent completers by length of time to degree. Data previously reported by the institution are preloaded for use
in these calculations.
Note that certain information from these worksheets will be displayed on College Navigator, as noted. Additional
information relevant to the calculated rates may be entered in the context box provided, and will also be displayed on
College Navigator.
Privacy Issues With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions not
disclose information where students could be identified.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do
1)
I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
Why is it necessary for 4-year institutions to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
2)
3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4)
5)
Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
What is a "first-time" student?
1)
2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR survey?
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
3)
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
4)
5)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
6)
7)
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking student this fall,
can I count the student as "first-time"?
8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
13)
Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers-out?
14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled as of
October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students
who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
15)
If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degrees (e.g., AA and BA) within the 6-year period, can I
count both completions?
16)
I have a student who intended upon entry to complete a bachelor’s degree, so he is included in my Section II Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort. However, he does not complete his BA within the 6-year period,
and instead completes an associate’s degree along the way, and it was completed within 3 years. Where should I
report him?
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time students
who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not receive the degree
until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do so. Am I
still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still responsive to the GR
survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to-Know Act?
My institution belongs to the NCAA; do I have to report graduation rates data to IPEDS? Do I also need to report to
3)
the Secretary of Education?
4)
The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions) at my
institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
5)
What is a "transfer-preparatory program?"
6)
My institution offers pre-med and pre-vet programs, but formal awards are not given. What happens to these
students?
7)
My institution offers a PharmD program where students are accepted into the program after completing a 2 or 3 year
program of undergraduate studies. What happens to these students?
8)
How do I deal with "3/2" programs? My institution provides the first 3 years of an engineering program and our
students matriculate to another university for the last 2 years of study and to attain their degree. Can we count these
students as completers when they receive their degree from the second institution?
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
9)
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
1)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
2)
30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the institution (July 1
3)
- June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the institution to be counted as part
of these subgroups?
Answers:
General
1)
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment)
basis. How do I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on a
term basis (semester, quarter, or trimester) must calculate graduation and transfer-out rates using a fall
cohort; otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort used to report your institution's GR data
is predetermined based on your response to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
Header survey component.
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2)
Why is it necessary for 4-year institutions to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
NCES requests that 4-year institutions that offer undergraduate awards other than a bachelor’s degree define two
distinct subcohorts: (1) students who upon entry intend to complete a bachelor’s or equivalent degree, and (2)
students who upon entry intend to complete an undergraduate award other than a bachelor’s or equivalent degree.
Students whose intent is unknown should be reported in the subcohort with those seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent
degree. By separating the cohort in this way, the graduation and transfer rates of the first group can be
compared with those at like institutions, as well as with those at institutions offering only a bachelor’s degree.
Similarly, the rates of the second group can more easily be compared with those at 2-year institutions.
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3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything
this year?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that graduation rates reporting is mandatory for institutions that enrolled fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the relevant cohort year. If you did not
enroll this type of student, or your institution was not in operation during the relevant cohort year, please report this
information on the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component.
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4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means modifying the cohort data to
reflect better information that has become available since the cohort was first reported in the relevant Fall Enrollment
survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on the cohort). Fall cohorts may
be revised by entering new data in the Revised cohort column on the data collection screen. Adjusting a cohort
means subtracting any allowable exclusions from the revised cohort to establish a denominator for graduation rate
calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts are adjusted for you on the worksheet screens when calculating graduation
and transfer-out rates.
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5)
Do I need to track students every term?
No. You can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry, and then, at the end of 150% of normal time to
complete all requirements of the longest program, look back to see the status of those in the cohort. You will need to
know when students in the cohort completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track these students from term-toterm.
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Cohort
1)
What is a "first-time" student?
According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student who has no prior postsecondary experience
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level." This means that the student is first-time in
terms of postsecondary education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution).
There are two exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution for the first time the summer prior to entering
your institution in the fall term are to be counted as "first-time", as are (2) students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR
survey?
Yes. You must report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions related to disclosure
requirements under Other below for additional information.
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3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I
have a confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
You should report the student as a transfer-out. For the purposes of the full-time, first-time cohort used for IPEDS
graduation rates reporting, this action closes out their status in the cohort. Upon re-enrolling at your institution, the
student would then be included in a subsequent, non-first-time cohort not collected through the IPEDS GR survey.
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Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
The IPEDS GR survey does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
ANY GR COHORT.
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How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to a
degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary credential, and if they are not eligible for Title
IV federal financial aid.
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Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Fall
Enrollment survey. If a student is degree/certificate-seeking for the purposes of qualifying for student financial aid,
then they must be included in the GR cohort.
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If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking
student this fall, can I count the student as "first-time"?
No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution (yours or another school) even though they are entering with no credit.
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What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
Neither should be included in the cohort for graduation rates reporting.
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Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they should not be
included in the cohort according to Student Right-to-Know regulations. Be sure to carefully review the definition of
degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
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How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they should be counted as "first-time."
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Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "firsttime"?
Since these students must have been previously enrolled in a postsecondary institution in order to obtain credit
through correspondence or distance learning, they are not considered "first-time."
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How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report in the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. For
additional information on this topic, please refer to the IPEDS Data Tip Sheet related to Reporting Students for
Institutions in Consortia.
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Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered
transfers-out?
No. Keep the students in the cohort since they return in the fall and continue their programs of study.
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My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop
outs, drop outs, students who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop out or
drop out do not leave the cohort. They remain in the count; and if they complete their most recent program within
150% of normal time they should be reported accordingly. Students who switch to part-time status or to another
program are not given extra time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as
requested.
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If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degrees (e.g., AA and BA) within the 6-year
period, can I count both completions?
No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your decision as
to which one you prefer to report.
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I have a student who intended upon entry to complete a bachelor’s degree, so he is included in my
Section II - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort. However, he does not complete his BA
within the 6-year period, and instead completes an associate’s degree along the way, and it was
completed within 3 years. Where should I report him?
By all means, count this student as a completer of an associate’s degree (at least 2 but less than 4 year program)
since that degree was completed within 150% of normal time. Remember, intent is not important when reporting your
completers; what is important is whether or not they finished any program within 150% of normal time.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion". IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time. As such,
"normal time to completion" is defined as "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." Let’s look at some examples:
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs (8 semesters – typically fall and spring). Extending
this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would be 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree program that is advertised as a 2-year program (6 quarters - fall, winter, and spring,
with no scheduled summer quarter) would extend to 9 quarters (1.5 x 6) or through the end of the spring quarter
of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendment to the Student Right-to-Know Act redefined the cohort year to allow you to count
completers through August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year of a 2year program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 clock hour course is advertised as taking 30
weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the student completes within
that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
If a student has switched programs, you will calculate 150% of normal time to completion based on his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. However, the student's "clock" does not reset once they switch programs. He
or she must still graduate, transfer, or qualify as an exclusion within 150% of normal time to completion starting from
the date he or she first entered the cohort.
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3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the
program?
There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time calculation should be applied as of the student's
initial start date, and is the same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still
complete within 150% of normal time.
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4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time
students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not
receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree upon
completion of the program (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and
simply allow the student to "pick up" their degree at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the
student as having completed within 150% of normal time.
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Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that "An institution that determines that its mission includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers-out so that a transfer
-out rate may be calculated for its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Students to
be reported as transfers are those who have NOT completed a program or graduated, so they cannot be counted as
completers, but have subsequently enrolled in any program of an eligible institution for which the insititution provided
substantial preparation. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers-out is optional.
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2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
None. All verification requirements were dropped from the regulations.
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3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do
so. Am I still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still
responsive to the GR survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
As long as your institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible
institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers-out. However, if your
institution does have such a mission, you must be able to track and report on transfers-out. (Applicable to
Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 only; requirements for Outcome Measures are different. Please
review the Outcome Measures requirements separately.)
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Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Pell
1)
2)
Student Right-to-Know Act regulations state that an institution must annually prepare the completion or graduation
rates of its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; and for institutions that determine
that their mission includes providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, the
transfer-out rate of these students. In calculating these rates, an institution must count any students who have
completed or graduated by the end of the 12-month period ending August 31 during which 150% of the normal time
for completion or graduation from their program has lapsed.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must report and disclose your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31 of the
prior year). The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information as warranted to help
consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider disclosing additional rates as well, such as
rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students typically take longer to complete.
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Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to
-Know Act?
NO! NO! and NO! The IPEDS GR survey provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is some level of
consistency in the way the rates are calculated. However, the SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. In addition, for schools that offer athletically-related student aid there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. By completing the GR survey, you will have the rates you need to disclose, but you still
need to make them available. The GR survey statisfies the reporting requirements ONLY.
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My institution belongs to the NCAA; do I have to report graduation rates data to IPEDS? Do I also need to
report to the Secretary of Education?
Completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey through the web-based data collection system satisfies all of your
reporting requirements to the Secretary of Education. However, the NCAA is now collecting their own data on
graduation rates, separately from IPEDS. You will still need to report data to the NCAA. If you have any questions
about these reporting requirements, you should contact the NCAA directly.
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The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions)
at my institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of students who
require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
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What is a "transfer-preparatory program?"
This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful
completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a
student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not receive a
"recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers.
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My institution offers pre-med and pre-vet programs, but formal awards are not given. What happens to
these students?
Assuming that these are 2- or 3-year programs, count the students as completers of an "at least 2 but less than 4
year program" provided they complete within 150% of normal time.
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My institution offers a PharmD program where students are accepted into the program after completing a
2 or 3 year program of undergraduate studies. What happens to these students?
Students who complete the undergraduate portion of the program within 150% of normal time should be counted in
the other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Section III) as completers of an "at least 2 but less than 4 year
program". However, do not track their progress any further towards the PharmD since this is a first-professional
degree, and thus not part of IPEDS GR reporting.
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How do I deal with "3/2" programs? My institution provides the first 3 years of an engineering program
and our students matriculate to another university for the last 2 years of study and to attain their degree.
Can we count these students as completers when they receive their degree from the second institution?
No, you should NEVER count a student as a completer when they receive their degree from another institution. Your
job is done when they leave your school. If the student completed the first 3 years of a 3/2 program (within 150% of
normal time) so that they are now ready to "transfer" in order to complete the remaining 2 years at another
institution, then you should count the student as a completer of an "at least 2 but less than 4 year program." This
works the same way as the "transfer-preparatory program" described above.
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There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a
similar provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another
duty station?
No, there is no such provision.
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Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
For the purposes of the GR component, a recipient of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan is a student who receives
and uses that award (i.e., award is partially or fully disbursed) within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30).
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3)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July
1 - June 30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
They would only be counted if they received and used their award within their first year at the institution (July 1 June 30). If they received and used it at any later time, they would not be part of these subgroups. They would be
part of the calculated row - "Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan".
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If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the
institution (July 1 - June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the
institution to be counted as part of these subgroups?
As long as the student receives and uses their aid within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June 30), they do
not have to continue to be awarded that aid during their time at the institution to be counted as part of these
subgroups.
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IPEDS Help Desk
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program reporters)
Overview
Graduation Rates Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) survey component. The GR component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and tracks their completion status at 150% of the normal time to complete all
requirements of their program of study. This information is collected to assist institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student
Right-to-Know Act.
Data Reporting Reminders
Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the
institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent
disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.
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.
Recent Changes to the Graduation Rates Component:
•
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.
Section I - Establishing cohorts
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional Characteristics Header
survey component from the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection, your institution must report graduation rates data using a:
Full-Year Cohort (September 1, 2012 - August 31, 2013)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A full-year cohort is used by
institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a continuous basis.
Establishing cohorts
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
NOTE: Reporting using the new race/ethnicity categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to establish your 2012 cohort of fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students using the new race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with
this, please visit the IPEDS Race/Ethnicity Information Center.
Men
Screen 1 of 2
Cohort year 2012
Cohort
(Column 01)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 2
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and women)
Cohort year 2012
Cohort
(Column 01)
Section I - Establishing cohorts
•Incoming students seeking a bachelor's degree should be reported in Column 02. Column 03 will then be generated for you. Column 03 is
meant to include any full-time, first-time entering students who were seeking a degree or certificate other than a bachelor's degree, such as
an associate's degree or undergraduate certificate.
•If you have no changes to the preloaded data on this screen, click the "Save and Next" button to generate additional screens for reporting
completers and transfers/exclusions.
Establishing cohorts
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 2
Cohort
Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
Cohort
Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
Cohort year 2012
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort)
(Column 03)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 2
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2012
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort)
(Column 03)
Section II - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort - Completers within 150%
•In the columns below, report the status of the bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort of students listed in Column 10.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a degree or certificate OTHER THAN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE within 150% of the normal
time to complete the program as of August 31, 2018 should be reported in either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program
completed.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time should be reported in Column
18.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 1 of 4
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal time
degree-seeking
to completion
subcohort
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs of
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2
at least 2 but less than 4
equivalent
degrees
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent)
equivalent)
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 4
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal time
degree-seeking
to completion
subcohort
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs of
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2
at least 2 but less than 4
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent) equivalent degrees
equivalent)
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Total men + women
Section II - Bachelor's completers by length of time to degree
Those students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of
normal time to completion, as reported on the previous screen, are listed in Column 18. In Column 19, report the number of these students
who earned a bachelor's degree in 4 years. In Column 20, report the number of these students who earned a bachelor's degree in 5 years.
Column 21 will be calculated for you.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 4
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent degreeCompleted
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's degree or
seeking subcohort
bachelor's degree
equivalent
or equivalent within
Completed the
Completed the
Completed the
150%
program in
program in
program in
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 10)
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 4
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2012
Bachelor's or equivalent degreeCompleted
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's degree or
seeking subcohort
bachelor's degree
equivalent
or equivalent within
Completed the
Completed the
Completed the
150%
program in
program in
program in
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 10)
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)
Section II - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort - Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the BACHELOR'S OR EQUIVALENT DEGREE-SEEKING SUBCOHORT listed in
Column 10 who did not complete a program within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial preparation
for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed a program, you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A
school is required to report only on those students that the school knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must
document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the subcohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
Students who died or became permanently disabled
Students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
Students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
Students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who have dropped out as well as those who completed in
greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to report in either Column 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on this screen to continue.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 3 of 4
Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
students
(Column 30)
Total
exclusions
Still enrolled
No longer
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 3 of 4
Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
students
(Column 30)
Total
exclusions
Still enrolled
No longer
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Total men + women
Section II - Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort - Pell recipients and a recipients of a
subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, the number of students that completed a
bachelor’s or equivalent degree within 150% of normal time to completion, and the total completers within 150%.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree
Screen 4 of 4
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (within entering
year) that did not receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized
Loan (within entering year)
Cohort year 2012
Number of students Total exclusions Completed bachelor's
in cohort
degree
or equivalent within
150%
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 18)
Total completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Section III - Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort - Completers within 150%
•In the columns below, report the status of the subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's or equivalent degree listed in Column 10.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a degree or certificate other than a bachelor's degree within 150% of the normal time to
complete the program as of August 31, 2018 should be reported in either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program
completed.
•Of the students in Column 10, those who attained a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time should be reported in Column
18.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 1 of 3
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort
(Column 10)
Cohort year 2012
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal
time to completion
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2 of at least 2 but less than 4
equivalent
degrees
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent)
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 3
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort
(Column 10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Cohort year 2012
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150% of normal
time to completion
Completers of
Completers of
Completers of programs
bachelor's or
programs of less than 2 of at least 2 but less than 4
equivalent
degrees
academic yrs (or
academic yrs (or equivalent)
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Total men + women
Section III - Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort - Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the OTHER DEGREE/CERTIFICATE-SEEKING SUBCOHORT listed in Column
10 who did not complete a program within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. A school is required to report only on those students that the school
knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your
mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the subcohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
Students who died or became permanently disabled
Students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
Students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
Students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who dropped out as well as those who completed in greater
than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to report in either Column 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on this screen to continue.
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 3
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Cohort year 2012
Total completers Total transfer-out
within 150%
students
(Column 29)
(Column 30)
Total
Still enrolled No longer
exclusions
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Other degree/certificate-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)
Cohort year 2012
Total completers Total transfer-out
within 150%
students
(Column 29)
(Column 30)
Total
Still enrolled No longer
exclusions
enrolled
(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 3
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Section III - Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort - Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized
Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, the number of students who completed a
bachelor’s or equivalent degree with 150%, and the total completers within 150%.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the other degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's degree
Screen 3 of 3
Other degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (within entering
year) that did not receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized
Loan (within entering year)
Cohort year 2012
Number of students Total exclusions
Completed
in cohort
bachelor's degree
or equivalent within
150%
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 18)
Total completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Prepared by
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.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates Full Instructions - 4-Year Institutions
Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Who to Include
Who to Exclude
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Reporting Directions
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Section I: Establishing and Revising Cohorts
Section II: Bachelor's Degree Subcohort
Section III: Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohorts
Worksheets
Purpose of the Survey
The purpose of the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component is to track given cohorts of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students - as well as their completion status at 150% of the normal time to
complete all requirements of their program of study - at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist
institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act.
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Changes in Reporting
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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 in 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, 2018.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution either during
the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the fall term who
attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all students who entered the
institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013, 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.
Include all students enrolled for credit toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary
credential. Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING
those enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. 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 enroll at a U.S. postsecondary institution
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Becomes a part-time student
Transfers to another institution
Drops out of the institution
Stops out of the institution
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution
Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential 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.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 three upload formats available for the Graduation Rates survey component:
•
•
•
Fixed width file
Key value file
XML format
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Reporting Instructions
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions
correspond with the Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S.
Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first
question is whether the respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or
more races from the following list: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow students and staff to self-identify their race
and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education
using the NINE categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident
aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
•
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
•
•
•
•
•
•
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
•
•
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of
anthropological origins. The categories are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or
community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii,
Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Other descriptive categories
•
Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country
on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are
to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic
categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or
nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for the purpose of obtaining
permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that
conveys legal immigrant status such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee
or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States
citizens.
•
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or
ethnic designation.
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Section I – Establishing Cohorts
Cohort Type
The method used to report graduation rates data on this survey is predetermined by your institution's response to the
predominant calendar system question (B3) on the IC Header survey component of the IPEDS Fall 2018 data
collection, according to the following rules:
•
•
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of students. Institutions may use October
15, 2012 or the institution's official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same
reporting date used for the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all
those students who entered the institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013, 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.
Establishing your Cohorts
Report each student only once.
Please complete all of Section I. Screens for Sections II and III will be generated based on the data reported in Section
I.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information reported on full-time, first-time degree/certificate
-seeking undergraduate student enrollment at your institution on the 2012 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey will be
preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the
column will be blank.
Revised cohort (Column 01) - Institutions have the option of revising their preloaded cohort if:
•
•
•
there are eligible students who were omitted in the past
students were reported who did not belong in the cohort (e.g., they were not actually first-time, or full-time)
better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available for eligible students
Please review the data in the Initial cohort column (if applicable) and re-enter the cohort data in the Revised cohort
column according to the 1997 racial/ethnic categories, making any necessary corrections for omissions, erroneous
reporting, or where better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available. If your data do not appear in the
Initial cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in the Revised cohort column.
Establishing Subcohorts
For 4-year institutions, the cohort is divided into two subcohorts: (1) those students who upon entry are seeking a
bachelor's or equivalent degree, and (2) those students who upon entry are seeking an undergraduate award other
than a bachelor's degree. Institutions that do not determine degree intent upon entry should report all students as if
they are bachelor's degree-seeking.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 02) –Of the revised cohort of students listed in
Column 1, indicate the number of these students who declared intent to seek a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon
entry. As indicated above, this should also include any students whose intent was not known. These data will be
carried forward to Section II.
Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 03 –This column represents the difference between the
Revised cohort (Column 1) and the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 2). The values in this
column are calculated for you, and represent the number of students who declared intent to seek an undergraduate
award other than a bachelor's level degree (e.g., an associate's degree or other recognized postsecondary credential)
upon entry. These data will be carried forward to Section III.
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Section II – Completers within 150% - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by type of
program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree upon
entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your institution, or students who changed
their program of study to a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of the type of program completed, as defined by award level. For
programs that are defined in terms of clock or credit hours, the program type may not be indicative of the actual
calendar time a program takes to complete. For more information on program types, please consult the IPEDS
Glossary.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10 - The data in this column are carried forward
from Section I for your reference.
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent (Column 11 - Enter the number of
students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed programs of less than 2 full-time
equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or
diplomas of less than one academic year and of at least one but less than two academic years; or designed for
completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90 quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock
hours.
Completers of programs of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years (or equivalent (Column 12 - Enter the
number of students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards,
certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less than four academic years - or designed for completion in at least 60
but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least
1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and associate's degrees.
Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (Column 18 - Enter the number of students in the bachelor's or
equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal
time to completion. Note: Completers of 3-year bachelor’s degree programs should only be included if they completed
the program within 4-1/2 years.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29 - This column is the sum of the previous three columns, and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Section II – Bachelor’s Completers by Length of Time to Degree
Report each student only once.
Of those students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor's degree or
equivalent program within 150% of normal time to completion you must provide additional information on the length
of time it took them to complete their program. Include all baccalaureate level degrees, including 5-year
bachelor's/cooperative programs and those bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3
years. Of the total number of completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees within 150% of normal time listed in
Column 18, provide the following breakout:
Completed the program in 4 yrs or less (Column 19) - Enter the number of students who completed a bachelor's
degree or equivalent in 4 years or less. This should include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or
equivalent by August 31, 2016.
Completed the program in 5 yrs (Column 20) - Enter the number of students who completed a bachelor's degree
or equivalent in 5 years. This should include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent in the
period from September 1, 2016 through August 31, 2017. Do NOT include students who completed their program in 4
years or less in this column.
Completed the program in 6 yrs (Column 21) - This column represents the difference between the number of
completers of bachelor's degrees or equivalent within 150% of normal time (Column 18) and the sum of those who
completed their program in 4 years or less (Column 19) and those who completed their program in 5 years (Column
20). This should include all students who completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent in the period from September 1,
2017 through August 31, 2018. This column is calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Section II – Non-completers - Bachelor’s or Equivalent Degree-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the non-completers from the 2012 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students
as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier). Report
all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon
entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your institution, or students who changed
their program of study to a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward
from Section I for your reference.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - The data in this column are carried forward from page 1 of Section
II for your reference.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, you must report
the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled at
another eligible institution. If it is not part of your mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as of 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (or August 31, 2018 if 150% of normal time to completion had not
elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort (Column 10) and the sum of Columns 29, 30, 45, and 51. This column should include
students who graduated from their program after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.
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Section II – Bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking cohort - Graduation Rate for Pell
recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree upon
entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your institution, or students who changed
their program of study to a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For each of two different subcohorts - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking students and Other degree/certificateseeking students, data will be collected on those students who were recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who
were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct loan. These students
must receive and use the award within their first year at the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a
later point, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort will be preloaded from Section 1 of the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who
received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell
Grant. These two categories() will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal
to the total of all students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort will be
preloaded from Section II of the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students who
received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell
Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to
the total of all students.
Completed bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% - The number of students in the bachelor's or
equivalent degree-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal
time to completion will be preloaded from Section II of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report
the number of students who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan
but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. This must be less than or equal to the Completers within 150% of normal time. The
total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all students.
Total completers within 150% of normal time - The total number of students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded from Section II of the GR form. Of those students reported as
completers, report the number of students who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a
subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of
these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all students.
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Section III – Completers within 150% - Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's degree as of 150% of normal time
to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by type of program
completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking undergraduate degrees or certificates
other than a bachelor’s degree upon entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into
your institution, or students who changed their program of study from a bachelor's level degree after the first
semester.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of the type of program completed, as defined by award level. For
programs that are defined in terms of clock or credit hours, the program type may not be indicative of the actual
calendar time a program takes to complete. For more information on program types, please consult the IPEDS
Glossary. Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 10 - The data in this column are carried forward
from Section I for your reference.
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent (Column 11 - Enter the number of
students in the other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent
academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than
one academic year and of at least one but less than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60
semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90 quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours.
Completers of programs of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years (or equivalent (Column 12 - Enter
the number of students in the other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort who completed programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards,
certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less than four academic years - or designed for completion in at least 60
but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least
1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and associate's degrees.
Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (Column 18 - Enter the number of students in the other degree/
certificate-seeking subcohort who completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent program within 150% of normal
time to completion. Note: Completers of 3-year bachelor’s degree programs should only be included if they completed
the program within 4-1/2 years.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29 - This column is the sum of the previous three columns, and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Section III – Non-completers - Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the non-completers from the 2012 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's or
equivalent degree as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever
was earlier). Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking an undergraduate award other than a
bachelor's level degree upon entry. Do NOT include part-time students, students who transferred into your
institution, or students who changed their program of study from a bachelor's level degree after their first semester.
Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried
forward from Section I for your reference.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - The data in this column are carried forward from page 1 of Section
III for your reference.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, you must report
the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled at
another eligible institution. If it is not part of your mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as of 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (or August 31, 2018 if 150% of normal time to completion had not
elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the other degree/certificateseeking subcohort (Column 10) and the sum of Columns 29, 30, 45, and 51. This column should include students who
graduated from their program after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.
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Section III – Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort - Pell recipients and recipients of
a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2012 subcohort of Other degree/certificate-seeking students as of 150% of normal time to
completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time students who were seeking Other degree/certificate. Do NOT include
part-time students, students who transferred into your institution.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For each of two different subcohorts - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking students and Other degree/certificateseeking students, data will be collected on those students who were recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who
were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct loan. These students
must receive and use the award within their first year at the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a
later point, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort will
be preloaded from Section 1 of the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who received a Pell
Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort will be preloaded from
Section III of the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students who received a Pell
Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
Completed bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% - The number of students in the Other
degree/certificate-seeking subcohort who completed a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent within 150% of normal time to
completion will be preloaded from Section III of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the
number of students who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but
DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. This must be less than or equal to the
Total completers within 150%. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all students.
Total completers within 150% - The total number of students in the Other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort
who completed their degree/certificate program within 150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded from
Section III of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the number of students who received a
Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These
two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of
all students.
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Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
Worksheets calculating the Student Right-To-Know and overall four-year average completion/graduation and transferout rates of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2012 student cohort are
provided as a convenience to the institution. In addition, the 4-year, 5-year, and 6-year graduation rates for the 2012
bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort are provided for those institutions that are able to report bachelor's
or equivalent completers by length of time to degree. Data previously reported by the institution are preloaded for use
in these calculations.
Note that certain information from these worksheets will be displayed on College Navigator, as noted. Additional
information relevant to the calculated rates may be entered in the context box provided, and will also be displayed on
College Navigator.
Privacy Issues With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions not
disclose information where students could be identified.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do
1)
I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
Why is it necessary for 4-year institutions to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
2)
3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4)
5)
Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
What is a "first-time" student?
1)
2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR survey?
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
3)
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
4)
5)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
6)
7)
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking student this fall,
can I count the student as "first-time"?
8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
13)
Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers-out?
14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled as of
October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students
who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
15)
If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degrees (e.g., AA and BA) within the 6-year period, can I
count both completions?
16)
I have a student who intended upon entry to complete a bachelor’s degree, so he is included in my Section II Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort. However, he does not complete his BA within the 6-year period,
and instead completes an associate’s degree along the way, and it was completed within 3 years. Where should I
report him?
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time students
who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not receive the degree
until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do so. Am I
still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still responsive to the GR
survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to-Know Act?
My institution belongs to the NCAA; do I have to report graduation rates data to IPEDS? Do I also need to report to
3)
the Secretary of Education?
4)
The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions) at my
institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
5)
What is a "transfer-preparatory program?"
6)
My institution offers pre-med and pre-vet programs, but formal awards are not given. What happens to these
students?
7)
My institution offers a PharmD program where students are accepted into the program after completing a 2 or 3 year
program of undergraduate studies. What happens to these students?
8)
How do I deal with "3/2" programs? My institution provides the first 3 years of an engineering program and our
students matriculate to another university for the last 2 years of study and to attain their degree. Can we count these
students as completers when they receive their degree from the second institution?
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
9)
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
1)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
2)
30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the institution (July 1
3)
- June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the institution to be counted as part
of these subgroups?
Answers:
General
1)
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment)
basis. How do I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on a
term basis (semester, quarter, or trimester) must calculate graduation and transfer-out rates using a fall
cohort; otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort used to report your institution's GR data
is predetermined based on your response to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
Header survey component.
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2)
Why is it necessary for 4-year institutions to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
NCES requests that 4-year institutions that offer undergraduate awards other than a bachelor’s degree define two
distinct subcohorts: (1) students who upon entry intend to complete a bachelor’s or equivalent degree, and (2)
students who upon entry intend to complete an undergraduate award other than a bachelor’s or equivalent degree.
Students whose intent is unknown should be reported in the subcohort with those seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent
degree. By separating the cohort in this way, the graduation and transfer rates of the first group can be
compared with those at like institutions, as well as with those at institutions offering only a bachelor’s degree.
Similarly, the rates of the second group can more easily be compared with those at 2-year institutions.
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3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything
this year?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that graduation rates reporting is mandatory for institutions that enrolled fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the relevant cohort year. If you did not
enroll this type of student, or your institution was not in operation during the relevant cohort year, please report this
information on the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component.
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4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means modifying the cohort data to
reflect better information that has become available since the cohort was first reported in the relevant Fall Enrollment
survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on the cohort). Fall cohorts may
be revised by entering new data in the Revised cohort column on the data collection screen. Adjusting a cohort
means subtracting any allowable exclusions from the revised cohort to establish a denominator for graduation rate
calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts are adjusted for you on the worksheet screens when calculating graduation
and transfer-out rates.
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5)
Do I need to track students every term?
No. You can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry, and then, at the end of 150% of normal time to
complete all requirements of the longest program, look back to see the status of those in the cohort. You will need to
know when students in the cohort completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track these students from term-toterm.
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Cohort
1)
What is a "first-time" student?
According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student who has no prior postsecondary experience
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level." This means that the student is first-time in
terms of postsecondary education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution).
There are two exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution for the first time the summer prior to entering
your institution in the fall term are to be counted as "first-time", as are (2) students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR
survey?
Yes. You must report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions related to disclosure
requirements under Other below for additional information.
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3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I
have a confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
You should report the student as a transfer-out. For the purposes of the full-time, first-time cohort used for IPEDS
graduation rates reporting, this action closes out their status in the cohort. Upon re-enrolling at your institution, the
student would then be included in a subsequent, non-first-time cohort not collected through the IPEDS GR survey.
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Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
The IPEDS GR survey does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
ANY GR COHORT.
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How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to a
degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary credential, and if they are not eligible for Title
IV federal financial aid.
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Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Fall
Enrollment survey. If a student is degree/certificate-seeking for the purposes of qualifying for student financial aid,
then they must be included in the GR cohort.
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If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking
student this fall, can I count the student as "first-time"?
No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution (yours or another school) even though they are entering with no credit.
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What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
Neither should be included in the cohort for graduation rates reporting.
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Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they should not be
included in the cohort according to Student Right-to-Know regulations. Be sure to carefully review the definition of
degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
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How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they should be counted as "first-time."
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Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "firsttime"?
Since these students must have been previously enrolled in a postsecondary institution in order to obtain credit
through correspondence or distance learning, they are not considered "first-time."
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How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report in the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. For
additional information on this topic, please refer to the IPEDS Data Tip Sheet related to Reporting Students for
Institutions in Consortia.
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Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered
transfers-out?
No. Keep the students in the cohort since they return in the fall and continue their programs of study.
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My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop
outs, drop outs, students who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop out or
drop out do not leave the cohort. They remain in the count; and if they complete their most recent program within
150% of normal time they should be reported accordingly. Students who switch to part-time status or to another
program are not given extra time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as
requested.
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If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level degrees (e.g., AA and BA) within the 6-year
period, can I count both completions?
No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your decision as
to which one you prefer to report.
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I have a student who intended upon entry to complete a bachelor’s degree, so he is included in my
Section II - Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort. However, he does not complete his BA
within the 6-year period, and instead completes an associate’s degree along the way, and it was
completed within 3 years. Where should I report him?
By all means, count this student as a completer of an associate’s degree (at least 2 but less than 4 year program)
since that degree was completed within 150% of normal time. Remember, intent is not important when reporting your
completers; what is important is whether or not they finished any program within 150% of normal time.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion". IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time. As such,
"normal time to completion" is defined as "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." Let’s look at some examples:
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs (8 semesters – typically fall and spring). Extending
this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would be 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree program that is advertised as a 2-year program (6 quarters - fall, winter, and spring,
with no scheduled summer quarter) would extend to 9 quarters (1.5 x 6) or through the end of the spring quarter
of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendment to the Student Right-to-Know Act redefined the cohort year to allow you to count
completers through August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year of a 2year program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 clock hour course is advertised as taking 30
weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the student completes within
that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
If a student has switched programs, you will calculate 150% of normal time to completion based on his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. However, the student's "clock" does not reset once they switch programs. He
or she must still graduate, transfer, or qualify as an exclusion within 150% of normal time to completion starting from
the date he or she first entered the cohort.
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3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the
program?
There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time calculation should be applied as of the student's
initial start date, and is the same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still
complete within 150% of normal time.
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4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time
students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not
receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree upon
completion of the program (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and
simply allow the student to "pick up" their degree at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the
student as having completed within 150% of normal time.
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Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that "An institution that determines that its mission includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers-out so that a transfer
-out rate may be calculated for its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Students to
be reported as transfers are those who have NOT completed a program or graduated, so they cannot be counted as
completers, but have subsequently enrolled in any program of an eligible institution for which the insititution provided
substantial preparation. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers-out is optional.
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2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
None. All verification requirements were dropped from the regulations.
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3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do
so. Am I still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still
responsive to the GR survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
As long as your institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible
institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers-out. However, if your
institution does have such a mission, you must be able to track and report on transfers-out. (Applicable to
Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 only; requirements for Outcome Measures are different. Please
review the Outcome Measures requirements separately.)
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Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Pell
1)
2)
Student Right-to-Know Act regulations state that an institution must annually prepare the completion or graduation
rates of its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; and for institutions that determine
that their mission includes providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, the
transfer-out rate of these students. In calculating these rates, an institution must count any students who have
completed or graduated by the end of the 12-month period ending August 31 during which 150% of the normal time
for completion or graduation from their program has lapsed.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must report and disclose your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31 of the
prior year). The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information as warranted to help
consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider disclosing additional rates as well, such as
rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students typically take longer to complete.
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Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to
-Know Act?
NO! NO! and NO! The IPEDS GR survey provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is some level of
consistency in the way the rates are calculated. However, the SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. In addition, for schools that offer athletically-related student aid there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. By completing the GR survey, you will have the rates you need to disclose, but you still
need to make them available. The GR survey statisfies the reporting requirements ONLY.
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My institution belongs to the NCAA; do I have to report graduation rates data to IPEDS? Do I also need to
report to the Secretary of Education?
Completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey through the web-based data collection system satisfies all of your
reporting requirements to the Secretary of Education. However, the NCAA is now collecting their own data on
graduation rates, separately from IPEDS. You will still need to report data to the NCAA. If you have any questions
about these reporting requirements, you should contact the NCAA directly.
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The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions)
at my institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of students who
require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
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What is a "transfer-preparatory program?"
This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful
completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a
student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not receive a
"recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers.
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My institution offers pre-med and pre-vet programs, but formal awards are not given. What happens to
these students?
Assuming that these are 2- or 3-year programs, count the students as completers of an "at least 2 but less than 4
year program" provided they complete within 150% of normal time.
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My institution offers a PharmD program where students are accepted into the program after completing a
2 or 3 year program of undergraduate studies. What happens to these students?
Students who complete the undergraduate portion of the program within 150% of normal time should be counted in
the other degree/certificate-seeking subcohort (Section III) as completers of an "at least 2 but less than 4 year
program". However, do not track their progress any further towards the PharmD since this is a first-professional
degree, and thus not part of IPEDS GR reporting.
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How do I deal with "3/2" programs? My institution provides the first 3 years of an engineering program
and our students matriculate to another university for the last 2 years of study and to attain their degree.
Can we count these students as completers when they receive their degree from the second institution?
No, you should NEVER count a student as a completer when they receive their degree from another institution. Your
job is done when they leave your school. If the student completed the first 3 years of a 3/2 program (within 150% of
normal time) so that they are now ready to "transfer" in order to complete the remaining 2 years at another
institution, then you should count the student as a completer of an "at least 2 but less than 4 year program." This
works the same way as the "transfer-preparatory program" described above.
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There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a
similar provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another
duty station?
No, there is no such provision.
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Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
For the purposes of the GR component, a recipient of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan is a student who receives
and uses that award (i.e., award is partially or fully disbursed) within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30).
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3)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July
1 - June 30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
They would only be counted if they received and used their award within their first year at the institution (July 1 June 30). If they received and used it at any later time, they would not be part of these subgroups. They would be
part of the calculated row - "Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan".
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If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the
institution (July 1 - June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the
institution to be counted as part of these subgroups?
As long as the student receives and uses their aid within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June 30), they do
not have to continue to be awarded that aid during their time at the institution to be counted as part of these
subgroups.
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U.S. Department of Education
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic reporters)
Overview
Graduation Rates Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) survey component. The GR component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and tracks their completion status at 150% of the normal time to complete all
requirements of their program of study. This information is collected to assist institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student
Right-to-Know Act.
Data Reporting Reminders
Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the
institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent
disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.
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.
Recent Changes to the Graduation Rates Component:
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.
Establishing cohort
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional Characteristics Header
survey component from the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection, your institution must report graduation rates data using a:
Fall Cohort (Fall 2015)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A full-year cohort is used by
institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a continuous basis.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Please review the data in the initial cohort column and re-enter the cohort data making any necessary corrections for omissions, erroneous
reporting, or where better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available. Institutions must continue to report using the new
race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with this, please visit the IPEDS Race/Ethnicity Information Center.
Men
Screen 1 of 5
Cohort year 2015
Initial cohort
Revised cohort
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 5
Initial cohort
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2015
Revised cohort
Completers within 150%
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
In the columns below, report the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
listed in Column 10. Those who completed their program within 150% of normal time as of August 31, 2018 should be reported in
either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program completed.
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Cohort year 2015
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs of less than
2 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 11)
Completers of programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 12)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2015
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs of less than
2 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 11)
Completers of programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 12)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students listed in Column 10 who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2018.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial preparation
for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed a program, you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A
school is required to report only on those students that the school knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must
document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who have dropped out as well as those who completed in
greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to report in either Column 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on this screen to continue.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 3 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2015
Total transfer-out
Total exclusions Still enrolled
students
(Column 30)
(Column 45)
(Column 51)
No longer
enrolled
(Column 52)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 3 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2015
Total transfer-out
Total exclusions Still enrolled
students
(Column 30)
(Column 45)
(Column 51)
No longer
enrolled
(Column 52)
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and women)
Completers within 100%
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who completed their program within 100% of normal time to completion.
•Those who completed their program within 100% of normal time should be reported in either Column 55 or 56, depending on the length of the
program completed.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 4 of
5
Cohort year 2015
Revised Exclusions
cohort
Cohort students who completed their program within
100% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs of less
than 2 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 55)
Total men +
women
Completers of programs of at least 2
but less than 4 academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 56)
Total completers within
100% (Column 55 + 56)
(Column 57)
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, and the number of students that completed a
certificate or degree within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 5 of 5
Full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (Within entering year) that did not
receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized Loan (within
entering year)
Cohort year 2015
Number of students in Total exclusions Number of students that
cohort
completed within 150%
of
normal time to
completion
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 29)
Prepared by
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.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
GR- 2yr - Full Instructions
Purpose of the Survey
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Reporting Directions
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Establishing Cohorts
Completers within 150% of Normal Time to Completion
Non-completers
Completers within 100% of Normal Time to Completion
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Purpose of the Survey
The purpose of the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component is to track given cohorts of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students - as well as their completion status at 150% of the normal time to
complete all requirements of their program of study - at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist
institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act.
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Changes in Reporting
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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 in your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2015 (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, 2015 and August 31, 2016 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, 2018.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution either during
the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the fall term who
attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who entered
the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Include all students enrolled for credit toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary
credential. Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING
those enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. 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 enroll at a U.S. postsecondary institution
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Becomes a part-time student
Transfers to another institution
Drops out of the institution
Stops out of the institution
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution
Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential 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
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 three upload formats available for the Graduation Rates survey component:
•
•
•
Fixed width file
Key value file
XML format
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Reporting Instructions
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions
correspond with the Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S.
Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first
question is whether the respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or
more races from the following list: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow students and staff to self-identify their race
and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education
using the NINE categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident
aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
•
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
•
•
•
•
•
•
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
•
•
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of
anthropological origins. The categories are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or
community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii,
Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Other descriptive categories
•
•
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Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country
on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are
to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic
categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or
nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for the purpose of obtaining
permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that
conveys legal immigrant status such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee
or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States
citizens.
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or
ethnic designation.
Establishing Cohorts
The method used to report graduation rates data on this survey is predetermined by your institution's response to the
predominant calendar system question (B3) on the IC Header component of the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection,
according to the following rules:
1.
2.
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of students. Institutions may use October
15, 2015 or the institution's official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same
reporting date used for the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all
those students who entered the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Report each student only once.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information reported on full-time, first-time degree/certificate
-seeking undergraduate student enrollment at your institution on the 2015 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey will be
preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the
column will be blank.
Revised cohort - Institutions have the option of revising their preloaded cohort if:
•
•
•
there are eligible students who were omitted in the past
students were reported who did not belong in the cohort (e.g., they were not actually first-time, or full-time)
better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available for eligible students
Please review the data in the Initial cohort column (if applicable) and re-enter the cohort data in the Revised cohort
column according to the 1997 racial/ethnic categories, making any necessary corrections for omissions, erroneous
reporting, or where better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available. If your data do not appear in the
Initial cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in the Revised cohort column.
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Completers within 150% of Normal Time to Completion
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of 150% of normal time
to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by
type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of the type of program completed, as defined by award level. For
programs that are defined in terms of clock or credit hours, the program type may not be indicative of the actual
calendar time a program takes to complete. For more information on program types, please consult the IPEDS
Glossary.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward from the "Establishing Cohort" screen for
your reference.
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 11) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to
completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than one academic year and of at least one but less
than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90
quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours.
Completers of programs of at least 2 years but less than 4 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 12) Enter the number of students who completed programs of at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic
years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less
than four academic years - or designed for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or trimester credit
hours, at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and
associate's degrees.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous two columns, and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Non-completers
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the non-completers from the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever
was earlier). Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward from the "Establishing Cohort" screen for
your reference.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - The data in this column are carried forward from the "Completers
within 150%" screen for your reference.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, you must report
the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled at
another eligible institution. If it is not part of your mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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 above reasons, but return prior to the status date of August
31, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as of 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (or August 31, 2018 if 150% of normal time to completion had not
elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the revised cohort (Column 10)
and the sum of Columns 29, 30, 45, and 51. This column should include students who graduated from their program
after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.
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Completers within 100% of Normal Time to Completion
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who
completed their program as of 100% of normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever
was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity
and gender. Note that this should be a subset of the students reported as completers within 150% of
normal time reported earlier in this survey.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward from the "Establishing Cohort" screen for
your reference.
Exclusions - The data in this column are carried forward from Column 45 – Total Exclusions of the
“Transfers/Exclusions” screen for your reference.
Cohort students who completed their program within 100% of normal time to completion (Columns 55
and 56)
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 55) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years within 100% of normal time to
completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than one academic year and of at least one but less
than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90
quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours.
Completed a program of at least 2 but less than 4 years within 100% (Column 56) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years within 100% of
normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less than four academic
years - or designed for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, at least 90 but
less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and associate's degrees.
Total completers within 100% (Column 57) – This column is the sum of the previous two columns and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students.
Do NOT include part-time students or students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For the first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort, data will be collected on those students who were
recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell
Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct loan. These students
must receive and use the award within their first year at the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a
later point, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
cohort will be preloaded from the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who received a Pell
Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort will be
preloaded from the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students who received a
Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These
two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of
all students.
Number of students completing within 150% or normal time - The number of students in the full-time, firsttime degree/certificate-seeking cohort who completed within 150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded
from the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the number of students who received a Pell Grant
and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
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Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
Worksheets calculating the Student Right-To-Know and overall four-year average completion/graduation and transferout rates of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2015 student cohort are
provided as a convenience to the institution. Data previously reported by the institution are preloaded for use in these
calculations.
Note that certain information from these worksheets will be displayed on College Navigator, as noted. Additional
information relevant to the calculated rates may be entered in the context box provided, and will also be displayed on
College Navigator.
Privacy Issue With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions
not disclose information where students could be identified.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do
1)
I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3)
4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
Do I need to track students every term?
5)
Cohort
What is a "first-time" student?
1)
2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR survey?
3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
4)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
5)
6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking student this fall,
7)
can I count the student as "first-time"?
8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
13)
Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers-out?
14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled as of
October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students
who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
17)
If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and an AA) within
the 3-year period, can I count both completions?
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time students
who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not receive the degree
until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do so. Am I
3)
still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still responsive to the GR
survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to-Know Act?
4)
The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions) at my
institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
9)
What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
10)
My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest program is 9
months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did not finish their
program?
12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the institution (July 1
- June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the institution to be counted as part
of these subgroups?
Answers:
General
1)
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment)
basis. How do I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on
a term basis (semester, quarter, or trimester) must calculate graduation and transfer-out rates using a fall
cohort; otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort used to report your institution's GR data
is predetermined based on your response to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
Header survey component.
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3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything
this year?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that graduation rates reporting is mandatory for institutions that enrolled fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the relevant cohort year. If you did not
enroll this type of student, or your institution was not in operation during the relevant cohort year, please report this
information on the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component.
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4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means modifying the cohort data to
reflect better information that has become available since the cohort was first reported in the relevant Fall Enrollment
survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on the cohort). Fall cohorts may
be revised by entering new data in the Revised cohort column on the data collection screen. Adjusting a cohort
means subtracting any allowable exclusions from the revised cohort to establish a denominator for graduation rate
calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts are adjusted for you on the worksheet screens when calculating graduation
and transfer-out rates.
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5)
Do I need to track students every term?
No. You can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry, and then, at the end of 150% of normal time to
complete all requirements of the longest program, look back to see the status of those in the cohort. You will need to
know when students in the cohort completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track these students from term-toterm.
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Cohort
1)
What is a "first-time" student?
According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student who has no prior postsecondary experience
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level." This means that the student is first-time in
terms of postsecondary education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution).
There are two exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution for the first time the summer prior to entering
your institution in the fall term are to be counted as "first-time", as are (2) students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR
survey?
Yes. You must report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions related to disclosure
requirements under Other below for additional information.
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3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I
have a confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
You should report the student as a transfer-out. For the purposes of the full-time, first-time cohort used for IPEDS
graduation rates reporting, this action closes out their status in the cohort. Upon re-enrolling at your institution, the
student would then be included in a subsequent, non-first-time cohort not collected through the IPEDS GR survey.
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4)
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
The IPEDS GR survey does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
ANY GR COHORT.
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5)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to a
degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary credential, and if they are not eligible for Title
IV federal financial aid.
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6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Fall
Enrollment survey. If a student is degree/certificate-seeking for the purposes of qualifying for student financial aid,
then they must be included in the GR cohort.
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7)
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking
student this fall, can I count the student as "first-time"?
No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution (yours or another school) even though they are entering with no credit.
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8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
Neither should be included in the cohort for graduation rates reporting.
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Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they should not be
included in the cohort according to Student Right-to-Know regulations. Be sure to carefully review the definition of
degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
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10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they should be counted as "first-time."
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11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "firsttime"?
Since these students must have been previously enrolled in a postsecondary institution in order to obtain credit
through correspondence or distance learning, they are not considered "first-time."
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12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report in the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. For
additional information on this topic, please refer to the IPEDS Data Tip Sheet related to Reporting Students for
Institutions in Consortia.
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13)
Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered
transfers-out?
No. Keep the students in the cohort since they return in the fall and continue their programs of study.
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14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop
outs, drop outs, students who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop out or
drop out do not leave the cohort. They remain in the count; and if they complete their most recent program within
150% of normal time they should be reported accordingly. Students who switch to part-time status or to another
program are not given extra time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as
requested.
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17)
If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and an
AA) within the 3-year period, can I count both completions?
No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your decision as
to which one you prefer to report.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion". IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time. As such,
"normal time to completion" is defined as "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." Let’s look at some examples:
9)
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs (8 semesters – typically fall and spring). Extending
this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would be 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree program that is advertised as a 2-year program (6 quarters - fall, winter, and spring,
with no scheduled summer quarter) would extend to 9 quarters (1.5 x 6) or through the end of the spring quarter
of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendment to the Student Right-to-Know Act redefined the cohort year to allow you to count
completers through August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year of a 2year program).
2)
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 clock hour course is advertised as taking 30
weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the student completes within
that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
If a student has switched programs, you will calculate 150% of normal time to completion based on his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. However, the student's "clock" does not reset once they switch programs. He
or she must still graduate, transfer, or qualify as an exclusion within 150% of normal time to completion starting from
the date he or she first entered the cohort.
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3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the
program?
There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time calculation should be applied as of the student's
initial start date, and is the same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still
complete within 150% of normal time.
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4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time
students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not
receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree upon
completion of the program (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and
simply allow the student to "pick up" their degree at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the
student as having completed within 150% of normal time.
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Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that "An institution that determines that its mission includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers-out so that a transfer
-out rate may be calculated for its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Students to
be reported as transfers are those who have NOT completed a program or graduated, so they cannot be counted as
completers, but have subsequently enrolled in any program of an eligible institution for which the insititution provided
substantial preparation. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers-out is optional.
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2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
None. All verification requirements were dropped from the regulations.
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3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do
so. Am I still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still
responsive to the GR survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
As long as your institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible
institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers-out. However, if your
institution does have such a mission, you must be able to track and report on transfers-out. (Applicable to
Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 only; requirements for Outcome Measures are different. Please
review the Outcome Measures requirements separately.)
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Other
1)
2)
4)
9)
10)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
Student Right-to-Know Act regulations state that an institution must annually prepare the completion or graduation
rates of its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; and for institutions that determine
that their mission includes providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, the
transfer-out rate of these students. In calculating these rates, an institution must count any students who have
completed or graduated by the end of the 12-month period ending August 31 during which 150% of the normal time
for completion or graduation from their program has lapsed.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must report and disclose your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31 of the
prior year). The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information as warranted to help
consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider disclosing additional rates as well, such as
rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students typically take longer to complete.
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Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to
-Know Act?
NO! NO! and NO! The IPEDS GR survey provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is some level of
consistency in the way the rates are calculated. However, the SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. In addition, for schools that offer athletically-related student aid there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. By completing the GR survey, you will have the rates you need to disclose, but you still
need to make them available. The GR survey statisfies the reporting requirements ONLY.
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The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions)
at my institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of students who
require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
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What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful
completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a
student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not receive a
"recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers.
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My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest
program is 9 months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
Let's look at this one step at a time. First, schools with programs of less than 4 years are to report on the 2015
cohort. Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2015 and
August 31, 2016. Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2016, 150% of 9 months
following this date would extend to October 15, 2017 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR
survey, the first status date following this is August 31, 2018 and the report is due during the Winter 2018-19 data
collection. So you are on track for reporting this cohort.
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11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did
not finish their program?
No, you may not report these students as completers since they left the institution prior to completing their program.
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12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a
similar provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another
duty station?
No, there is no such provision.
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Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
For the purposes of the GR component, a recipient of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan is a student who receives
and uses that award (i.e., award is partially or fully disbursed) within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30).
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2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July
1 - June 30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
They would only be counted if they received and used their award within their first year at the institution (July 1 June 30). If they received and used it at any later time, they would not be part of these subgroups. They would be
part of the calculated row - "Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan".
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3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the
institution (July 1 - June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the
institution to be counted as part of these subgroups?
As long as the student receives and uses their aid within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June 30), they do
not have to continue to be awarded that aid during their time at the institution to be counted as part of these
subgroups.
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program reporters)
Overview
Graduation Rates Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) survey component. The GR component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and tracks their completion status at 150% of the normal time to complete all
requirements of their program of study. This information is collected to assist institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student
Right-to-Know Act.
Data Reporting Reminders
Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the
institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent
disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.
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.
Recent Changes to the Graduation Rates Component:
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.
Establishing cohort
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional Characteristics Header
survey component from the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection, your institution must report graduation rates data using a:
Full-Year Cohort (September 1, 2015 - August 31, 2016)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A full-year cohort is used by
institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a continuous basis.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
NOTE: Reporting using the new race/ethnicity categories is now mandatory. On this screen you will need to establish your 2015 cohort of fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students using the new race/ethnicity categories. For information and assistance with
this, please visit the IPEDS Race/Ethnicity Information Center.
Men
Screen 1 of 5
Cohort year 2015
Cohort
(Column 01)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 5
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and women)
Cohort year 2015
Cohort
(Column 01)
Completers within 150%
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
In the columns below, report the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
listed in Column 10. Those who completed their program within 150% of normal time as of August 31, 2018 should be reported in
either Column 11 or 12, depending on the length of the program completed.
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 2 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Cohort year 2015
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs of less than
2 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 11)
Completers of programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 12)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 2 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women
Cohort year 2015
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs of less than
2 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 11)
Completers of programs of at least 2 but
less than 4 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 12)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Transfers/exclusions
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students listed in Column 10 who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2018.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial preparation
for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed a program, you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A
school is required to report only on those students that the school knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must
document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who have dropped out as well as those who completed in
greater than 150% of normal time.
•If you do not have any values to report in either Column 30, 45, or 51, you must enter at least one zero in a field on this screen to continue.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Men
Screen 3 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2015
Total transfer-out
Total exclusions Still enrolled
students
(Column 30)
(Column 45)
(Column 51)
No longer
enrolled
(Column 52)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 3 of 5
Cohort
(Column
10)
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)
Cohort year 2015
Total transfer-out
Total exclusions Still enrolled
students
(Column 30)
(Column 45)
(Column 51)
No longer
enrolled
(Column 52)
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and women)
Completers within 100%
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who completed their program within 100% of normal time to completion.
•Those who completed their program within 100% of normal time should be reported in either Column 55 or 56, depending on the length of the
program completed.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 4 of
5
Cohort year 2015
Revised Exclusions
cohort
Cohort students who completed their program within
100% of normal time to completion
Completers of programs of less
than 2 academic yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 55)
Total men +
women
Completers of programs of at least 2
but less than 4 academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 56)
Total completers within
100% (Column 55 + 56)
(Column 57)
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, and the number of students that completed a
certificate or degree within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 5 of 5
Full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (Within entering year) that did not
receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized Loan (within
entering year)
Cohort year 2015
Number of students in Total exclusions Number of students that
cohort
completed within 150%
of
normal time to
completion
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 29)
Prepared by
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.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
GR- 2yr - Full Instructions
Purpose of the Survey
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Reporting Directions
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Establishing Cohorts
Completers within 150% of Normal Time to Completion
Non-completers
Completers within 100% of Normal Time to Completion
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Purpose of the Survey
The purpose of the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component is to track given cohorts of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students - as well as their completion status at 150% of the normal time to
complete all requirements of their program of study - at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist
institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act.
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Changes in Reporting
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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 in your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2015 (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, 2015 and August 31, 2016 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, 2018.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution either during
the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the fall term who
attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who entered
the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Include all students enrolled for credit toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary
credential. Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING
those enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. 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 enroll at a U.S. postsecondary institution
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Becomes a part-time student
Transfers to another institution
Drops out of the institution
Stops out of the institution
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution
Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential 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
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 three upload formats available for the Graduation Rates survey component:
•
•
•
Fixed width file
Key value file
XML format
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Reporting Instructions
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions
correspond with the Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S.
Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first
question is whether the respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or
more races from the following list: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow students and staff to self-identify their race
and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education
using the NINE categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident
aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
•
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
•
•
•
•
•
•
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
•
•
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of
anthropological origins. The categories are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or
community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii,
Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Other descriptive categories
•
•
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Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country
on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are
to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic
categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or
nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for the purpose of obtaining
permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that
conveys legal immigrant status such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee
or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate racial/ethnic categories along with United States
citizens.
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or
ethnic designation.
Establishing Cohorts
The method used to report graduation rates data on this survey is predetermined by your institution's response to the
predominant calendar system question (B3) on the IC Header component of the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection,
according to the following rules:
1.
2.
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of students. Institutions may use October
15, 2015 or the institution's official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same
reporting date used for the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all
those students who entered the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Report each student only once.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information reported on full-time, first-time degree/certificate
-seeking undergraduate student enrollment at your institution on the 2015 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey will be
preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the
column will be blank.
Revised cohort - Institutions have the option of revising their preloaded cohort if:
•
•
•
there are eligible students who were omitted in the past
students were reported who did not belong in the cohort (e.g., they were not actually first-time, or full-time)
better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available for eligible students
Please review the data in the Initial cohort column (if applicable) and re-enter the cohort data in the Revised cohort
column according to the 1997 racial/ethnic categories, making any necessary corrections for omissions, erroneous
reporting, or where better information regarding race/ethnicity or gender is available. If your data do not appear in the
Initial cohort column, please provide the enrollment data as requested in the Revised cohort column.
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Completers within 150% of Normal Time to Completion
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of 150% of normal time
to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by
type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
Note that completers should be reported in terms of the type of program completed, as defined by award level. For
programs that are defined in terms of clock or credit hours, the program type may not be indicative of the actual
calendar time a program takes to complete. For more information on program types, please consult the IPEDS
Glossary.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward from the "Establishing Cohort" screen for
your reference.
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 11) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years within 150% of normal time to
completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than one academic year and of at least one but less
than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90
quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours.
Completers of programs of at least 2 years but less than 4 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 12) Enter the number of students who completed programs of at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic
years within 150% of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less
than four academic years - or designed for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or trimester credit
hours, at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and
associate's degrees.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - This column is the sum of the previous two columns, and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Non-completers
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the non-completers from the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever
was earlier). Report all students by race/ethnicity and gender.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward from the "Establishing Cohort" screen for
your reference.
Total completers within 150% (Column 29) - The data in this column are carried forward from the "Completers
within 150%" screen for your reference.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, you must report
the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of
normal time to completion. Include students who transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled at
another eligible institution. If it is not part of your mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Total exclusions (Column 45)- Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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 above reasons, but return prior to the status date of August
31, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who were still enrolled at your institution as of 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (or August 31, 2018 if 150% of normal time to completion had not
elapsed by that time).
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the revised cohort (Column 10)
and the sum of Columns 29, 30, 45, and 51. This column should include students who graduated from their program
after 150% of normal time to completion elapsed.
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Completers within 100% of Normal Time to Completion
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who
completed their program as of 100% of normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2018 (whichever
was earlier) in terms of the number of completers by type of program completed. Report all students by race/ethnicity
and gender. Note that this should be a subset of the students reported as completers within 150% of
normal time reported earlier in this survey.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
Revised Cohort (Column 10) – The data in this column are carried forward from the "Establishing Cohort" screen for
your reference.
Exclusions - The data in this column are carried forward from Column 45 – Total Exclusions of the
“Transfers/Exclusions” screen for your reference.
Cohort students who completed their program within 100% of normal time to completion (Columns 55
and 56)
Completers of programs of less than 2 academic years (or equivalent) (Column 55) - Enter the number of
students who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years within 100% of normal time to
completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than one academic year and of at least one but less
than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, less than 90
quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours.
Completed a program of at least 2 years, but less than 4 years within 100% (Column 56) - Enter the number
of students who completed programs of at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years within 100% of
normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of at least two but less than four academic
years - or designed for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, at least 90 but
less than 180 quarter credit hours, or at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 clock hours - and associate's degrees.
Total completers within 100% (Column 57) – This column is the sum of the previous two columns and is
calculated for you by the data collection system.
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Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students.
Do NOT include part-time students or students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once and indicate the highest award level attained.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For the first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort, data will be collected on those students who were
recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell
Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct loan. These students
must receive and use the award within their first year at the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a
later point, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
cohort will be preloaded from the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who received a Pell
Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort will be
preloaded from the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students who received a
Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These
two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of
all students.
Number of students completing within 150% or normal time - The number of students in the full-time, firsttime degree/certificate-seeking cohort who completed within 150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded
from the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the number of students who received a Pell Grant
and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant. These two
categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the total of all
students.
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Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
Worksheets calculating the Student Right-To-Know and overall four-year average completion/graduation and transferout rates of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2015 student cohort are
provided as a convenience to the institution. Data previously reported by the institution are preloaded for use in these
calculations.
Note that certain information from these worksheets will be displayed on College Navigator, as noted. Additional
information relevant to the calculated rates may be entered in the context box provided, and will also be displayed on
College Navigator.
Privacy Issue With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions
not disclose information where students could be identified.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do
1)
I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3)
4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
Do I need to track students every term?
5)
Cohort
What is a "first-time" student?
1)
2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR survey?
3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
4)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
5)
6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking student this fall,
7)
can I count the student as "first-time"?
8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
13)
Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfers-out?
14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled as of
October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students
who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
17)
If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and an AA) within
the 3-year period, can I count both completions?
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time students
who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not receive the degree
until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do so. Am I
3)
still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still responsive to the GR
survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to-Know Act?
4)
The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions) at my
institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
9)
What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
10)
My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest program is 9
months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did not finish their
program?
12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the institution (July 1
- June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the institution to be counted as part
of these subgroups?
Answers:
General
1)
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment)
basis. How do I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on
a term basis (semester, quarter, or trimester) must calculate graduation and transfer-out rates using a fall
cohort; otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort used to report your institution's GR data
is predetermined based on your response to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
Header survey component.
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3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything
this year?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that graduation rates reporting is mandatory for institutions that enrolled fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the relevant cohort year. If you did not
enroll this type of student, or your institution was not in operation during the relevant cohort year, please report this
information on the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component.
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4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means modifying the cohort data to
reflect better information that has become available since the cohort was first reported in the relevant Fall Enrollment
survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on the cohort). Fall cohorts may
be revised by entering new data in the Revised cohort column on the data collection screen. Adjusting a cohort
means subtracting any allowable exclusions from the revised cohort to establish a denominator for graduation rate
calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts are adjusted for you on the worksheet screens when calculating graduation
and transfer-out rates.
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5)
Do I need to track students every term?
No. You can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry, and then, at the end of 150% of normal time to
complete all requirements of the longest program, look back to see the status of those in the cohort. You will need to
know when students in the cohort completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track these students from term-toterm.
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Cohort
1)
What is a "first-time" student?
According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student who has no prior postsecondary experience
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level." This means that the student is first-time in
terms of postsecondary education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution).
There are two exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution for the first time the summer prior to entering
your institution in the fall term are to be counted as "first-time", as are (2) students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR
survey?
Yes. You must report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions related to disclosure
requirements under Other below for additional information.
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3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I
have a confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
You should report the student as a transfer-out. For the purposes of the full-time, first-time cohort used for IPEDS
graduation rates reporting, this action closes out their status in the cohort. Upon re-enrolling at your institution, the
student would then be included in a subsequent, non-first-time cohort not collected through the IPEDS GR survey.
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4)
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
The IPEDS GR survey does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
ANY GR COHORT.
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5)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to a
degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary credential, and if they are not eligible for Title
IV federal financial aid.
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6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Fall
Enrollment survey. If a student is degree/certificate-seeking for the purposes of qualifying for student financial aid,
then they must be included in the GR cohort.
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7)
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking
student this fall, can I count the student as "first-time"?
No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution (yours or another school) even though they are entering with no credit.
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8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
Neither should be included in the cohort for graduation rates reporting.
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Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they should not be
included in the cohort according to Student Right-to-Know regulations. Be sure to carefully review the definition of
degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
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10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they should be counted as "first-time."
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11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "firsttime"?
Since these students must have been previously enrolled in a postsecondary institution in order to obtain credit
through correspondence or distance learning, they are not considered "first-time."
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12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report in the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. For
additional information on this topic, please refer to the IPEDS Data Tip Sheet related to Reporting Students for
Institutions in Consortia.
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13)
Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered
transfers-out?
No. Keep the students in the cohort since they return in the fall and continue their programs of study.
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14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop
outs, drop outs, students who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop out or
drop out do not leave the cohort. They remain in the count; and if they complete their most recent program within
150% of normal time they should be reported accordingly. Students who switch to part-time status or to another
program are not given extra time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as
requested.
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17)
If a student in my cohort obtains two undergraduate level awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and an
AA) within the 3-year period, can I count both completions?
No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your decision as
to which one you prefer to report.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion". IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time. As such,
"normal time to completion" is defined as "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." Let’s look at some examples:
9)
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs (8 semesters – typically fall and spring). Extending
this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would be 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree program that is advertised as a 2-year program (6 quarters - fall, winter, and spring,
with no scheduled summer quarter) would extend to 9 quarters (1.5 x 6) or through the end of the spring quarter
of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendment to the Student Right-to-Know Act redefined the cohort year to allow you to count
completers through August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year of a 2year program).
2)
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 clock hour course is advertised as taking 30
weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the student completes within
that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
If a student has switched programs, you will calculate 150% of normal time to completion based on his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. However, the student's "clock" does not reset once they switch programs. He
or she must still graduate, transfer, or qualify as an exclusion within 150% of normal time to completion starting from
the date he or she first entered the cohort.
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3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the
program?
There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time calculation should be applied as of the student's
initial start date, and is the same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still
complete within 150% of normal time.
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4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time
students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not
receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree upon
completion of the program (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and
simply allow the student to "pick up" their degree at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the
student as having completed within 150% of normal time.
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Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that "An institution that determines that its mission includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers-out so that a transfer
-out rate may be calculated for its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Students to
be reported as transfers are those who have NOT completed a program or graduated, so they cannot be counted as
completers, but have subsequently enrolled in any program of an eligible institution for which the insititution provided
substantial preparation. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers-out is optional.
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2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
None. All verification requirements were dropped from the regulations.
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3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do
so. Am I still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still
responsive to the GR survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
As long as your institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible
institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers-out. However, if your
institution does have such a mission, you must be able to track and report on transfers-out. (Applicable to
Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 only; requirements for Outcome Measures are different. Please
review the Outcome Measures requirements separately.)
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Other
1)
2)
4)
9)
10)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
Student Right-to-Know Act regulations state that an institution must annually prepare the completion or graduation
rates of its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; and for institutions that determine
that their mission includes providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, the
transfer-out rate of these students. In calculating these rates, an institution must count any students who have
completed or graduated by the end of the 12-month period ending August 31 during which 150% of the normal time
for completion or graduation from their program has lapsed.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must report and disclose your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31 of the
prior year). The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information as warranted to help
consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider disclosing additional rates as well, such as
rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students typically take longer to complete.
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Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to
-Know Act?
NO! NO! and NO! The IPEDS GR survey provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is some level of
consistency in the way the rates are calculated. However, the SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. In addition, for schools that offer athletically-related student aid there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. By completing the GR survey, you will have the rates you need to disclose, but you still
need to make them available. The GR survey statisfies the reporting requirements ONLY.
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The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions)
at my institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of students who
require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
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What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful
completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a
student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not receive a
"recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers.
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My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest
program is 9 months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
Let's look at this one step at a time. First, schools with programs of less than 4 years are to report on the 2015
cohort. Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2015 and
August 31, 2016. Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2016, 150% of 9 months
following this date would extend to October 15, 2017 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR
survey, the first status date following this is August 31, 2018 and the report is due during the Winter 2018-19 data
collection. So you are on track for reporting this cohort.
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11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did
not finish their program?
No, you may not report these students as completers since they left the institution prior to completing their program.
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12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a
similar provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another
duty station?
No, there is no such provision.
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Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
For the purposes of the GR component, a recipient of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan is a student who receives
and uses that award (i.e., award is partially or fully disbursed) within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30).
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2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July
1 - June 30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
They would only be counted if they received and used their award within their first year at the institution (July 1 June 30). If they received and used it at any later time, they would not be part of these subgroups. They would be
part of the calculated row - "Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan".
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3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the
institution (July 1 - June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the
institution to be counted as part of these subgroups?
As long as the student receives and uses their aid within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June 30), they do
not have to continue to be awarded that aid during their time at the institution to be counted as part of these
subgroups.
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U.S. Department of Education
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for less-than-2-year institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic
reporters)
Overview
Graduation Rates Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) survey component. The GR component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and tracks their completion status at 150% of the normal time to complete all
requirements of their program of study. This information is collected to assist institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student
Right-to-Know Act.
Data Reporting Reminders
Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the
institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent
disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.
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.
Recent Changes to the Graduation Rates Component:
•
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.
Graduation rates
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional Characteristics Header
survey component from the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection, your institution must report graduation rates data using a:
Fall Cohort (Fall 2015)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A full-year cohort is used by
institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a continuous basis.
•In the columns below, indicate the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students reported
in Column 10.
•The cumulative number of these students who completed their program within 150% of normal time as of August 31, 2018 should be reported
in Column 11.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial preparation
for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed a program, you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A
school is required to report only on those students that the school knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must
document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who dropped out as well as those who completed in greater
than 150% of normal time.
•Column 55 [Completers within 100%] is a subset of Column 11 [Completers within 150%]. These data are being requested so they can be
preloaded into next year's Graduation Rates 200% survey component.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 1 of 2
Initial
cohort
Total men + women
Total men + women
prior year
Cohort year 2015
Total
Adjusted
Completed
Total transfer- Still enrolled No longer
exclusions
cohort within 150% of Of those in Column out students
enrolled
(Col 10 - normal time to
11, those who
Col 45)
completion
completed within
100% of normal
time to completion
(Column 10) (Column 45) (Column (Column 11)
(Column 55)
(Column 30) (Column 51) (Column
50)
52)
Revised
cohort
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, and the number of students that completed a
certificate or degree within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 2 of 2
Full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (within entering year) that did not
receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized Loan (within
entering year)
Cohort year 2015
Number of students in Total exclusions Number of students that
cohort
completed within 150%
of
normal time to
completion
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 11)
Prepared by
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.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
Entering Data
hours
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Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates Full Instructions - Less Than 2-Year Institutions
Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Reporting Directions
Purpose of the Survey
The purpose of the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component is to track given cohorts of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students - as well as their completion status at 150% of the normal time to
complete all requirements of their program of study - at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist
institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act.
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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 in your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2015 (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, 2015 and August 31, 2016 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, 2018.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution either during
the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the fall term who
attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who entered
the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Include all students enrolled for credit toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary
credential. Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING
those enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. 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 enroll at a U.S. postsecondary institution
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Becomes a part-time student
Transfers to another institution
Drops out of the institution
Stops out of the institution
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution
Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential 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
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 three upload formats available for the Graduation Rates survey component:
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Fixed width file
Key value file
XML format
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Reporting Instructions
The method used to report graduation rates data on this survey is predetermined by your institution's response to the
predominant calendar system question (B3) on the IC Header component of the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection,
according to the following rules:
1.
2.
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of students. Institutions may use October
15, 2015 or the institution's official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same
reporting date used for the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all
those students who entered the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Cohort Data
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of
August 31, 2018 in terms of the number of completers within 150% of normal time to completion for their program,
the number of transfer-out students, and the number of allowable exclusions to the cohort. Report the combined total
of men and women.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information reported on full-time, first-time degree/certificate
-seeking undergraduate student enrollment at your institution on the 2015 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey will be
preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the
column will be blank.
Revised cohort (Column 10) - Institutions have the option of revising their preloaded cohort if:
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there are eligible students who were omitted in the past
students were reported who did not belong in the cohort (e.g., they were not actually first-time, or full-time)
Please review the data in the Initial cohort column (if applicable) and make any necessary corrections for omissions or
erroneous reporting in the Revised cohort column. If your data do not appear in the Initial cohort column, please
provide the enrollment data as requested in the Revised cohort column.
Total exclusions (Column 45) - Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Completed within 150% of normal time to completion (Column 11) - In order to calculate a graduation rate
that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as completers only those students who
received their degree/certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is
the amount of time necessary to complete all requirements for a degree or certificate according to the institution's
catalog). Do not count as completers students who receive their degree/certificate from another
institution.
Enter the number of students who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years within 150%
of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than one academic year and of at
least one but less than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit
hours, less than 90 quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours. For example, a student who completed a 6month (or equivalent) program in 9 months or less would be reported in Column 11; those taking longer would not be
reported in this column.
Completed within 100% of normal time to completion (Column 55) - Of those students reported in Column 11
who completed their program within 150% of normal time to completion, enter the number who completed their
program within 100% of normal time. For example, a student who completed a 6-month (or equivalent) program in 6
months or less would be reported in column 55; those taking longer would not be reported in this column.
The number of students reported in Column 55 should be a subset of those reported in Column 11.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, and your
institution has information on students who transfer-out, report the total number of students who transferred out of
your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of normal time to completion. Include students who
transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled in another eligible institution. If it is not part of your
mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who are still enrolled at your institution as of the fall
census date for the fall term following 150% of normal time to completion of their program.
Report each student in only one outcome category (i.e., as completing a program, as a transfer-out, as an
exclusion, or as still enrolled) with the exception of those students reported in Column 55, which are a
subset of the students reported in Column 11.
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the revised cohort (Column 10)
and the sum of Columns 11, 30, 45, and 51.
Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
A worksheet calculating the Student Right-To-Know and overall four-year average completion/graduation and transferout rates of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2015 student cohort is
provided as a convenience to the institution. Data previously reported by the institution are preloaded for use in these
calculations.
Note that certain information from these worksheets will be displayed on College Navigator, as noted. Additional
information relevant to the calcualated rates may be entered in the context box provided on the previous screen, and
will aso be displayed on College Navigator.
Privacy Issue With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions
not disclose information where students could be identified.
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For the first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort, data will be collected on those students who were
recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell
Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan. These students
must receive the award upon entry into the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a later point after
entry, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
cohort will be preloaded from column 10 of the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who
received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell
Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to
the total of all students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort will be
preloaded from column 45 of the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students
who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a
Pell Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or
equal to the total of all students.
Number of students completing within 150% or normal time - The number of students in the full-time, firsttime degree/certificate-seeking cohort who completed within 150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded
from column 11 of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the number of students who received
a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant.
These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the
total of all students.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates for Less than 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do
1)
I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3)
4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
Do I need to track students every term?
5)
Cohort
What is a "first-time" student?
1)
2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR survey?
3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
4)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
5)
6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking student this fall,
6)
can I count the student as "first-time"?
8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled as of
October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students
who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
18)
If a student in my cohort obtains two awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and certificate in word processing)
within the 150% of normal time for the longest program (cosmetology), can I count both completions?
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time students
who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not receive the degree
until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do so. Am I
still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still responsive to the GR
survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to-Know Act?
4)
The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions) at my
institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
9)
What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
10)
My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest program is 9
months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did not finish their
program?
12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the institution (July 1
- June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the institution to be counted as part
of these subgroups?
Answers:
General
1)
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment)
basis. How do I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on a
term basis (semester, quarter, or trimester) must calculate graduation and transfer-out rates using a fall
cohort; otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort used to report your institution's GR data
is predetermined based on your response to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
Header survey component.
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3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything
this year?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that graduation rates reporting is mandatory for institutions that enrolled fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the relevant cohort year. If you did not
enroll this type of student, or your institution was not in operation during the relevant cohort year, please report this
information on the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component.
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4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means modifying the cohort data to
reflect better information that has become available since the cohort was first reported in the relevant Fall Enrollment
survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on the cohort). Fall cohorts may
be revised by entering new data in the Revised cohort column on the data collection screen. Adjusting a cohort
means subtracting any allowable exclusions from the revised cohort to establish a denominator for graduation rate
calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts are adjusted for you on the worksheet screens when calculating graduation
and transfer-out rates.
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5)
Do I need to track students every term?
No. You can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry, and then, at the end of 150% of normal time to
complete all requirements of the longest program, look back to see the status of those in the cohort. You will need to
know when students in the cohort completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track these students from term-toterm.
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Cohort
1)
What is a "first-time" student?
According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student who has no prior postsecondary experience
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level." This means that the student is first-time in
terms of postsecondary education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution).
There are two exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution for the first time the summer prior to entering
your institution in the fall term are to be counted as "first-time", as are (2) students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR
survey?
Yes. You must report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions related to disclosure
requirements under Other below for additional information.
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3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I
have a confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
You should report the student as a transfer-out. For the purposes of the full-time, first-time cohort used for IPEDS
graduation rates reporting, this action closes out their status in the cohort. Upon re-enrolling at your institution, the
student would then be included in a subsequent, non-first-time cohort not collected through the IPEDS GR survey.
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4)
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
The IPEDS GR survey does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
ANY GR COHORT.
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5)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to a
degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary credential, and if they are not eligible for Title
IV federal financial aid.
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6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Fall
Enrollment survey. If a student is degree/certificate-seeking for the purposes of qualifying for student financial aid,
then they must be included in the GR cohort.
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6)
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking
student this fall, can I count the student as "first-time"?
No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution (yours or another school) even though they are entering with no credit.
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8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
Neither should be included in the cohort for graduation rates reporting.
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9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they should not be
included in the cohort according to Student Right-to-Know regulations. Be sure to carefully review the definition of
degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
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10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they should be counted as "first-time."
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11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "firsttime"?
Since these students must have been previously enrolled in a postsecondary institution in order to obtain credit
through correspondence or distance learning, they are not considered "first-time."
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12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report in the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. For
additional information on this topic, please refer to the IPEDS Data Tip Sheet related to Reporting Students for
Institutions in Consortia.
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14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop
outs, drop outs, students who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop out or
drop out do not leave the cohort. They remain in the count; and if they complete their most recent program within
150% of normal time they should be reported accordingly. Students who switch to part-time status or to another
program are not given extra time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as
requested.
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18)
If a student in my cohort obtains two awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and certificate in word
processing) within the 150% of normal time for the longest program (cosmetology), can I count both
completions?
No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your decision as
to which one you prefer to report.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion". IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time. As such,
"normal time to completion" is defined as "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." Let’s look at some examples:
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs (8 semesters – typically fall and spring). Extending
this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would be 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree program that is advertised as a 2-year program (6 quarters - fall, winter, and spring,
with no scheduled summer quarter) would extend to 9 quarters (1.5 x 6) or through the end of the spring quarter
of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendment to the Student Right-to-Know Act redefined the cohort year to allow you to count
completers through August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year of a 2year program).
2)
3)
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 clock hour course is advertised as taking 30
weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the student completes within
that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
If a student has switched programs, you will calculate 150% of normal time to completion based on his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. However, the student's "clock" does not reset once they switch programs. He
or she must still graduate, transfer, or qualify as an exclusion within 150% of normal time to completion starting from
the date he or she first entered the cohort.
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How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the
program?
There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time calculation should be applied as of the student's
initial start date, and is the same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still
complete within 150% of normal time.
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4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time
students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not
receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree upon
completion of the program (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and
simply allow the student to "pick up" their degree at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the
student as having completed within 150% of normal time.
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Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that "An institution that determines that its mission includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers-out so that a transfer
-out rate may be calculated for its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Students to
be reported as transfers are those who have NOT completed a program or graduated, so they cannot be counted as
completers, but have subsequently enrolled in any program of an eligible institution for which the insititution provided
substantial preparation. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers-out is optional.
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2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
None. All verification requirements were dropped from the regulations.
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3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do
so. Am I still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still
responsive to the GR survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
As long as your institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible
institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers-out. However, if your
institution does have such a mission, you must be able to track and report on transfers-out. (Applicable to
Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 only; requirements for Outcome Measures are different. Please
review the Outcome Measures requirements separately.)
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Other
1)
2)
4)
9)
10)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
Student Right-to-Know Act regulations state that an institution must annually prepare the completion or graduation
rates of its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; and for institutions that determine
that their mission includes providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, the
transfer-out rate of these students. In calculating these rates, an institution must count any students who have
completed or graduated by the end of the 12-month period ending August 31 during which 150% of the normal time
for completion or graduation from their program has lapsed.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must report and disclose your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31 of the
prior year). The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information as warranted to help
consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider disclosing additional rates as well, such as
rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students typically take longer to complete.
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Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to
-Know Act?
NO! NO! and NO! The IPEDS GR survey provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is some level of
consistency in the way the rates are calculated. However, the SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. In addition, for schools that offer athletically-related student aid there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. By completing the GR survey, you will have the rates you need to disclose, but you still
need to make them available. The GR survey statisfies the reporting requirements ONLY.
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The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions)
at my institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of students who
require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
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What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful
completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a
student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not receive a
"recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers.
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My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest
program is 9 months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
Let's look at this one step at a time. First, schools with programs of less than 4 years are to report on the 2015
cohort. Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2015 and
August 31, 2016. Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2016, 150% of 9 months
following this date would extend to October 15, 2017 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR
survey, the first status date following this is August 31, 2018 and the report is due during the Winter 2018-19 data
collection. So you are on track for reporting this cohort.
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11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did
not finish their program?
No, you may not report these students as completers since they left the institution prior to completing their program.
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12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a
similar provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another
duty station?
No, there is no such provision.
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Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
For the purposes of the GR component, a recipient of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan is a student who receives
and uses that award (i.e., award is partially or fully disbursed) within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30).
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2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July
1 - June 30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
They would only be counted if they received and used their award within their first year at the institution (July 1 June 30). If they received and used it at any later time, they would not be part of these subgroups. They would be
part of the calculated row - "Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan".
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3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the
institution (July 1 - June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the
institution to be counted as part of these subgroups?
As long as the student receives and uses their aid within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June 30), they do
not have to continue to be awarded that aid during their time at the institution to be counted as part of these
subgroups.
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Graduation Rates for less-than-2-year institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program
reporters)
Overview
Graduation Rates Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) survey component. The GR component collects data on the cohort of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and tracks their completion status at 150% of the normal time to complete all
requirements of their program of study. This information is collected to assist institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student
Right-to-Know Act.
Data Reporting Reminders
Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the
institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent
disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.
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.
Recent Changes to the Graduation Rates Component:
•
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.
Graduation rates
Based on your institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (B3) on the Institutional Characteristics Header
survey component from the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection, your institution must report graduation rates data using a:
Full-Year Cohort (September 1, 2015 - August 31, 2016)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A full-year cohort is used by
institutions offering primarily occupational/vocational programs and operating on a continuous basis.
•In the columns below, indicate the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students reported
in Column 10.
•The cumulative number of these students who completed their program within 150% of normal time as of August 31, 2018 should be reported
in Column 11.
•Report transfers-out who did not complete a program in Column 30. If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial preparation
for students to enroll in another eligible institution WITHOUT having completed a program, you must report transfer-out data in Column 30. A
school is required to report only on those students that the school knows have transferred to another eligible institution. A school must
document that the student actually transferred. If it is not part of your mission, you may report transfer-out data if you wish.
•Report eligible exclusions from the cohort in Column 45. The ONLY allowable categories for this column are:
students who died or became permanently disabled
students who left school to serve in the armed forces (or have been called up to active duty)
students who left school to serve with a foreign aid service of the Federal Government
students who left school to serve on an official church mission
•Column 52 [No longer enrolled] will be calculated for you. This includes students who dropped out as well as those who completed in greater
than 150% of normal time.
•Column 55 [Completers within 100%] is a subset of Column 11 [Completers within 150%]. These data are being requested so they can be
preloaded into next year's Graduation Rates 200% survey component.
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 1 of 2
Initial
cohort
Total men + women
Total men + women
prior year
Cohort year 2015
Total
Adjusted
Completed
Total transfer- Still enrolled No longer
exclusions
cohort within 150% of Of those in Column out students
enrolled
(Col 10 - normal time to
11, those who
Col 45)
completion
completed within
100% of normal
time to completion
(Column 10) (Column 45) (Column (Column 11)
(Column 55)
(Column 30) (Column 51) (Column
50)
52)
Revised
cohort
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
For each subcohort, report the number of students in the cohort, total exclusions for the cohort, and the number of students that completed a
certificate or degree within 150% of normal time to completion.
•Recipients of a Pell Grant and Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan that did not receive a Pell Grant are mutually exclusive, that is, if a
student is in one cohort, they cannot be in the other cohort.
- The total of these 2 subcohorts must be less than the full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
Screen 2 of 2
Full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking cohort
Recipients of a Pell Grant (within entering year)
Recipients of a Direct Subsidized Loan (within entering year) that did not
receive a Pell Grant
Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Direct Subsidized Loan (within
entering year)
Cohort year 2015
Number of students in Total exclusions Number of students that
cohort
completed within 150%
of
normal time to
completion
(Column 10)
(Column 45)
(Column 11)
Prepared by
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.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
Entering Data
hours
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Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Graduation Rates Full Instructions - Less Than 2-Year Institutions
Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help for Reporting
Where Reported Data Will Appear
Uploading Files to the IPEDS Data Collection System
Reporting Directions
Purpose of the Survey
The purpose of the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey component is to track given cohorts of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students - as well as their completion status at 150% of the normal time to
complete all requirements of their program of study - at postsecondary institutions. These data are collected to assist
institutions in complying with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act.
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Changes in Reporting
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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 in your institution either (1) as of October 15, 2015 (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, 2015 and August 31, 2016 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, 2018.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Who to Include in the Cohort
Include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution either during
the fall term or during the 12-month period as described above. Include students enrolled in the fall term who
attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits earned before graduating from high school).
For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who entered
the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Include all students enrolled for credit toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary
credential. Include students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING
those enrolled in off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the
purpose of student financial aid determination. 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 enroll at a U.S. postsecondary institution
A student who is designated as a member of the cohort remains in the cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Becomes a part-time student
Transfers to another institution
Drops out of the institution
Stops out of the institution
Has not fulfilled the institution's requirements to receive a degree or certificate
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution
Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential 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
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 three upload formats available for the Graduation Rates survey component:
•
•
•
Fixed width file
Key value file
XML format
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Reporting Instructions
The method used to report graduation rates data on this survey is predetermined by your institution's response to the
predominant calendar system question (B3) on the IC Header component of the IPEDS Fall 2018 data collection,
according to the following rules:
1.
2.
Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) will report using a fall cohort of students. Institutions may use October
15, 2015 or the institution's official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same
reporting date used for the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all
those students who entered the institution between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, 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.
Cohort Data
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of
August 31, 2018 in terms of the number of completers within 150% of normal time to completion for their program,
the number of transfer-out students, and the number of allowable exclusions to the cohort. Report the combined total
of men and women.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Initial cohort - If you are reporting on a fall cohort, the information reported on full-time, first-time degree/certificate
-seeking undergraduate student enrollment at your institution on the 2015 IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey will be
preloaded in this column. If you did not respond to that survey, or if you are reporting on a full-year cohort, the
column will be blank.
Revised cohort (Column 10) - Institutions have the option of revising their preloaded cohort if:
•
•
there are eligible students who were omitted in the past
students were reported who did not belong in the cohort (e.g., they were not actually first-time, or full-time)
Please review the data in the Initial cohort column (if applicable) and make any necessary corrections for omissions or
erroneous reporting in the Revised cohort column. If your data do not appear in the Initial cohort column, please
provide the enrollment data as requested in the Revised cohort column.
Total exclusions (Column 45) - Indicate the total number of students who left your institution within 150% of
normal time to completion for their program (and have neither graduated nor transferred to another institution) 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, 2018, may still be subtracted/excluded from the cohort during the calculation of graduation rates.
Completed within 150% of normal time to completion (Column 11) - In order to calculate a graduation rate
that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as completers only those students who
received their degree/certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is
the amount of time necessary to complete all requirements for a degree or certificate according to the institution's
catalog). Do not count as completers students who receive their degree/certificate from another
institution.
Enter the number of students who completed programs of less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years within 150%
of normal time to completion. This includes awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than one academic year and of at
least one but less than two academic years; or designed for completion in less than 60 semester or trimester credit
hours, less than 90 quarter credit hours, or less than 1,800 clock hours. For example, a student who completed a 6month (or equivalent) program in 9 months or less would be reported in Column 11; those taking longer would not be
reported in this column.
Completed within 100% of normal time to completion (Column 55) - Of those students reported in Column 11
who completed their program within 150% of normal time to completion, enter the number who completed their
program within 100% of normal time. For example, a student who completed a 6-month (or equivalent) program in 6
months or less would be reported in column 55; those taking longer would not be reported in this column.
The number of students reported in Column 55 should be a subset of those reported in Column 11.
Total transfer-out students (Column 30) - If the mission of your institution includes providing substantial
preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution without having completed a program, and your
institution has information on students who transfer-out, report the total number of students who transferred out of
your institution (without earning a degree/award) within 150% of normal time to completion. Include students who
transferred out of your institution and subsequently re-enrolled in another eligible institution. If it is not part of your
mission, you may still report transfer-out data if you wish.
Still enrolled (Column 51) - Enter the number of students who are still enrolled at your institution as of the fall
census date for the fall term following 150% of normal time to completion of their program.
Report each student in only one outcome category (i.e., as completing a program, as a transfer-out, as an
exclusion, or as still enrolled) with the exception of those students reported in Column 55, which are a
subset of the students reported in Column 11.
No longer enrolled (Column 52) - This column represents the difference between the revised cohort (Column 10)
and the sum of Columns 11, 30, 45, and 51.
Calculation of Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Worksheets
A worksheet calculating the Student Right-To-Know and overall four-year average completion/graduation and transferout rates of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2015 student cohort is
provided as a convenience to the institution. Data previously reported by the institution are preloaded for use in these
calculations.
Note that certain information from these worksheets will be displayed on College Navigator, as noted. Additional
information relevant to the calcualated rates may be entered in the context box provided on the previous screen, and
will aso be displayed on College Navigator.
Privacy Issue With Disclosure
Before using the worksheets for disclosure, please consider the following:
•
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (1998) (FERPA) requires that institutions
not disclose information where students could be identified.
Pell recipients and recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2015 cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2018 (whichever was earlier) in terms of the number of completers.
Report only for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students. Do NOT include part-time students or
students who transferred into your institution.
Count completers only once.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers-out and the mission of particular programs
to prepare students for transfer to other institutions, institutions may count as completers those students who have
successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program.
Transfer-preparatory program is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as
"the successful completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree
and qualifies a student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this
the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not
receive a "recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year
program.
Similarly, institutions may count as completers those students who have successfully completed the first three years of
a 3-2 program and are eligible to enter another institution to complete the program (provided the program is
acceptable for full credit towards a five-year bachelor's degree, and qualifies a student for admission into the fourth
year of a five-year bachelor's degree program). As with a transfer-preparatory program, these students should be
counted as completers of an at least 2 but less than 4 year program.
In order to calculate a graduation rate that complies with Student Right-to-Know regulations, institutions may count as
completers only those students who received their degree/certificate (or completed a transfer-preparatory program)
within 150% of the normal time for program completion (normal time to completion is the amount of time necessary
to complete all requirements for a program according to the institution's catalog). Do not count as completers
students who receive their degree from another institution.
For the first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort, data will be collected on those students who were
recipients of a Pell Grant and those students who were recipients of a subsidized Direct Loan that did not receive a Pell
Grant.
Recipients are defined as those students receiving and using their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan. These students
must receive the award upon entry into the institution. If the student is a recipient of an award at a later point after
entry, they would not be included in one of the subcohorts.
Number of students in the cohort - The number of students in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
cohort will be preloaded from column 10 of the GR form. Of those students, report the number of students who
received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell
Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to
the total of all students.
Total exclusions - The number of exclusions in the full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking cohort will be
preloaded from column 45 of the GR form. Of those students reported as exclusions, report the number of students
who received a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a
Pell Grant. These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or
equal to the total of all students.
Number of students completing within 150% or normal time - The number of students in the full-time, firsttime degree/certificate-seeking cohort who completed within 150% of normal time to completion will be preloaded
from column 11 of the GR form. Of those students reported as completers, report the number of students who received
a Pell Grant and the number of students who received a subsidized Direct Loan but DID NOT receive a Pell Grant.
These two categories will be mutually exclusive. The total of these two subcohorts must be less than or equal to the
total of all students.
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Graduation Rates for Less than 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment) basis. How do
1)
I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3)
4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
Do I need to track students every term?
5)
Cohort
What is a "first-time" student?
1)
2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR survey?
3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I have a
confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
4)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
5)
6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking student this fall,
6)
can I count the student as "first-time"?
8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "first-time"?
12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled as of
October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop outs, drop outs, students
who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
18)
If a student in my cohort obtains two awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and certificate in word processing)
within the 150% of normal time for the longest program (cosmetology), can I count both completions?
Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
2)
How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
3)
How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the program?
4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time students
who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not receive the degree
until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do so. Am I
still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still responsive to the GR
survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
Other
1)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
2)
Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to-Know Act?
4)
The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions) at my
institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
9)
What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
10)
My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest program is 9
months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did not finish their
program?
12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a similar
provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another duty station?
Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the institution (July 1
- June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the institution to be counted as part
of these subgroups?
Answers:
General
1)
My institution has programs that operate on both a term basis AND a clock hour (continuing enrollment)
basis. How do I choose which cohort to use for Graduation Rates (GR) reporting?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on a
term basis (semester, quarter, or trimester) must calculate graduation and transfer-out rates using a fall
cohort; otherwise, you must use a full-year cohort. The cohort used to report your institution's GR data
is predetermined based on your response to the Calendar System question on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
Header survey component.
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3)
My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything
this year?
Student Right-to-Know legislation states that graduation rates reporting is mandatory for institutions that enrolled fulltime, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the relevant cohort year. If you did not
enroll this type of student, or your institution was not in operation during the relevant cohort year, please report this
information on the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component.
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4)
When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
There is a difference between revising and adjusting a cohort. Revising a cohort means modifying the cohort data to
reflect better information that has become available since the cohort was first reported in the relevant Fall Enrollment
survey (e.g., you may now have more complete racial/ethnic information on the cohort). Fall cohorts may
be revised by entering new data in the Revised cohort column on the data collection screen. Adjusting a cohort
means subtracting any allowable exclusions from the revised cohort to establish a denominator for graduation rate
calculation. Both fall and full-year cohorts are adjusted for you on the worksheet screens when calculating graduation
and transfer-out rates.
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5)
Do I need to track students every term?
No. You can set up your system to identify your cohort upon entry, and then, at the end of 150% of normal time to
complete all requirements of the longest program, look back to see the status of those in the cohort. You will need to
know when students in the cohort completed, but it is not necessary to compare or track these students from term-toterm.
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Cohort
1)
What is a "first-time" student?
According to the IPEDS Glossary, a first-time student is "A student who has no prior postsecondary experience
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level." This means that the student is first-time in
terms of postsecondary education (or the student is not known to have attended another postsecondary institution).
There are two exceptions: (1) students who attended any institution for the first time the summer prior to entering
your institution in the fall term are to be counted as "first-time", as are (2) students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
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2)
My institution has a very small cohort, sometimes only 4 or 5 students. Do I need to complete the GR
survey?
Yes. You must report the data to NCES regardless of the cohort size. See the questions related to disclosure
requirements under Other below for additional information.
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3)
How do I count a student who started in my original cohort, transferred to another institution (for which I
have a confirmation of transfer), and then returned to my institution and is still enrolled?
You should report the student as a transfer-out. For the purposes of the full-time, first-time cohort used for IPEDS
graduation rates reporting, this action closes out their status in the cohort. Upon re-enrolling at your institution, the
student would then be included in a subsequent, non-first-time cohort not collected through the IPEDS GR survey.
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4)
Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
The IPEDS GR survey does NOT collect information on transfers in. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
ANY GR COHORT.
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5)
How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
These students are not included in the cohort if their courses are not part of a program of study that leads to a
degree, diploma, certificate, or other recognized postsecondary credential, and if they are not eligible for Title
IV federal financial aid.
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6)
Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report as degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Fall
Enrollment survey. If a student is degree/certificate-seeking for the purposes of qualifying for student financial aid,
then they must be included in the GR cohort.
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6)
If a student took only remedial courses last year and applies as a full-time degree/certificate-seeking
student this fall, can I count the student as "first-time"?
No. The student does not qualify as "first-time" because they are known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution (yours or another school) even though they are entering with no credit.
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8)
What about non-credit enrollment, or students taking CEUs?
Neither should be included in the cohort for graduation rates reporting.
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9)
Are non-degree/certificate-seekers included?
Even though these students are enrolled for credit, if they are not seeking a degree/certificate, they should not be
included in the cohort according to Student Right-to-Know regulations. Be sure to carefully review the definition of
degree/certificate-seeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
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10)
How do I treat new entrants that receive credit for life experience?
If the student has never enrolled in a postsecondary institution, they should be counted as "first-time."
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11)
Do I count students who have acquired credits through distance learning or correspondence as "firsttime"?
Since these students must have been previously enrolled in a postsecondary institution in order to obtain credit
through correspondence or distance learning, they are not considered "first-time."
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12)
How do I report students studying in consortium agreements?
Use the same reasoning here that you use to determine who to report in the IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. For
additional information on this topic, please refer to the IPEDS Data Tip Sheet related to Reporting Students for
Institutions in Consortia.
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14)
My initial cohort includes all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled as of October 15 - the same as on my IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey. Now what happens to: stop
outs, drop outs, students who enroll part-time after the first semester, or students who change programs?
It looks like your cohort is defined correctly. Remember YOUR COHORT NEVER CHANGES. Students who stop out or
drop out do not leave the cohort. They remain in the count; and if they complete their most recent program within
150% of normal time they should be reported accordingly. Students who switch to part-time status or to another
program are not given extra time to complete, nor are they removed from the cohort. Report their status as
requested.
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18)
If a student in my cohort obtains two awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and certificate in word
processing) within the 150% of normal time for the longest program (cosmetology), can I count both
completions?
No, you may only count one. NCES recommends that you report the highest degree attained, but it is your decision as
to which one you prefer to report.
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Normal Time and Calculation of 150% of Normal Time
1)
How do I calculate 150% of normal time to completion?
In order to calculate this, we must first define "normal time to completion". IPEDS has adopted the definition
developed by the Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (JCAR) as a definition of normal time. As such,
"normal time to completion" is defined as "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." Let’s look at some examples:
Many bachelor’s degree programs are outlined as 4-year programs (8 semesters – typically fall and spring). Extending
this to 150% (1.5 x 8) would be 12 semesters or through the end of the spring term of the sixth year.
Similarly, an associate’s degree program that is advertised as a 2-year program (6 quarters - fall, winter, and spring,
with no scheduled summer quarter) would extend to 9 quarters (1.5 x 6) or through the end of the spring quarter
of the third year.
However, the Technical Amendment to the Student Right-to-Know Act redefined the cohort year to allow you to count
completers through August 31 of the summer following the sixth year of a 4-year program (or the third year of a 2year program).
2)
3)
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 clock hour course is advertised as taking 30
weeks to complete, the calculation of 1.5 x 30 equals 45 weeks after the start date. If the student completes within
that 45-week period, they are within 150% of normal time.
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How do I report a student who has switched programs since entering the cohort?
If a student has switched programs, you will calculate 150% of normal time to completion based on his or her most
recent program for reporting outcomes. However, the student's "clock" does not reset once they switch programs. He
or she must still graduate, transfer, or qualify as an exclusion within 150% of normal time to completion starting from
the date he or she first entered the cohort.
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How do I calculate 150% for students who stop out, or drop out, and then return and complete the
program?
There is no difference in the calculation. The 150% of normal time calculation should be applied as of the student's
initial start date, and is the same regardless of stop-out time. Some students may stop out for a term or two and still
complete within 150% of normal time.
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4)
According to the Technical Amendment to the SRK, I can count as completers within 150% of normal time
students who complete their program through August 31 of the 6th year; but what if the student does not
receive the degree until our December graduation? Does this mean I cannot count them as completers?
Technically you cannot count the completion until the degree has been conferred. If you "award" the degree upon
completion of the program (i.e., an award date of, or prior to, August 31 is noted in the student’s record) and
simply allow the student to "pick up" their degree at the December ceremony, then you should be able to count the
student as having completed within 150% of normal time.
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Transfers-Out
1)
Does my institution need to report transfers-out?
The Student Right-to-Know legislation states that "An institution that determines that its mission includes providing
substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution" must report transfers-out so that a transfer
-out rate may be calculated for its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Students to
be reported as transfers are those who have NOT completed a program or graduated, so they cannot be counted as
completers, but have subsequently enrolled in any program of an eligible institution for which the insititution provided
substantial preparation. If the institution does not have such a mission, reporting of transfers-out is optional.
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2)
What kind of verification must I have to report a student as a transfer-out?
None. All verification requirements were dropped from the regulations.
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3)
My school does not track transfers-out, and our limited budget does not allow us to set up a system to do
so. Am I still in compliance with the requirements of the Student Right-to-Know Act, and am I still
responsive to the GR survey, if I don’t report transfers-out?
As long as your institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible
institution as part of its mission, you do not need to set up a system to track transfers-out. However, if your
institution does have such a mission, you must be able to track and report on transfers-out. (Applicable to
Graduation Rates and Graduation Rates 200 only; requirements for Outcome Measures are different. Please
review the Outcome Measures requirements separately.)
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Other
1)
2)
4)
9)
10)
Exactly what must be disclosed in order to be in compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act?
Student Right-to-Know Act regulations state that an institution must annually prepare the completion or graduation
rates of its full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; and for institutions that determine
that their mission includes providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in another eligible institution, the
transfer-out rate of these students. In calculating these rates, an institution must count any students who have
completed or graduated by the end of the 12-month period ending August 31 during which 150% of the normal time
for completion or graduation from their program has lapsed.
Therefore, at a minimum, you must report and disclose your graduation and transfer-out rates (as of August 31 of the
prior year). The Secretary urges institutions to disclose as much additional information as warranted to help
consumers understand institutional mission, etc. Thus you should consider disclosing additional rates as well, such as
rates for part-time students and possibly rates 8 or 10 years out, if your students typically take longer to complete.
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Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-to
-Know Act?
NO! NO! and NO! The IPEDS GR survey provides institutions with instructions, definitions, and a format for calculating
graduation rates and transfer-out rates. It also provides institutions with a methodology so that there is some level of
consistency in the way the rates are calculated. However, the SRK requires disclosure of these rates to students and
prospective students. In addition, for schools that offer athletically-related student aid there are additional disclosure
and reporting requirements. By completing the GR survey, you will have the rates you need to disclose, but you still
need to make them available. The GR survey statisfies the reporting requirements ONLY.
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The number of students who could be considered for the adjustments to the cohort (allowable exclusions)
at my institution is very small. Do I need to track these "leavers"?
No. The allowable exclusions are provided for those institutions that may have a significant number of students who
require longer to (or cannot) complete their programs for the reasons stated.
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What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
This term is defined in 34 CFR Student Assistance General Provisions, Section 668.8(b)(1)(ii) as "the successful
completion of at least a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree and qualifies a
student for admission into the third year of a bachelor’s degree program." The Secretary considers this the equivalent
of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transfer-preparatory programs (although they do not receive a
"recognized postsecondary credential") should be counted as completers.
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My school enrolls students on a monthly basis, so we will be using a full-year cohort. If my longest
program is 9 months, how do I calculate 150% of normal time; and which cohort should I use?
Let's look at this one step at a time. First, schools with programs of less than 4 years are to report on the 2015
cohort. Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2015 and
August 31, 2016. Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2016, 150% of 9 months
following this date would extend to October 15, 2017 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR
survey, the first status date following this is August 31, 2018 and the report is due during the Winter 2018-19 data
collection. So you are on track for reporting this cohort.
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11)
Can I report students as completers if they left the institution to get a job in their field of study, but did
not finish their program?
No, you may not report these students as completers since they left the institution prior to completing their program.
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12)
There is a provision for excluding students who leave the institution to join the Armed Forces. Is there a
similar provision for excluding students who are already in the military but are transferred to another
duty station?
No, there is no such provision.
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Pell Grants/Subsidized Direct Loans
1)
Who is considered a "recipient" of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan?
For the purposes of the GR component, a recipient of a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan is a student who receives
and uses that award (i.e., award is partially or fully disbursed) within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June
30).
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2)
If a student received their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan after their first year at the institution (July
1 - June 30), would they be counted as part of these subgroups?
They would only be counted if they received and used their award within their first year at the institution (July 1 June 30). If they received and used it at any later time, they would not be part of these subgroups. They would be
part of the calculated row - "Did not receive either a Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan".
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3)
If a student receives and uses their Pell Grant or Subsidized Direct Loan within their first year at the
institution (July 1 - June 30), do they have to continue to receive this aid throughout their time at the
institution to be counted as part of these subgroups?
As long as the student receives and uses their aid within their first year at the institution (July 1 - June 30), they do
not have to continue to be awarded that aid during their time at the institution to be counted as part of these
subgroups.
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | Lawley, Tara |
| File Modified | 2019-06-21 |
| File Created | 2019-01-23 |