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Fall-to-Fall Retention

Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 Cohorts

Fall-to-Fall Retention in the Era of Covid-19

Why Measure Fall-to-Fall College Retention?

Retention from the first year of college to the second year is an important indicator of student success. The College Board’s recent research on student retention in the era of COVID-19 suggests the negative impact of the pandemic on fall-to-fall retention was greater in 2-year institutions compared to 4-year institutions.1

At Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), retention is an important measure of student success that is tracked in alignment with the College’s Strategic Plan. Fall-to-fall retention rates measure the percentage of first-time undergraduate students who return to the same institution in the following fall. First-time in college (FTIC) students include those who attended college for the first time in the fall term, students who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term and then enrolled in the fall term, and students with prior high school dual enrollment or other advanced standing who attended college for the first time in the fall term.

National Comparison

4-Year Public Institutions
university building
2-Year Public Institutions
community college building

75.6%
2018 Cohort 3

76.3%
2019 Cohort 3

Change

+0.7%

53.7%
2018 Cohort 3

51.6%
2019 Cohort 3

Change

-2.1%

Northern Virginia Community College
NOVA building

63.0%
2018 Cohort 4

65.0%
2019 Cohort 4

Change

+2.0%

National Comparison

4-Year Public Institutions
university building

75.6%
2018 Cohort 3

76.3%
2019 Cohort 3

Change

+0.7%

2-Year Public Institutions
community college building

53.7%
2018 Cohort 3

51.6%
2019 Cohort 3

Change

-2.1%

Northern Virginia Community College
NOVA building

63.0%
2018 Cohort 4

65.0%
2019 Cohort 4

Change

+2.0%

Fall-to-Fall retention at 2-Year Institutions

For all first-time in college students at 2-year public institutions, fall-to-fall retention rates declined for all but Asian students in the Fall 2019 cohort compared to the Fall 2018 cohort. Fall-to-fall retention rates were lowest for Black/African American students in both cohorts.3

fall-to-fall retention fall 2018 to fall 2019 2-year institutions:asian up 0.3% black/african american down 0.3%, hispanic/latino down 3.2%, white up 1.0% total down 2.1%
gold

Fall 2018 Cohort

Blue Box

Fall 2019 Cohort

Fall-to-Fall retention at NOVA

For all first-time in college students at NOVA, fall-to-fall retention rates declined for Asian and Hispanic/Latino students in the Fall 2019 cohort compared to the Fall 2018 cohort. Fall-to-fall retention rates were lowest for White students in both cohorts.4

fall-to-fall retention at nova fall 2018 to fall 2019: asian down 1.0%, black/african american up 2.6% hispanic/latino down 1.0%, white up 0.3%, total up 0.3%
gold

Fall 2018 Cohort

green

Fall 2019 Cohort

Fall-to-Fall retention at Peer Institutions

When compared with peer institutions, NOVA consistently ranked second in the past two years. The fall-to-fall retention rate at NOVA increased by 2 percentage points for the Fall 2019 cohort compared to the Fall 2018 cohort.5

Peer institutions are selected for comparative analysis and benchmarking of institutional qualities. Peers have common qualities such as level of resources, student headcount, and institutional goals. Carnegie classification is one of the criteria often used in identifying a peer institution.6, 7

The current list of NOVA’s peer institutions is posted on the Office of Strategic Insights’ website.8

Peer Institutions chart fall-to-fall retention fall 2018 to fall 2019: Montgomery College down 1%, NOVA up 2%, City college of san francisco down 3%, Portland community college down 3%, houston community college down 3%, pima community college down 6%, community college of allegheny county down 1%, tidewater community college down 2%, cuyahoga community college district down 3%, central piedmont community college down 4%, lone star college system down 5%