ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Enrollment measures the makeup of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student body through economic, racial/ethnic, and age.

Economic Breakdown

For Academic Year 2023-2024, 42% of first-time, full-time (See definition below) undergraduates attending ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø were awarded Pell grants. The average new student Pell population at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s peers is 38% and the median is 38%.

• ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø actual: 42% Pell

First-time, full-time: A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level and is enrolled for 12 or more semester credits.

2021 – 22: 38%
2022 – 23: 36%
2023 – 24: 42%

Racial/Ethnic Breakdown

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is located in Atlanta, Georgia and our population represents the racial and ethnic makeup of its locale. In Fall 2024, 66% of the incoming first-time, full-time cohort identified as Students of Color (this excludes non-resident alien and race/ethnicity unknown from the denominator).

2024

• Two or more races: 5% students of color
• American/Alaskan Native: 0
• Asian: 4% students of color
• Black or African American: 23%
• White: 26%
• Unknown: 6%
• US Nonresident: 1%
• Hispanic/Lantinx: 35%

Age Breakdown

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is a traditional residential university. However, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø does offer evening courses as part of an Adult Degree Program (ADP) as well as an MBA. The ADP is limited to only a few majors and this program has decreased in enrollment over the past several years. As a result, and as a commitment to openness in student enrollment, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø strives to enroll students that are considered non-traditional in age in both the ADP and MBA. In Fall 2024, 4% of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s population was age 25 or older. The percent of adult students at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s peers ranged from 1% to 20% with the average being 5% adult students and median being 3%. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø strives to increase our transfer and adult programs.

• Actual: 4% students age 25 or older

Graduates are surveyed six months after earning a baccalaureate degree, reporting employment or continuing education.

Employment or Continuing Education

Given ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s commitment to prepare students for success, it participates in the First Destinations Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers to gather data on graduates’ experiences after completing their degree. Graduates are surveyed six months after earning a baccalaureate degree. Data show that graduates from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s Class of 2024 report:

• 64% are employed either full-or part-time
• 24% are continuing their education in full-time graduate studies
• 8% are still looking for employment
• 2% are not actively seeking employment
• 1% are in the military
• 1% are volunteering

Using peers, defined as other schools with a Carnegie Classification as Baccalaureate: Arts and Sciences Focus, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has defined:

• Minimum: Peer average (86% employed or in continuing education)
• Target: Exceed peer average by 5%
• Actual: 90.1% employed or in continuing education

Graduation Rate

The six-year graduation rate (see definition below) represents students who enrolled as first-time, full-time students six years earlier and completed their undergraduate degrees within 150% of the traditional 4-year time frame. Over the last five years, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s graduation rate has ranged from 51% to 58%. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Peers have ranged from 32% graduation rate to 74% over that same time period. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø sets its minimum threshold based on the 25th percentile and the target as being in the 50th percentile of its peers each year. For 2024, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø surpassed the minimum standard set but missed the target.

Minimum: 25th Percentile (47% Graduation Rate)
Target: 50th Percentile (57% Graduation Rate)
Actual: 54% Graduation Rate

For 2024, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø surpassed the minimum standard set but missed the target. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has instituted new measures and programs to address student needs to increase our graduation rate.

Data are collected on the number of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in a particular year (cohort), and whether they completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Typically, this corresponds to a 6-year rate, but some programs may differ.

Retention Rate

The retention rate is an indicator of how well first-year students acclimate to an institution’s academic and social life. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø determined that increasing the retention rate was a priority and would be a key component of its SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has focused on increasing its retention rate. Because of this effort, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø set as its minimum the median retention rate of its peers (71% in 2024) and a target of being in the 80th percentile (76% in 2024).

Minimum: Peer Median (71%)
Target: 80th Percentile of Peers (76%)
Actual: 73% Retention Rate

For 2024, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø surpassed the minimum standard set but missed the target. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has begun to put in place a study for the First Year Seminar curriculum and recently restructured our Writing Center to help increase our retention rate.

Pell Graduation Rate

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø monitors the graduation rate of its Pell students as compared to the non-Pell student body. Given that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s graduation rate of Pell students reflects about the same difference as its overall graduation rate, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has decided to focus setting minimums and targets based on its own metrics rather than as compared to peers. Currently the graduation rate of Pell students at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is 83%, whereas the graduation rate of all students at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is 54%, reflecting a 29% gap. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has exceeded the Pell graduation rate compared to its overall graduation rate for the first time. This shows a great improvement in resources and success for this population of student at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, but points to the need for more overall support for graduation.

Engagement assesses the self-reported experiences of seniors with regard to interaction with faculty during their time at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

Experiences with Faculty

Given the small class sizes and low student-to-faculty ratio, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø sees student/faculty interaction as integral to a liberal arts college education. Using NSSE data, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø assesses the self-reported experiences of seniors with regard to interaction with faculty. For example, these experiences include: talked about career plans with a faculty member, worked with a faculty member on activities other than coursework, had discussions with a faculty member outside of class, and discussed academic performance with a faculty member.

• Minimum: No significant difference between ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø seniors’ experiences and those of students attending other private colleges in the southeast (i.e., ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students do not report significantly less interaction).
• Target: Statistically significant difference whereby ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø seniors engage with faculty more than students attending other private colleges in the southeast.

The statistical reporting options are given below.

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Results

• Actual: No significant difference between ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø seniors’ experiences and those of students attending other private colleges in the southeast.

For 2022, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø met the minimum, but did not achieve the target.

Learning with Peers

Given the small class sizes and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s commitment to diversity on campus, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø expects that students will engage in discussions with diverse others. Using NSSE data, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø assesses the self-reported experiences of seniors with regard to how often they engaged in discussions with diverse others, including: people from a race/ethnicity, economic background, religious belief, and political belief other than their own.

• Minimum: No significant difference between ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø experiences and those of students attending other private colleges in the southeast (i.e., ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students do not report significantly less interaction).
• Target: Statistically significant difference whereby ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø seniors engage in discussions with diverse others more than students attending other private colleges in the southeast.

The statistical reporting options are given below.

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Results

• Actual: No significant difference between ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø seniors’ experiences and those of students attending other private colleges in the southeast.

For 2022, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø met the minimum, but did not achieve the target.