As the cost of higher education rises, it is important that the University is clear and transparent to students and families about the cost of a University of Minnesota education. Further, the University wants its students to graduate and move on to make a difference in their community and state. Graduation rates show our commitment to access and our efforts to improve the student experience.
To assist the Twin Cities in reaching its 4-, 5-, and 6-year graduation goals, ASR is reviewing the record of every UMNTC student that has not graduated. These individuals scour APAS reports, transcripts, and APLUS advising notes documenting impediments to student retention and graduation, while also “looking for graduates” (i.e., students who appear to have met degree requirements but haven't yet had their degree posted). When potential graduates are identified, the information is sent to the colleges for further investigation. Often these students have neglected to apply to graduate, missed the application deadline so they have applied to graduate for a future term, or have had an incomplete or pending grade post that now makes them eligible to graduate.
In the past two years, this ASR/college partnership has had a significant impact on UMNTC graduation rates. The four-year graduation rate for incoming freshmen (NHS) students has grown from 58.0% in 2012 to 59.1% in 2013 and 60.9% in 2014. As we continue to strive for higher graduation rates, the hope is that ASR can use the information obtained by this thorough review of student records to assist the colleges with early intervention and guide students who are off track for timely degree progress.
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