{"id":108127,"date":"2021-06-26T14:00:15","date_gmt":"2021-06-26T18:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=108127"},"modified":"2021-06-27T14:24:02","modified_gmt":"2021-06-27T18:24:02","slug":"indianas-college-completion-rates-increased-in-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2021\/06\/26\/indianas-college-completion-rates-increased-in-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Indiana\u2019s college completion rates increased in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"College<\/p>\n

Indiana\u2019s 2020 college students graduated at higher rates than in 2019, according to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education\u2019s 2021 College Completion Report.<\/p>\n

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Indiana\u2019s College Completion Rates Increased in 2020, Despite Learning Disruption<\/strong><\/p>\n

Indianapolis, Indiana (June 24, 2021) \u2013 Indiana\u2019s 2020 college graduates faced unprecedented learning disruption, but students persevered\u2014graduating at higher rates than in 2019, according to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education\u2019s<\/a> 2021 College Completion Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite the upheaval caused by COVID-19 in the spring of 2020, Indiana\u2019s college completion rates stayed on track or improved at most institutions. One possible explanation is that students were already close to graduating when learning shifted from in-person to online due to the impact of the pandemic. Completion rates for the class of 2021 are not yet available. <\/p>\n

Over 44 percent of all Hoosier college students graduated on time (within two or four years for a long-term certificate, associate or bachelor\u2019s degree, respectively), an increase of 2 percentage points since 2019. The rate of students graduating in an extended timeframe (within six years for any degree type) also improved, from 62 percent in 2019 to almost 64 percent in 2020.<\/p>\n

There has been marked improvement in Indiana\u2019s college completion rates over the past five years at both two- and four-year campuses. On-time completion rates have increased 10.4 percentage points at four-year campuses and 9.3 percentage points at two-year campuses.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompleting college is the foundational marker of college success, and we\u2019ve been intentional about improving this rate for many years,\u201d said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers. \u201cIt is encouraging to see the class of 2020 finished strong, despite the turmoil that was going on last spring. However, we cannot ease our momentum in making sure that Indiana\u2019s students are fully prepared to enter and complete postsecondary education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Campuses with the greatest one-year improvement in on-time graduation rates are Vincennes University, Indiana State University, University of Southern Indiana, Purdue University Northwest, Indiana University Bloomington and Purdue University West Lafayette.
\nIndiana University Bloomington, Purdue University West Lafayette and Ball State University campuses have the overall highest on-time and extended-time completion rates.<\/p>\n

While there was progress in 2020 overall, there are numerous completion gaps that exist for adult learners, Black, Hispanic\/Latino and low-income students. There were noted decreases in completion rates for adult learners at some college campuses, and while completion rates improved faster for Black and Hispanic\/Latino students, it will take years to fully close equity gaps at these rates.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndiana will not achieve its big goal of having at least 60 percent of Hoosiers with a quality degree or credential beyond high school without closing these college readiness and success gaps,\u201d said Lubbers.<\/p>\n

Key report findings<\/strong><\/p>\n