Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2013-2016

THIS SURVEY HAS NO NEW CHANGES AND IS NOT
SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE FULL CONTENT OF THIS
DOCUMENT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED ON
DEC 2013. THIS COLLECTION IS CURRENTLY OPEN.

Graduation Rates
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS)

This IPEDS Graduation Rates data collection instrument was used during the
2014-15 data collection and will be used during the 2015-16 data collection.

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

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.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Graduation Rates - 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 2015 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 fullyear 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 4
Cohort year 2012
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 4
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

Graduation Rates - Completers within 150% 
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
In the columns below, report the status of the 2012 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, 2015 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 4
Cohort

(Column
10)

Cohort year 2012
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion

Total
completers
within 150%

Completers of programs of
Completers of programs of at
less than 2 academic yrs (or least 2 but less than 4 academic yrs
equivalent)
(or equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(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 4
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

Cohort year 2012
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion

Total
completers
within 150%

Completers of programs of
Completers of programs of at
less than 2 academic yrs (or least 2 but less than 4 academic yrs
equivalent)
(or equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 29)

Total men + women

Graduation Rates - Transfers/exclusions 
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students listed in Column 10 who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2015.
•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 4
Cohort
(Column
10)

Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)

Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
Total
students
exclusions
(Column 30)

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
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
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)

Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
Total
students
exclusions
(Column 30)

Still enrolled

No longer
enrolled

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

Total women
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and
women)

Graduation Rates - Completers within 100% 
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking 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 4

Cohort year 2012
Revised Exclusions
cohort

Cohort students who completed their program within
100% of normal time to completion

Total completers
within 100% (Column
55 + 56)
Completers of programs of
Completers of programs of at
less than 2 academic yrs (or least 2 but less than 4 academic
equivalent)
yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 55)
(Column 56)
(Column 57)

Total men
+ women

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

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

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
There are no changes in reporting for 2015-16. However, clarifications have been made to screens and instructions to
address respondent questions.
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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, 2015.

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, 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.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Include
students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those enrolled in offcampus 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 study 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

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational program
(i.e., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only an administrative
record and the fee is nominal
Enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution

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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

Web Tutorials

You can also consult the IPEDS website which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, 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 2015 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, 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.

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 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 - 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 2012 cohort of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of 150% of normal time
to completion for their program or August 31, 2015 (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 "formal award") 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 contact 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 contact or 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 contact or 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 2012 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, 2015 (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, 2015, 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, 2015 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 2012 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, 2015 (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 contact or 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 contact or 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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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. 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.

date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates component,
this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for the Fall Enrollment component, it
is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

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.

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Black or African American

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150% of
normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Degree/certificate-seeking
students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. 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; or
   - obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution
High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the
institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in the armed forces
(including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the
Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first
time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also
includes 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 graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more
contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter
credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August 31 that is
established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) and Outcome Measures (OM) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to be considered
in the cohort. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate is calculated
as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of the Student Right
-to-Know legislation. 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), by race/ethnicity and gender; the
number completing their program within 150 percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to
other institutions if transfer is part of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athleticallyrelated student aid were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they
completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL where
the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates worksheets that calculate
rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Hispanic/Latino

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates (GR) and Outcome
Measures (OM) components of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as the enrollment count before removing revisions
and exclusions of all degree/certificate-seeking students who enter in either (1) the fall term of a given academic
year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year. For the GR component of IPEDS, the
initial cohort is only for full-time, first-time students. For OM, all undergraduates are placed in one of four initial
cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first time.

Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

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.

Normal time to completion

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.

Race and ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Race/ethnicity

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to
which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote
scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens,
and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
   - Hispanic or Latino or
   - Not Hispanic or Latino
Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
   - American Indian or Alaska Native
   - Asian
   - Black or African American
   - Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
   - White

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect data were
reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress
November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to calculate completion or
graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time students entering that institution, and to disclose these
rates to all students and prospective students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any
Title IV program and is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the
Secretary of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all
students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and
the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also required to be
disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers athletically-related student
aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed specifically to help institutions respond to these
requirements. See Graduation Rates for the current description of data collected.

Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within 150% of normal
time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer into a higher level
program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level program for which the institution does
not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or
more years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into health services fields.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

White

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
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?
2) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4) Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
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?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
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 awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and an AA) within the 3year 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?
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?
3) 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"?
4) What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
5) 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?
6) 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?

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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2) 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 full-time, 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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3) 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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4) 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-to-term.
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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 formal award, 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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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/certificateseeking 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 "first-time"?
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 transfersout?
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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15) 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:
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 2-year
program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact 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.
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Other
1) 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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2) Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-toKnow 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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3) 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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4) 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 "formal award") should be counted as completers.
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5) 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 2012 cohort.
Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013.
Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2013, 150% of 9 months following this date would
extend to October 15, 2014 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR survey, the first status date following
this is August 31, 2015 and the report is due during the Winter 2015-16 data collection. So you are on track for reporting this
cohort.
Back to top
6) 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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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to 2-year institutions
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Establishing Cohorts
Cohort Data
Worksheets
Establishing Cohorts
You must first report on the cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. The screen shown will
vary depending on whether your institution has a preloaded 2012 cohort. The values entered on this screen will be used to
represent the Cohort on all subsequent screens.
For institutions with a preloaded Initial cohort, use the screen provided to enter the Revised cohort of students by
race/ethnicity and gender to correct incorrect data that were reported in an earlier year.
For institutions with no preloaded cohort, use the screen provided to enter the 2012 Cohort (column 01) of students by
race/ethnicity and gender.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

•
•

The calculated Total men + women in the cohort must be greater than 0.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded, then the calculated Total men + women in the Cohort (column 01) must be less
than or equal to the Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the same year's 12-month enrollment survey.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded and the cohort reported in the prior year was greater than 25, then the calculated
Total men + women in the Cohort (column 01) is expected to be within a 30% range of the Total in prior year
(men and women) value.
If an Initial cohort is preloaded, then the Revised cohort total must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort
total, as outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within plus 8 or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is between 20
percent and 80 percent, then an explanation is required.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is greater than 80
percent, then a fatal error will occur.

•

The current year racial/ethnic distribution of Men is expected to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic
distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
Note: These distributions are calculated by finding the absolute value of the current year percentage for men minus
the corresponding prior year percentage for men from each race/ethnicity category. If the sum of the absolute values
across all race/ethnicity categories (excluding the White category) is greater than 30, then an explanation error will
occur. For example, in Table 1 (shown below) the sum of the Current year minus prior year absolute values
across all applicable race/ethnicity categories is 40. Because this number is greater than 30, an explanation error will
occur.
Table 1

Race/ethnicity

Nonresident Alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total
•
•

Current year
percentage
of men
6
10
1
8
25
6

Prior year
percentage
of men
14
9
3
6
10
4

Current year minus
prior year absolute
value
8
1
2
2
15
2

50
4
0
--

46
6
8
--

-2
8
40

As with the distribution of Men explained previously, the current year racial/ethnic distribution of Women is expected
to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
If the prior year Adjusted cohort (from the Calculation of 4-year average rates: Cohort adjustment worksheet)
is greater than 0; AND the number of Total Exclusions is greater than 0; THEN:
Total Completers within 150% * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Cohort (column 10) – the number of Total Exclusions

Should be within a 20% range of the following:
PY Total Completers within 150% (from the 4-year-average, part 2 worksheet) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

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Cohort Data
Use these screens to report the status of full-time, first-time degree/certificate seeking students for Cohort year 2012. The
following screens must be completed:

Completers within 150%
On this screen, you must report the cohort of students who completed their program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less than 2 years (column 11) and Completers of programs of at
least two but less than four years (column 12) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of completers by
length of time to completion. The Cohort (column 10) is preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the sum of columns 11 and 12 to determine the number of Total completers within
150% (column 29) for each race/ethnicity and gender category.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

The number of Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be greater than 0. Otherwise, a fatal error will
occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College Navigator page.
If the number of Total Completers within 150% is greater than 10; THEN, this value must be less than the Cohort
(column 10) minus the number of Total Exclusions (from the Transfers/Exclusions screen). Otherwise, a fatal
error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 100% on your institution's College Navigator page.

Transfers/Exclusions
On this screen, you must report the cohort of students who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2015, including:
Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and the number of students Still enrolled
(column 51) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of non completers. The Cohort (column 10) and the Total completers within 150% (column 29) are preloaded for your reference.

In addition, the system will calculate the number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) for each race/ethnicity and
gender category by subtracting columns 30, 45, 51 and 29 from the Cohort (column 10).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the calculated total number of  students No longer enrolled (column
52) cannot be negative. To correct this value, the sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29), Total
transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and Still enrolled (column 51) must be less than
or equal to the number of students in the Cohort (column 10).
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to be
less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the Cohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join the
military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church mission. Do
NOT include all non-completers in this column.
If your institution reported having more than 100 men and women in the Cohort (column 10); and your institution
reported having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30), then the number of students No longer
enrolled (column 52) is expected to be greater than 0.
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).
If the number of Total Transfer-out students (column 30) is greater than 50; AND, the Total in prior year (men
and women) value is greater than 0 for both Total transfer-out students and the Cohort (column 10); THEN, the
number of Total Transfer-out students in the current year must be within a 25% range of the following:
The Cohort (column 10) * the PY number of Total transfer-out students
____________________________________________________________________________
The PY Cohort

Completers within 100%
On this screen, you must report the number of students in the cohort who completed their program within 100% of normal
time to completion, including: Completers of programs of less than 2 years (column 55) and Completers of programs
of at least two but less than four years (column 56). The Revised cohort and Exclusions are preloaded for your
reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the sum of columns 55 and 56 to determine the Total completers within 100%
(column 57).
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered:
•
•

The number of Total completers with 100% (column 57) is expected to be greater than 0.
The number of Total completers within 100% (column 57) should be less than or equal to the previously reported
Total completers within 150% (from the Completers within 150% screen).

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Worksheets
Additional worksheet screens are displayed at the end of the survey to provide your institution with a summary of the data
entered in the current and prior years. Worksheets include:
•

•

Graduation and transfer-out rates, including:
◦ Graduation rate (men, women, total)
◦ Transfer-out rate (men, women, total)
4-year average rates, including:
◦ Adjusted cohort (men, women, total)
◦ Total completers within 150% (men, women, total)
◦ Total transfer-out students (men, women, total)
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know completion or graduation calculation
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know transfer-out rate calculation

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

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.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Graduation Rates - 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 2015 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 fullyear 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 2012 cohort of full-time, 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 4
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 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
Total in prior year (men and women)

Cohort year 2012
Cohort
(Column 01)

Graduation Rates - Completers within 150% 
Cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
In the columns below, report the status of the 2012 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, 2015 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 4
Cohort

(Column
10)

Cohort year 2012
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion

Total
completers
within 150%

Completers of programs of
Completers of programs of at
less than 2 academic yrs (or least 2 but less than 4 academic yrs
equivalent)
(or equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(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 4
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

Cohort year 2012
Cohort students who completed their program within
150% of normal time to completion

Total
completers
within 150%

Completers of programs of
Completers of programs of at
less than 2 academic yrs (or least 2 but less than 4 academic yrs
equivalent)
(or equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 29)

Total men + women

Graduation Rates - Transfers/exclusions 
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students listed in Column 10 who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2015.
•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 4
Cohort
(Column
10)

Total
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)

Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
Total
students
exclusions
(Column 30)

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
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
completers
within 150%
(Column 29)

Cohort year 2012
Total transfer-out
Total
students
exclusions
(Column 30)

Still enrolled

No longer
enrolled

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

Total women
Total men + women
Total in prior year (men and
women)

Graduation Rates - Completers within 100% 
•In the columns below, report the status of those students in the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking 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 4

Cohort year 2012
Revised Exclusions
cohort

Cohort students who completed their program within
100% of normal time to completion

Total completers
within 100% (Column
55 + 56)
Completers of programs of
Completers of programs of at
less than 2 academic yrs (or least 2 but less than 4 academic
equivalent)
yrs (or equivalent)
(Column 55)
(Column 56)
(Column 57)

Total men
+ women

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

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

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
There are no changes in reporting for 2015-16. However, clarifications have been made to screens and instructions to
address respondent questions.
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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, 2015.

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, 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.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Include
students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those enrolled in offcampus 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 study 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

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational program
(i.e., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only an administrative
record and the fee is nominal
Enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution

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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

Web Tutorials

You can also consult the IPEDS website which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, 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 2015 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, 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.

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 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 - 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 2012 cohort of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of 150% of normal time
to completion for their program or August 31, 2015 (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 "formal award") 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 contact 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 contact or 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 contact or 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 2012 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, 2015 (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, 2015, 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, 2015 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 2012 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, 2015 (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 contact or 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 contact or 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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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. 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.

date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates component,
this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for the Fall Enrollment component, it
is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

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.

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Black or African American

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150% of
normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Degree/certificate-seeking
students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. 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; or
   - obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution
High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the
institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in the armed forces
(including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the
Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first
time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also
includes 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 graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more
contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter
credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August 31 that is
established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) and Outcome Measures (OM) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to be considered
in the cohort. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate is calculated
as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of the Student Right
-to-Know legislation. 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), by race/ethnicity and gender; the
number completing their program within 150 percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to
other institutions if transfer is part of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athleticallyrelated student aid were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they
completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL where
the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates worksheets that calculate
rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Hispanic/Latino

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates (GR) and Outcome
Measures (OM) components of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as the enrollment count before removing revisions
and exclusions of all degree/certificate-seeking students who enter in either (1) the fall term of a given academic
year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year. For the GR component of IPEDS, the
initial cohort is only for full-time, first-time students. For OM, all undergraduates are placed in one of four initial
cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first time.

Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

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.

Normal time to completion

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.

Race and ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Race/ethnicity

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to
which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote
scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens,
and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
   - Hispanic or Latino or
   - Not Hispanic or Latino
Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
   - American Indian or Alaska Native
   - Asian
   - Black or African American
   - Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
   - White

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect data were
reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress
November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to calculate completion or
graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time students entering that institution, and to disclose these
rates to all students and prospective students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any
Title IV program and is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the
Secretary of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all
students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and
the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also required to be
disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers athletically-related student
aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed specifically to help institutions respond to these
requirements. See Graduation Rates for the current description of data collected.

Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within 150% of normal
time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer into a higher level
program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level program for which the institution does
not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or
more years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into health services fields.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

White

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
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?
2) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4) Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
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?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
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 awards (e.g., certificate in cosmetology and an AA) within the 3year 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?
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?
3) 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"?
4) What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
5) 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?
6) 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?

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. 

Back to top
2) 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 full-time, 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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3) 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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4) 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-to-term.
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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 formal award, 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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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/certificateseeking in the IPEDS Glossary.
Back to top
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 "first-time"?
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.
Back to top
13) Many of our students take courses during the summer at other schools; should these be considered transfersout?
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.
Back to top
15) 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:
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 2-year
program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact 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.
Back to top
Other
1) 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. 
Back to top
2) Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-toKnow 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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3) 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.
Back to top
4) 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 "formal award") should be counted as completers.
Back to top
5) 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 2012 cohort.
Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013.
Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2013, 150% of 9 months following this date would
extend to October 15, 2014 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR survey, the first status date following
this is August 31, 2015 and the report is due during the Winter 2015-16 data collection. So you are on track for reporting this
cohort.
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6) 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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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 2-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to 2-year institutions
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Establishing Cohorts
Cohort Data
Worksheets
Establishing Cohorts
You must first report on the cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. The screen shown will
vary depending on whether your institution has a preloaded 2012 cohort. The values entered on this screen will be used to
represent the Cohort on all subsequent screens.
For institutions with a preloaded Initial cohort, use the screen provided to enter the Revised cohort of students by
race/ethnicity and gender to correct incorrect data that were reported in an earlier year.
For institutions with no preloaded cohort, use the screen provided to enter the 2012 Cohort (column 01) of students by
race/ethnicity and gender.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

•
•

The calculated Total men + women in the cohort must be greater than 0.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded, then the calculated Total men + women in the Cohort (column 01) must be less
than or equal to the Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the same year's 12-month enrollment survey.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded and the cohort reported in the prior year was greater than 25, then the calculated
Total men + women in the Cohort (column 01) is expected to be within a 30% range of the Total in prior year
(men and women) value.
If an Initial cohort is preloaded, then the Revised cohort total must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort
total, as outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within plus 8 or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is between 20
percent and 80 percent, then an explanation is required.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is greater than 80
percent, then a fatal error will occur.

•

The current year racial/ethnic distribution of Men is expected to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic
distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
Note: These distributions are calculated by finding the absolute value of the current year percentage for men minus
the corresponding prior year percentage for men from each race/ethnicity category. If the sum of the absolute values
across all race/ethnicity categories (excluding the White category) is greater than 30, then an explanation error will
occur. For example, in Table 1 (shown below) the sum of the Current year minus prior year absolute values
across all applicable race/ethnicity categories is 40. Because this number is greater than 30, an explanation error will
occur.
Table 1

Race/ethnicity

Nonresident Alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total
•
•

Current year
percentage
of men
6
10
1
8
25
6

Prior year
percentage
of men
14
9
3
6
10
4

Current year minus
prior year absolute
value
8
1
2
2
15
2

50
4
0
--

46
6
8
--

-2
8
40

As with the distribution of Men explained previously, the current year racial/ethnic distribution of Women is expected
to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
If the prior year Adjusted cohort (from the Calculation of 4-year average rates: Cohort adjustment worksheet)
is greater than 0; AND the number of Total Exclusions is greater than 0; THEN:
Total Completers within 150% * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Cohort (column 10) – the number of Total Exclusions

Should be within a 20% range of the following:
PY Total Completers within 150% (from the 4-year-average, part 2 worksheet) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

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Cohort Data
Use these screens to report the status of full-time, first-time degree/certificate seeking students for Cohort year 2012. The
following screens must be completed:

Completers within 150%
On this screen, you must report the cohort of students who completed their program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less than 2 years (column 11) and Completers of programs of at
least two but less than four years (column 12) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of completers by
length of time to completion. The Cohort (column 10) is preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the sum of columns 11 and 12 to determine the number of Total completers within
150% (column 29) for each race/ethnicity and gender category.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

The number of Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be greater than 0. Otherwise, a fatal error will
occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College Navigator page.
If the number of Total Completers within 150% is greater than 10; THEN, this value must be less than the Cohort
(column 10) minus the number of Total Exclusions (from the Transfers/Exclusions screen). Otherwise, a fatal
error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 100% on your institution's College Navigator page.

Transfers/Exclusions
On this screen, you must report the cohort of students who did not complete a program as of August 31, 2015, including:
Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and the number of students Still enrolled
(column 51) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of non completers. The Cohort (column 10) and the Total completers within 150% (column 29) are preloaded for your reference.

In addition, the system will calculate the number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) for each race/ethnicity and
gender category by subtracting columns 30, 45, 51 and 29 from the Cohort (column 10).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the calculated total number of  students No longer enrolled (column
52) cannot be negative. To correct this value, the sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29), Total
transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and Still enrolled (column 51) must be less than
or equal to the number of students in the Cohort (column 10).
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to be
less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the Cohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join the
military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church mission. Do
NOT include all non-completers in this column.
If your institution reported having more than 100 men and women in the Cohort (column 10); and your institution
reported having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30), then the number of students No longer
enrolled (column 52) is expected to be greater than 0.
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).
If the number of Total Transfer-out students (column 30) is greater than 50; AND, the Total in prior year (men
and women) value is greater than 0 for both Total transfer-out students and the Cohort (column 10); THEN, the
number of Total Transfer-out students in the current year must be within a 25% range of the following:
The Cohort (column 10) * the PY number of Total transfer-out students
____________________________________________________________________________
The PY Cohort

Completers within 100%
On this screen, you must report the number of students in the cohort who completed their program within 100% of normal
time to completion, including: Completers of programs of less than 2 years (column 55) and Completers of programs
of at least two but less than four years (column 56). The Revised cohort and Exclusions are preloaded for your
reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the sum of columns 55 and 56 to determine the Total completers within 100%
(column 57).
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered:
•
•

The number of Total completers with 100% (column 57) is expected to be greater than 0.
The number of Total completers within 100% (column 57) should be less than or equal to the previously reported
Total completers within 150% (from the Completers within 150% screen).

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Worksheets
Additional worksheet screens are displayed at the end of the survey to provide your institution with a summary of the data
entered in the current and prior years. Worksheets include:
•

•

Graduation and transfer-out rates, including:
◦ Graduation rate (men, women, total)
◦ Transfer-out rate (men, women, total)
4-year average rates, including:
◦ Adjusted cohort (men, women, total)
◦ Total completers within 150% (men, women, total)
◦ Total transfer-out students (men, women, total)
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know completion or graduation calculation
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know transfer-out rate calculation

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

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.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Section I - Graduation Rates - 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 2015 data collection, your institution must report
graduation rates data using a:
Fall Cohort (Fall 2009)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A fullyear 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 2009 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 2009
Initial cohort
Revised cohort
(Column 01)
NEW categories:
Notes for NEW categories:
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
OLD categories:
Black, non-Hispanic
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Categories used in BOTH New and Old:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Women
Screen 1 of 2
Initial cohort
NEW categories:
Notes for NEW categories:
•Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
•Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

Cohort year 2009
Revised cohort
(Column 01)

Two or more races
OLD categories:
Black, non-Hispanic
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
White, non-Hispanic
Categories used in BOTH New and Old:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Section I - Graduation Rates - 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 year 2009
Bachelor's or equivalent
Other degree/certificate-seeking
degree-seeking
subcohort
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseeking subcohort)
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
(Column 03)
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 2 of 2

Cohort year 2009
Bachelor's or equivalent
Other degree/certificate-seeking
degree-seeking
subcohort
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseeking subcohort)
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
(Column 03)
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

Section II - Graduation Rates - 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, 2015 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 3
Bachelor's or
equivalent degreeseeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150%
Total
of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
bachelor's or
programs of less than programs of at least 2
equivalent
2 academic yrs (or
but less than 4
degrees
equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
(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

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

Cohort year 2009
Bachelor's or
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150%
Total
equivalent degreeof normal time to completion
completers
seeking subcohort
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
bachelor's or
programs of less than programs of at least 2
equivalent
2 academic yrs (or
but less than 4
degrees
equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
(Column 29)

Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men +
women

Section II - Graduation Rates - 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 3
Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Completed
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's
bachelor's
degree or equivalent
degree
Completed the Completed the Completed the
or equivalent
program in
program in
program in
within 150%
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(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 3
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 men + women

Cohort year 2009
Completed
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's
bachelor's
degree or equivalent
degree
Completed the Completed the Completed the
or equivalent
program in
program in
program in
within 150%
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)

Section II - Graduation Rates - 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 3
Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
completers
students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29)

(Column 30)

(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 3
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

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
completers
students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29)

(Column 30)

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Section III - Graduation Rates - 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, 2015 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 2
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Subcohort students who completed their program within
Total
150% of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
programs of less programs of at least bachelor's or
equivalent
than 2 academic
2 but less than 4
degrees
yrs (or equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18) (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 2
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

Cohort year 2009
Subcohort students who completed their program within
Total
150% of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
programs of less programs of at least bachelor's or
equivalent
than 2 academic
2 but less than 4
degrees
yrs (or equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18) (Column 29)

Two or more
races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men +
women

Section III - Graduation Rates - 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 2
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort
(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transferTotal
Still enrolled No longer
completers
out students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29) (Column 30) (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 2
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

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transferTotal
Still enrolled No longer
completers
out students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29) (Column 30) (Column 45) (Column 51) (Column
52)

Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

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
There are no changes in reporting for 2015-16. However, clarifications have been made to screens and instructions to
address respondent questions.
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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, 2009 (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, 2009 and August 31, 2010 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, 2015.
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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, 2009 and August 31, 2010, 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.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Include
students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those enrolled in offcampus 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 study 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

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational program
(i.e., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only an administrative
record and the fee is nominal
Enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution

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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk

Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS website which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, 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:

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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
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.

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Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race

For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:

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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:

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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:
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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.

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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 2015 data
collection, according to the following rules:

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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, 2009 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, 2009 and August 31, 2010, 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 2009 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:

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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)
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 formal award) 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 2009 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2015 (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 "formal award") 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 contact 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
contact or 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 contact or 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, 2013.
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, 2013 through August 31, 2014. 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,
2014 through August 31, 2015. 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 2009 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students
as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2015 (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, 2015, 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, 2015 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 III – Completers within 150% - Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2009 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's degree as of 150% of normal time
to completion or August 31, 2015 (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 "formal award") 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 contact 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 contact or 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 contact or 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 2009 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, 2015 (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, 2015, 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, 2015 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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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 2009 student cohort are
provided as a convenience to the institution. In addition, the 4-year, 5-year, and 6-year graduation rates for the 2009
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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date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates component,
this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for the Fall Enrollment component, it
is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

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.

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education) that
normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all
bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for
alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to
combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4
years of work are completed in 3 years.

Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

In the GR component of IPEDS, a cohort of students who were seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon entry.

Black or African American

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150% of
normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Degree/certificate-seeking
students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. 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; or
   - obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution
High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the
institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in the armed forces
(including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the
Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first
time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also
includes 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 graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more
contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter
credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August 31 that is
established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) and Outcome Measures (OM) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to be considered
in the cohort. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate is calculated
as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of the Student Right
-to-Know legislation. 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), by race/ethnicity and gender; the
number completing their program within 150 percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to
other institutions if transfer is part of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athleticallyrelated student aid were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they
completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL where
the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates worksheets that calculate
rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Hispanic/Latino

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates (GR) and Outcome
Measures (OM) components of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as the enrollment count before removing revisions
and exclusions of all degree/certificate-seeking students who enter in either (1) the fall term of a given academic
year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year. For the GR component of IPEDS, the
initial cohort is only for full-time, first-time students. For OM, all undergraduates are placed in one of four initial
cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first time.
Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

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.

Normal time to completion

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.

Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort

A subset of students belonging to a GR cohort who were seeking a degree or certificate other than bachelor's degree
upon entry.

Race and ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Race/ethnicity

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to
which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote
scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens,
and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
   - Hispanic or Latino or
   - Not Hispanic or Latino
Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
   - American Indian or Alaska Native
   - Asian
   - Black or African American
   - Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
   - White

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect data were
reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress
November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to calculate completion or
graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time students entering that institution, and to disclose these
rates to all students and prospective students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any
Title IV program and is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the
Secretary of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all
students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and
the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also required to be
disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers athletically-related student
aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed specifically to help institutions respond to these
requirements. See Graduation Rates for the current description of data collected.

Subcohort

A predefined subset of the initial cohort or the revised cohort established for tracking purposes on the Graduation
Rates (GR) component of IPEDS. (e.g., bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort.)

Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within 150% of normal
time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer into a higher level
program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level program for which the institution does
not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or
more years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into health services fields.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

White

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
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?
2) Why is it necessary for 4-year institutions to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
3) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
4) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
5) Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
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?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
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?
3) 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?
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?
9)

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?

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 full-time, 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-to-term.
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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 formal award, 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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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/certificateseeking 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 "first-time"?
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 transfersout?
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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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?
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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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?
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 2-year
program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact 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.
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Other
1) 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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2) Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-toKnow 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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3) 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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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"?
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.
Back to top
5) 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 "formal award") should be counted as completers.
Back to top
6) 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.
Back to top
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?
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.
Back to top
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?
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 "transferpreparatory program" described above.
Back to top
9) 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.
Back to top

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to 4-year institutions
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Section I: Establishing Cohorts
Sections II and III: Subcohort Data
Worksheets
Section I: Establishing Cohorts
Part 1
You must first report on the cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. The screen shown will
vary depending on whether your institution has a preloaded 2009 cohort. The values entered in Column 01 will be used to
represent the Cohort on all subsequent screens.
For institutions with a preloaded Initial cohort, use the screen provided to enter the Revised cohort (column 01) of
students by race/ethnicity and gender to correct incorrect data that were reported in an earlier year and/or to revise the
existing cohort for use with the new race/ethnicity categories.
For institutions with no preloaded cohort, use the screen provided to enter the 2009 Cohort (column 01) of students by
race/ethnicity and gender.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

•
•

The calculated Total men + women in Column 01 must be greater than 0.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded, then the calculated Total men + women in the Revised cohort (column 01) must
be less than or equal to the Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the same year's 12-month enrollment
survey.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded and the cohort reported in the prior year was greater than 25, then the calculated
Total men + women in the Cohort (column 01) is expected to be within a 30% range of the Total in prior year
(men and women) value.
If an Initial cohort is preloaded, then the Revised cohort total must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort
total, as outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within plus 8 or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is between 20
percent and 80 percent, then an explanation is required.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is greater than 80
percent, then a fatal error will occur.

•

The current year racial/ethnic distribution of Men is expected to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic
distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
Note: These distributions are calculated by finding the absolute value of the current year percentage for men minus
the corresponding prior year percentage for men from each race/ethnicity category. If the sum of the absolute values
across all race/ethnicity categories (excluding the White category) is greater than 30, then an explanation error will
occur. For example, in Table 1 (shown below) the sum of the Current year minus prior year absolute values
across all applicable race/ethnicity categories is 40. Because this number is greater than 30, an explanation error will
occur.
Table 1

Race/ethnicity

Nonresident Alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total
•
•

Current year
percentage
of men
6
10
1
8
25
6

Prior year
percentage
of men
14
9
3
6
10
4

Current year minus
prior year absolute
value
8
1
2
2
15
2

50
4
0
--

46
6
8
--

-2
8
40

As with the distribution of Men explained previously, the current year racial/ethnic distribution of Women is expected
to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
If your institution was a 2-year institution in 2012-13 and is now a 4-year institution, then the Total men + women
in the 2009 Revised cohort is expected to be equal to the amount previously reported by your institution for this
cohort on the 2012-13 Graduation Rates survey.

Part 2
On this screen, enter the number of students who belong to the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort
(column 02) for cohort year 2009 for each race/ethnicity and gender category.
The system will calculate the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 03) by subtracting the Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort (column 02) from the preloaded Cohort (column 01).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•
•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column
02) cannot be greater than the Cohort (column 01).
If your institution reported offering bachelor's degrees in the IC Header survey, then the Total men +
women seeking a Bachelor's or equivalent degree (column 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
If your institution reported offering award levels other than bachelor's degrees in the IC Header survey, the Total
men + women seeking an Other degree (column 03) is expected to be greater than 0.
The sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29) from Sections II and III must be greater than 0.
Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College Navigator page.
If the sum of Total completers within 150% from Sections II and III is greater than 10, then this value must be
less than the Cohort (column 01) minus the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III (from the
Transfers/Exclusions screen). Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 100% on your
institution's College Navigator page.
If the prior year Adjusted cohort (from the Calculation of 4-year average rates: Cohort adjustment worksheet)
is greater than 0; AND the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III is greater than 0; THEN:
The sum of Total Completers within 150% from Sections II and III * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Cohort (column 01) – the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III
Should be within a 20% range of the following:
PY Total Completers within 150% (from the 4-year-average, part 2 worksheet) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

•

If your institution was a 2-year institution in 2012-13 and is now a 4-year institution, then the Total men +
women seeking a Bachelor's or equivalent degree (column 02) for cohort year 2009 is expected to be 0.

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Section II and Section III: Subcohort Data
Use Sections II and III to report data on the specified student subcohorts, based on the descriptions below:
•

•

Section II: Report the status of the Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent
degree for Cohort year 2009.
◦ Applicable to institutions that report a Bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort on the Establishing
Cohorts, Part 2 screen)
Section III: Report the status of the Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's or
equivalent degree for Cohort year 2009.
◦ Applicable to institutions that report an Other degree-seeking subcohort on the Establishing Cohorts,
Part 2 screen)

The following screens must be completed for both Section II and Section III (as applicable to your institution):

Completers within 150%
Use sections II and II to report the subcohort of students who completed their program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less than 2 years (column 11), Completers of programs of at least
two but less than four years (column 12), and Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (column 18) by
race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of completers by
length of time to completion. The relevant subcohort (column 10) is preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the sum of columns 11, 12, and 18 to determine the number of Total completers
within 150% (column 29) for each race/ethnicity and gender category.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered in Section II:
•
•
•

The Total men + women calculated for Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (Column 18) is
expected to be greater than 0.
For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be less than or
equal to the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10).
If the calculated Total men + women in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) is
greater than 25, then the Total men + women calculated for Total completers within 150% (column 29) is
expected to be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered in Section III:
•
•
•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be less than or
equal to the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 10).
If the calculated Total men + women in the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) is greater than 25,
then the Total men + women calculated for Total completers within 150% (column 29) is expected to be
greater than 0.
If your institution was a 2-year institution in 2012-13 and is now a 4-year institution, then the Total men + women
reported for Total completers within 150% (column 29) for the cohort year 2009  is expected to be equal to the
amount previously reported by your institution for this cohort on the 2012-13 Graduation Rates survey.

Bachelor's completers by length of time to degree
Applicable to Section II ONLY
On this screen, you must report the number of students in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort
(column 10) who Completed the program in 4 years or less (column 19) and Completed the program in 5 years
(column 20) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of completers by
length of time to completion. The Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) and the number of
students who Completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% (column 18) are preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the number of students who Completed the program in 6 years (column 21) for each
race/ethnicity and gender category by subtracting columns 19 and 20 from the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort (column 10).
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered:
•
•

The Total men + women calculated for the subcohort of students that Completed the program in 4 yrs or
less(Column 19) is expected to be greater than 0.
For each race/ethnicity and gender category,  the number of students who Completed the program in 6 years
cannot be negative. To correct this value, you must adjust the number of students who Completed the program in
4 years or less and/or Completed the program in 5 years, so that the sum of these values is less than or equal to
the number of students in the subcohort (Column 10).

Transfers/Exclusions

Use Sections II and III to report the subcohort of students who did not complete a program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and the number of
students Still enrolled (column 51) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of non-completers.
The relevant subcohort (column 10) and the Total completers within 150% (column 29) are preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) for each race/ethnicity and
gender category by subtracting columns 30, 45, 51 and 29 from the subcohort (column 10).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) cannot
be negative. To correct this value, the sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29), Total transfer-out
students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and Still enrolled (column 51) must be less or equal to the
number of students in the subcohort (column 10).
If the number of Total transfer-out students (men + women) (column 30) is greater than 10, then this value is
expected to be less than or equal to 40% of the total number of men and women in the subcohort (column 10).
Note: Transfer-out students should ONLY include students who transferred out to another eligible institution. Do NOT
include all non-completers here.
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to be
less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the subcohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join the
military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church mission. Do
NOT include all non-completers here.
If your institution reported having more than 100 men and women in the subcohort (column 10); and your institution
reported having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30), then the number of students No longer
enrolled (column 52) is expected to be greater than 0.
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).

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Worksheets
Additional worksheet screens are displayed at the end of the survey to provide your institution with a summary of the data
entered in the current and prior years. Worksheets include:
•

•

Graduation and transfer-out rates, including:
◦ Graduation rate (men, women, total)
◦ Transfer-out rate (men, women, total)
◦ 4 year, 5 year, and 6 year graduation rate (men, women, total by race/ethnicity)  Applicable to institutions
that reported completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees
4-year average rates, including:
◦ Adjusted cohort (men, women, total)
◦ Total completers within 150% (men, women, total)
◦ Total transfer-out students (men, women, total)
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know completion or graduation calculation
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know transfer-out rate calculation

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

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.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Section I - Graduation Rates - 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 2015 data collection, your institution must report
graduation rates data using a:
Full-Year Cohort (September 1, 2009 - August 31, 2010)
A fall cohort is used by institutions with standard academic terms (semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4). A fullyear 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 2009 cohort of full-time, 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 2009
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 2009
Cohort
(Column 01)

Section I - Graduation Rates - 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 year 2009
Bachelor's or equivalent
Other degree/certificate-seeking
degree-seeking
subcohort
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseeking subcohort)
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
(Column 03)
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 2 of 2

Cohort year 2009
Bachelor's or equivalent
Other degree/certificate-seeking
degree-seeking
subcohort
subcohort
(Cohort minus Bachelor’s or equivalent degreeseeking subcohort)
(Column 01)
(Column 02)
(Column 03)
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

Section II - Graduation Rates - 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, 2015 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 3
Bachelor's or
equivalent degreeseeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150%
Total
of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
bachelor's or
programs of less than programs of at least 2
equivalent
2 academic yrs (or
but less than 4
degrees
equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
(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

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

Cohort year 2009
Bachelor's or
Subcohort students who completed their program within 150%
Total
equivalent degreeof normal time to completion
completers
seeking subcohort
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
bachelor's or
programs of less than programs of at least 2
equivalent
2 academic yrs (or
but less than 4
degrees
equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 10)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18)
(Column 29)

Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men +
women

Section II - Graduation Rates - 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 3
Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Completed
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's
bachelor's
degree or equivalent
degree
Completed the Completed the Completed the
or equivalent
program in
program in
program in
within 150%
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(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 3
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 men + women

Cohort year 2009
Completed
Subcohort students who attained a bachelor's
bachelor's
degree or equivalent
degree
Completed the Completed the Completed the
or equivalent
program in
program in
program in
within 150%
4 yrs or less
5 yrs
6 yrs
(Column 18)
(Column 19)
(Column 20)
(Column 21)

Section II - Graduation Rates - 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 3
Bachelor's or
equivalent
degree-seeking
subcohort
(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
completers
students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29)

(Column 30)

(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 3
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

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transfer-out
Total
Still enrolled No longer
completers
students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29)

(Column 30)

(Column 45) (Column 51) (Column 52)

Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

Section III - Graduation Rates - 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, 2015 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 2
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort

(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Subcohort students who completed their program within
Total
150% of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
programs of less programs of at least bachelor's or
equivalent
than 2 academic
2 but less than 4
degrees
yrs (or equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18) (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 2
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

Cohort year 2009
Subcohort students who completed their program within
Total
150% of normal time to completion
completers
Completers of within 150%
Completers of
Completers of
programs of less programs of at least bachelor's or
equivalent
than 2 academic
2 but less than 4
degrees
yrs (or equivalent)
academic yrs (or
equivalent)
(Column 11)
(Column 12)
(Column 18) (Column 29)

Two or more
races
Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men +
women

Section III - Graduation Rates - 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 2
Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort
(Column 10)

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transferTotal
Still enrolled No longer
completers
out students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29) (Column 30) (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 2
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

Cohort year 2009
Total
Total transferTotal
Still enrolled No longer
completers
out students
exclusions
enrolled
within 150%
(Column 29) (Column 30) (Column 45) (Column 51) (Column
52)

Race and ethnicity
unknown
Total women
Total men + women

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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

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
There are no changes in reporting for 2015-16. However, clarifications have been made to screens and instructions to
address respondent questions.
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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, 2009 (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, 2009 and August 31, 2010 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, 2015.
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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, 2009 and August 31, 2010, 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.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Include
students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those enrolled in offcampus 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 study 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

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational program
(i.e., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only an administrative
record and the fee is nominal
Enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution

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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk

Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS website which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, 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 2015 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, 2009 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, 2009 and August 31, 2010, 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 2009 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 formal award) 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 2009 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students as of 150% of normal
time to completion or August 31, 2015 (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 "formal award") 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 contact 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
contact or 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 contact or 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, 2013.
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, 2013 through August 31, 2014. 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,
2014 through August 31, 2015. 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 2009 subcohort of bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seeking students
as of 150% of the normal time to completion for their program or August 31, 2015 (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, 2015, 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, 2015 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 III – Completers within 150% - Other Degree/Certificate-Seeking Subcohort
Report each student only once.
Report the status of the 2009 subcohort of students seeking other than a bachelor's degree as of 150% of normal time
to completion or August 31, 2015 (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 "formal award") 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 contact 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 contact or 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 contact or 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 2009 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, 2015 (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, 2015, 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, 2015 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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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 2009 student cohort are
provided as a convenience to the institution. In addition, the 4-year, 5-year, and 6-year graduation rates for the 2009
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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date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates component,
this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for the Fall Enrollment component, it
is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

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.

Associate's degree

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education) that
normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all
bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for
alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to
combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4
years of work are completed in 3 years.

Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort

In the GR component of IPEDS, a cohort of students who were seeking a bachelor's or equivalent degree upon entry.

Black or African American

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150% of
normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Degree/certificate-seeking
students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. 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; or
   - obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution
High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the
institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in the armed forces
(including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the
Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first
time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also
includes 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 graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more
contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter
credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August 31 that is
established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) and Outcome Measures (OM) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to be considered
in the cohort. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate is calculated
as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of the Student Right
-to-Know legislation. 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), by race/ethnicity and gender; the
number completing their program within 150 percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to
other institutions if transfer is part of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athleticallyrelated student aid were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they
completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL where
the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates worksheets that calculate
rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Hispanic/Latino

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates (GR) and Outcome
Measures (OM) components of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as the enrollment count before removing revisions
and exclusions of all degree/certificate-seeking students who enter in either (1) the fall term of a given academic
year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year. For the GR component of IPEDS, the
initial cohort is only for full-time, first-time students. For OM, all undergraduates are placed in one of four initial
cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first time.
Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).

Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

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.

Normal time to completion

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.

Other degree/certificateseeking subcohort

A subset of students belonging to a GR cohort who were seeking a degree or certificate other than bachelor's degree
upon entry.

Race and ethnicity unknown

The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.

Race/ethnicity

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to
which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote
scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens,
and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
   - Hispanic or Latino or
   - Not Hispanic or Latino
Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
   - American Indian or Alaska Native
   - Asian
   - Black or African American
   - Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
   - White

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect data were
reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress
November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to calculate completion or
graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time students entering that institution, and to disclose these
rates to all students and prospective students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any
Title IV program and is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the
Secretary of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all
students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and
the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also required to be
disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers athletically-related student
aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed specifically to help institutions respond to these
requirements. See Graduation Rates for the current description of data collected.

Subcohort

A predefined subset of the initial cohort or the revised cohort established for tracking purposes on the Graduation
Rates (GR) component of IPEDS. (e.g., bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort.)

Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within 150% of normal
time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer into a higher level
program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level program for which the institution does
not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or
more years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into health services fields.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

White

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
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?
2) Why is it necessary for 4-year institutions to separate their entering cohort into two groups?
3) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
4) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
5) Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
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?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
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?
3) 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?
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?
9)

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?

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 full-time, 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-to-term.
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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 formal award, 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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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/certificateseeking 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 "first-time"?
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 transfersout?
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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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?
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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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?
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 2-year
program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact 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.
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Other
1) 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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2) Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-toKnow 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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3) 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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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"?
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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5) 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 "formal award") should be counted as completers.
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6) 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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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?
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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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?
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 "transferpreparatory program" described above.
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9) 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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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to 4-year institutions
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Section I: Establishing Cohorts
Sections II and III: Subcohort Data
Worksheets
Section I: Establishing Cohorts
Part 1
You must first report on the cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. The screen shown will
vary depending on whether your institution has a preloaded 2009 cohort. The values entered in Column 01 will be used to
represent the Cohort on all subsequent screens.
For institutions with a preloaded Initial cohort, use the screen provided to enter the Revised cohort (column 01) of
students by race/ethnicity and gender to correct incorrect data that were reported in an earlier year and/or to revise the
existing cohort for use with the new race/ethnicity categories.
For institutions with no preloaded cohort, use the screen provided to enter the 2009 Cohort (column 01) of students by
race/ethnicity and gender.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

•
•

The calculated Total men + women in Column 01 must be greater than 0.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded, then the calculated Total men + women in the Revised cohort (column 01) must
be less than or equal to the Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the same year's 12-month enrollment
survey.
If no Initial cohort is preloaded and the cohort reported in the prior year was greater than 25, then the calculated
Total men + women in the Cohort (column 01) is expected to be within a 30% range of the Total in prior year
(men and women) value.
If an Initial cohort is preloaded, then the Revised cohort total must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort
total, as outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within plus 8 or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is between 20
percent and 80 percent, then an explanation is required.
If the percent of Total men + women reported in the Race and ethnicity unknown category is greater than 80
percent, then a fatal error will occur.

•

The current year racial/ethnic distribution of Men is expected to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic
distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
Note: These distributions are calculated by finding the absolute value of the current year percentage for men minus
the corresponding prior year percentage for men from each race/ethnicity category. If the sum of the absolute values
across all race/ethnicity categories (excluding the White category) is greater than 30, then an explanation error will
occur. For example, in Table 1 (shown below) the sum of the Current year minus prior year absolute values
across all applicable race/ethnicity categories is 40. Because this number is greater than 30, an explanation error will
occur.
Table 1

Race/ethnicity

Nonresident Alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total
•
•

Current year
percentage
of men
6
10
1
8
25
6

Prior year
percentage
of men
14
9
3
6
10
4

Current year minus
prior year absolute
value
8
1
2
2
15
2

50
4
0
--

46
6
8
--

-2
8
40

As with the distribution of Men explained previously, the current year racial/ethnic distribution of Women is expected
to be within a 30% range of the prior year racial/ethnic distribution, otherwise an explanation must be provided.
If your institution was a 2-year institution in 2012-13 and is now a 4-year institution, then the Total men + women
in the 2009 Revised cohort is expected to be equal to the amount previously reported by your institution for this
cohort on the 2012-13 Graduation Rates survey.

Part 2
On this screen, enter the number of students who belong to the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort
(column 02) for cohort year 2009 for each race/ethnicity and gender category.
The system will calculate the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 03) by subtracting the Bachelor's or equivalent
degree-seeking subcohort (column 02) from the preloaded Cohort (column 01).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•
•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column
02) cannot be greater than the Cohort (column 01).
If your institution reported offering bachelor's degrees in the IC Header survey, then the Total men +
women seeking a Bachelor's or equivalent degree (column 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
If your institution reported offering award levels other than bachelor's degrees in the IC Header survey, the Total
men + women seeking an Other degree (column 03) is expected to be greater than 0.
The sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29) from Sections II and III must be greater than 0.
Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College Navigator page.
If the sum of Total completers within 150% from Sections II and III is greater than 10, then this value must be
less than the Cohort (column 01) minus the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III (from the
Transfers/Exclusions screen). Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 100% on your
institution's College Navigator page.
If the prior year Adjusted cohort (from the Calculation of 4-year average rates: Cohort adjustment worksheet)
is greater than 0; AND the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III is greater than 0; THEN:
The sum of Total Completers within 150% from Sections II and III * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Cohort (column 01) – the sum of Total Exclusions from Sections II and III
Should be within a 20% range of the following:
PY Total Completers within 150% (from the 4-year-average, part 2 worksheet) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

•

If your institution was a 2-year institution in 2012-13 and is now a 4-year institution, then the Total men +
women seeking a Bachelor's or equivalent degree (column 02) for cohort year 2009 is expected to be 0.

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Section II and Section III: Subcohort Data
Use Sections II and III to report data on the specified student subcohorts, based on the descriptions below:
•

•

Section II: Report the status of the Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking a bachelor's or equivalent
degree for Cohort year 2009.
◦ Applicable to institutions that report a Bachelor's degree-seeking subcohort on the Establishing
Cohorts, Part 2 screen)
Section III: Report the status of the Subcohort of full-time, first-time students seeking other than a bachelor's or
equivalent degree for Cohort year 2009.
◦ Applicable to institutions that report an Other degree-seeking subcohort on the Establishing Cohorts,
Part 2 screen)

The following screens must be completed for both Section II and Section III (as applicable to your institution):

Completers within 150%
Use sections II and II to report the subcohort of students who completed their program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Completers of programs of less than 2 years (column 11), Completers of programs of at least
two but less than four years (column 12), and Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (column 18) by
race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of completers by
length of time to completion. The relevant subcohort (column 10) is preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the sum of columns 11, 12, and 18 to determine the number of Total completers
within 150% (column 29) for each race/ethnicity and gender category.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered in Section II:
•
•
•

The Total men + women calculated for Completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees (Column 18) is
expected to be greater than 0.
For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be less than or
equal to the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10).
If the calculated Total men + women in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) is
greater than 25, then the Total men + women calculated for Total completers within 150% (column 29) is
expected to be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered in Section III:
•
•
•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the Total completers within 150% (column 29) must be less than or
equal to the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 10).
If the calculated Total men + women in the Other degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) is greater than 25,
then the Total men + women calculated for Total completers within 150% (column 29) is expected to be
greater than 0.
If your institution was a 2-year institution in 2012-13 and is now a 4-year institution, then the Total men + women
reported for Total completers within 150% (column 29) for the cohort year 2009  is expected to be equal to the
amount previously reported by your institution for this cohort on the 2012-13 Graduation Rates survey.

Bachelor's completers by length of time to degree
Applicable to Section II ONLY
On this screen, you must report the number of students in the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort
(column 10) who Completed the program in 4 years or less (column 19) and Completed the program in 5 years
(column 20) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of completers by
length of time to completion. The Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking subcohort (column 10) and the number of
students who Completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent within 150% (column 18) are preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the number of students who Completed the program in 6 years (column 21) for each
race/ethnicity and gender category by subtracting columns 19 and 20 from the Bachelor's or equivalent degree-seeking
subcohort (column 10).
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered:
•
•

The Total men + women calculated for the subcohort of students that Completed the program in 4 yrs or
less(Column 19) is expected to be greater than 0.
For each race/ethnicity and gender category,  the number of students who Completed the program in 6 years
cannot be negative. To correct this value, you must adjust the number of students who Completed the program in
4 years or less and/or Completed the program in 5 years, so that the sum of these values is less than or equal to
the number of students in the subcohort (Column 10).

Transfers/Exclusions

Use Sections II and III to report the subcohort of students who did not complete a program within 150% of normal time to
completion, including: Total transfer-out students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and the number of
students Still enrolled (column 51) by race/ethnicity and gender.
For each column, the system will calculate the Total men + women to determine the grand total number of non-completers.
The relevant subcohort (column 10) and the Total completers within 150% (column 29) are preloaded for your reference.
In addition, the system will calculate the number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) for each race/ethnicity and
gender category by subtracting columns 30, 45, 51 and 29 from the subcohort (column 10).
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

•

•

For each race/ethnicity and gender category, the total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) cannot
be negative. To correct this value, the sum of Total completers within 150% (column 29), Total transfer-out
students (column 30), Total exclusions (column 45), and Still enrolled (column 51) must be less or equal to the
number of students in the subcohort (column 10).
If the number of Total transfer-out students (men + women) (column 30) is greater than 10, then this value is
expected to be less than or equal to 40% of the total number of men and women in the subcohort (column 10).
Note: Transfer-out students should ONLY include students who transferred out to another eligible institution. Do NOT
include all non-completers here.
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to be
less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the subcohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join the
military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church mission. Do
NOT include all non-completers here.
If your institution reported having more than 100 men and women in the subcohort (column 10); and your institution
reported having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30), then the number of students No longer
enrolled (column 52) is expected to be greater than 0.
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).

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Worksheets
Additional worksheet screens are displayed at the end of the survey to provide your institution with a summary of the data
entered in the current and prior years. Worksheets include:
•

•

Graduation and transfer-out rates, including:
◦ Graduation rate (men, women, total)
◦ Transfer-out rate (men, women, total)
◦ 4 year, 5 year, and 6 year graduation rate (men, women, total by race/ethnicity)  Applicable to institutions
that reported completers of bachelor's or equivalent degrees
4-year average rates, including:
◦ Adjusted cohort (men, women, total)
◦ Total completers within 150% (men, women, total)
◦ Total transfer-out students (men, women, total)
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know completion or graduation calculation
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know transfer-out rate calculation

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

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.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
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 2015 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.
•In the columns below, indicate the status of the 2012 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,
2015 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 1
Initial
cohort

Cohort year 2012
Total
Adjusted Completed
Total
Still enrolled No
exclusions cohort within 150% Of those in transfer-out
longer
(Col 10 - of normal Column 11, students
enrolled
Col 45)
time to
those who
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

Total men + women
Total men + women
prior year

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

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
There are no changes in reporting for 2015-16. However, clarifications have been made to screens and instructions to
address respondent questions.
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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, 2015.

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, 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.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Include
students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those enrolled in offcampus 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 study 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

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational program
(i.e., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only an administrative
record and the fee is nominal
Enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution

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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS website which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, 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 2015 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, 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.

Cohort Data
Report the status of the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of
August 31, 2015 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 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 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, 2015, 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 contact or clock hours. For example, a student who
completed a 6-month (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 2012 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:
•

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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date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates component,
this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for the Fall Enrollment component, it
is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150% of
normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Degree/certificate-seeking
students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. 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; or
   - obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution
High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the
institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in the armed forces
(including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the
Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first
time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also
includes 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 graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more
contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter
credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August 31 that is
established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) and Outcome Measures (OM) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to be considered
in the cohort. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate is calculated
as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of the Student Right
-to-Know legislation. 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), by race/ethnicity and gender; the
number completing their program within 150 percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to
other institutions if transfer is part of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athleticallyrelated student aid were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they
completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL where
the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates worksheets that calculate
rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates (GR) and Outcome
Measures (OM) components of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as the enrollment count before removing revisions
and exclusions of all degree/certificate-seeking students who enter in either (1) the fall term of a given academic
year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year. For the GR component of IPEDS, the
initial cohort is only for full-time, first-time students. For OM, all undergraduates are placed in one of four initial
cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first time.

Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).

Normal time to completion

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.

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect data were
reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress
November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to calculate completion or
graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time students entering that institution, and to disclose these
rates to all students and prospective students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any
Title IV program and is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the
Secretary of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all
students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and
the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also required to be
disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers athletically-related student
aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed specifically to help institutions respond to these
requirements. See Graduation Rates for the current description of data collected.
Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within 150% of normal
time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer into a higher level
program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level program for which the institution does
not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or
more years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into health services fields.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for Less than 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
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?
2) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4) Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
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?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
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) 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?
14) 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?
3) 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"?
4) What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
5) 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?
6) 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?
7) 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?

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) 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 full-time, 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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3) 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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4) 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-to-term.
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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 formal award, 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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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/certificateseeking in the IPEDS Glossary.

Back to top
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 "first-time"?
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) 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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14) 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 2-year
program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact 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.
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Other
1) 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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2) Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-toKnow 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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3) 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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4) 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 "formal award") should be counted as completers.
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5) 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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6) 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 2012 cohort.
Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013.
Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2013, 150% of 9 months following this date would
extend to October 15, 2014 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR survey, the first status date following
this is August 31, 2015 and the report is due during the Winter 2015-16 data collection. So you are on track for reporting this
cohort.
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7) 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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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for less-than-2-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to less-than-2-year institutions
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Cohort Data
Worksheet
Cohort Data
On this screen, report the status of the cohort of full-time, first-time students for Cohort year 2012. If an Initial cohort is
available, then that value will be preloaded for your reference.
You must provide the following data:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Revised cohort (column 10)
Total exclusions (column 45)
Completed program within 150% of normal time to completion (column 11)
Of the students in Column 11, those who completed program within 100% of normal time to completion
(column 55)
Total transfer-out students (column 30)
Still enrolled (column 51)

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

•

•
•

The calculated Total men + women in the Revised Cohort (column 10) must be greater than 0.
The calculated Total men + women in the Revised cohort (column 10) must be less than or equal to the
Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the cohort year's 12-month enrollment survey.
If an Initial cohort is preloaded, then the Revised Cohort must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort, as
outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within plus 8 or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to be
less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the cohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join the
military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church mission. Do
NOT include all non-completers in this column.
If the cohort (column 10) is greater than 20, then the number of Total completers within 150% (column 11) must
be greater than 0. Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College
Navigator page.
If the cohort (column 10) is greater than 10, then the number of Total completers within 150% (column 11) must
be less than the Adjusted Cohort (column 50). Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of
100% on your institution's College Navigator page.

•

If the prior year Adjusted Cohort (found on the Worksheet screen) is greater than 0; AND the current year
Adjusted Cohort (column 50) is greater than 0; THEN:
The number who Completed program within 150% of normal time to completion * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Adjusted cohort
Should be within a 20% range of the following:
The PY Total Completers within 150% (found on the Worksheet screen) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

•
•
•
•

•

The number of students who completed the program within 100% of normal time to completion (column 55) is
expected to be greater than 0.
The number of students who completed the program within 100% of normal time to completion (column 55)
should be less than or equal to the number of Total completers within 150% (column 11).
If the number of Total transfer-out students is greater than 12, then the Revised cohort must be less than or equal
to 25% of that value.
The calculated total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) can not be negative. To correct this value,
the sum of Total exclusions (column 45), Total completers within 150% (column 29), Total transfer-out
students (column 30), and Still enrolled (column 51) must be less than or equal to the number of students in the
cohort (column 10).
If your institution reported having more than 100 students in the subcohort (column 10); and your institution reported
having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30), then the number of students No longer enrolled
(column 52) is expected to be greater than 0.
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).

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Worksheet
An additional worksheet screen is displayed at the end of the survey to provide your institution with a summary of the data
entered in the current and prior years. Tables include:
•

•

Calculation of graduation and transfer-out rates, including:
◦ Graduation rate
◦ Transfer-out rate
4-year average rates, including:
◦ Adjusted cohort
◦ Total completers within 150%
◦ Total transfer-out students
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know completion or graduation calculation
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know transfer-out rate calculation

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 8/4/2015

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.

Resources:
The survey materials package for this component can be downloaded using the following link: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
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 2015 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.
•In the columns below, indicate the status of the 2012 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,
2015 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 1
Initial
cohort

Cohort year 2012
Total
Adjusted Completed
Total
Still enrolled No
exclusions cohort within 150% Of those in transfer-out
longer
(Col 10 - of normal Column 11, students
enrolled
Col 45)
time to
those who
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

Total men + women
Total men + women
prior year

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2015

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
There are no changes in reporting for 2015-16. However, clarifications have been made to screens and instructions to
address respondent questions.
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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, 2015.

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, 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.
Students must be enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Include
students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, INCLUDING those enrolled in offcampus 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 study 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

Who to Exclude from the Cohort
Do NOT include students in the cohort who are:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award or the completion of a vocational program
(i.e., non-degree/certificate-seeking students)
Exclusively taking CEUs
Exclusively auditing classes
Studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only an administrative
record and the fee is nominal
Enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Enrolled part-time
Transfers into the institution

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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS website which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Resource Page (located on the IPEDS homepage) contains frequently asked questions, a link to the IPEDS
Glossary, data tip sheets, an archive of survey instruments, information on the race/ethnicity categories, 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 2015 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, 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.

Cohort Data
Report the status of the 2012 cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of
August 31, 2015 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 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 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, 2015, 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 contact or clock hours. For example, a student who
completed a 6-month (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 2012 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:
•

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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date: 8/4/2015

Glossary
Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates component,
this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; for the Fall Enrollment component, it
is the cohort for calculating retention rate.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Completers within 150% of
normal time

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

Degree/certificate-seeking
students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. 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; or
   - obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution
High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.

Exclusions

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Graduation Rates, Outcome
Measures , and Fall Enrollment retention rate reporting, students may be removed from a cohort if they left the
institution for one of the following reasons: death or total and permanent disability; service in the armed forces
(including those called to active duty); service with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the
Peace Corps; or service on official church missions.

Fall cohort

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates
component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking
undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year. For the Outcome Measures component, all
degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must
be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time,
non-first-time.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first
time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also
includes 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 graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more
contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter
credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution.
Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the institution.

Full-year cohort

The group of students entering at any time during the 12-month period September 1 through August 31 that is
established for tracking and reporting Graduation Rate (GR) and Outcome Measures (OM) data for institutions that
primarily offer occupational programs of varying lengths. Students must be full-time and first-time to be considered
in the cohort. For OM component, undergraduate students must enter in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time;
part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.

Graduation rate

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know Act. This rate is calculated
as the total number of completers within 150% of normal time divided by the revised adjusted cohort.

Graduation Rates (GR)

This annual component of IPEDS was added in 1997 to help institutions satisfy the requirements of the Student Right
-to-Know legislation. 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), by race/ethnicity and gender; the
number completing their program within 150 percent of normal time to completion; the number that transfer to
other institutions if transfer is part of the institution's mission. Prior to 2007, institutions who offered athleticallyrelated student aid were asked to report, by sport, the number of students receiving aid and whether they
completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Now, these institutions only need to report a URL where
the athletic data is located on their website, when available. GR automatically generates worksheets that calculate
rates, including average rates over 4 years.

Initial cohort

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates (GR) and Outcome
Measures (OM) components of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as the enrollment count before removing revisions
and exclusions of all degree/certificate-seeking students who enter in either (1) the fall term of a given academic
year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year. For the GR component of IPEDS, the
initial cohort is only for full-time, first-time students. For OM, all undergraduates are placed in one of four initial
cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first time.

Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System
(IPEDS)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves
annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement
with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as
"Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the
following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions
(ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by Assigned Position, Fall Staff,
and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and Academic
Libraries (AL).

Normal time to completion

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.

Revised cohort

Initial cohort after revisions are made. Cohorts may be revised if an institution discovers that incorrect data were
reported in an earlier year.

Student Right-to-Know Act

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress
November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to calculate completion or
graduation rates of certificate- or degree-seeking, full-time students entering that institution, and to disclose these
rates to all students and prospective students. Further, Section 104 requires each institution that participates in any
Title IV program and is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to submit a report to the
Secretary of Education annually. This report is to contain, among other things, graduation/completion rates of all
students as well as students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and
the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years. These data are also required to be
disclosed to parents, coaches, and potential student athletes when the institution offers athletically-related student
aid. The Graduation Rates component of IPEDS was developed specifically to help institutions respond to these
requirements. See Graduation Rates for the current description of data collected.
Title IV institution

An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate
in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant
(SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).

Transfer-out rate

Total number of students who are known to have transferred out of the reporting institution within 150% of normal
time to completion divided by the adjusted cohort.

Transfer-out student

A student that leaves the reporting institution and enrolls at another institution.

Transfer-preparatory program

A program designed specifically to provide a student with the basic knowledge needed to transfer into a higher level
program. For example, this may be the first 2 years of a baccalaureate level program for which the institution does
not offer an award, or 2 years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into a first-professional program, or 1 or
more years of undergraduate study needed for entrance into health services fields.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or
technical program below the baccalaureate.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for Less than 2-year institutions
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
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?
2) My institution does not have any information on the cohort you are requesting. Do I have to do anything this year?
3) When can I revise or adjust my cohort?
4) Do I need to track students every term?
Cohort
1) What is a "first-time" student?
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?
4) Where do I place transfers INTO my institution?
5) How do I report students who are taking ESL (English as a Second Language) or developmental courses?
6) Are students in remedial courses included in the cohort?
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) 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?
14) 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?
3) 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"?
4) What is a "transfer-preparatory program"?
5) 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?
6) 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?
7) 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?

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. 
Back to top
2) 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 full-time, 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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3) 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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4) 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-to-term.
Back to top
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 formal award, 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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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/certificateseeking in the IPEDS Glossary.

Back to top
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 "first-time"?
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) 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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14) 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 2-year
program).
Certificate programs must be handled somewhat differently. If a 900 contact 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.
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Other
1) 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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2) Will completing the IPEDS Graduation Rates survey satisfy all of my requirements for the Student Right-toKnow 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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3) 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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4) 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 "formal award") should be counted as completers.
Back to top
5) 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.
Back to top
6) 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 2012 cohort.
Therefore, you should look at those students who entered your institution between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013.
Next, assuming the latest possible enrollment date would be August 31, 2013, 150% of 9 months following this date would
extend to October 15, 2014 (13 1/2 months later). In order to complete the IPEDS GR survey, the first status date following
this is August 31, 2015 and the report is due during the Winter 2015-16 data collection. So you are on track for reporting this
cohort.
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7) 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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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 8/4/2015

Graduation Rates for less-than-2-year institutions
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Graduation Rates (GR) Component
Applicable to less-than-2-year institutions
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Cohort Data
Worksheet
Cohort Data
On this screen, report the status of the cohort of full-time, first-time students for Cohort year 2012. If an Initial cohort is
available, then that value will be preloaded for your reference.
You must provide the following data:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Revised cohort (column 10)
Total exclusions (column 45)
Completed program within 150% of normal time to completion (column 11)
Of the students in Column 11, those who completed program within 100% of normal time to completion
(column 55)
Total transfer-out students (column 30)
Still enrolled (column 51)

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

•

•
•

The calculated Total men + women in the Revised Cohort (column 10) must be greater than 0.
The calculated Total men + women in the Revised cohort (column 10) must be less than or equal to the
Unduplicated count of undergraduates reported in the cohort year's 12-month enrollment survey.
If an Initial cohort is preloaded, then the Revised Cohort must be within a certain range of the Initial cohort, as
outlined below:
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 1 and 25 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within plus 8 or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 26 and 100 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within a 30% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is between 101 and 500 students, then the
Total men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within a 20% range of that value.
◦ If the number of Total men + women in the Initial cohort is greater than 500 students, then the Total
men + women in the Revised Cohort must be within a 10% range of that value.
If the number of Total exclusions (men + women) (column 45) is greater than 10, then this value is expected to be
less than or equal to 10% of the total number of men and women in the cohort (column 10).
Note: Exclusions should ONLY include students who died or were permanently disabled; or who left school to join the
military, to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, or to serve on an official church mission. Do
NOT include all non-completers in this column.
If the cohort (column 10) is greater than 20, then the number of Total completers within 150% (column 11) must
be greater than 0. Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of 0.0% on your institution's College
Navigator page.
If the cohort (column 10) is greater than 10, then the number of Total completers within 150% (column 11) must
be less than the Adjusted Cohort (column 50). Otherwise, a fatal error will occur to prevent a graduation rate of
100% on your institution's College Navigator page.

•

If the prior year Adjusted Cohort (found on the Worksheet screen) is greater than 0; AND the current year
Adjusted Cohort (column 50) is greater than 0; THEN:
The number who Completed program within 150% of normal time to completion * 100
____________________________________________________________________________
The Adjusted cohort
Should be within a 20% range of the following:
The PY Total Completers within 150% (found on the Worksheet screen) * 100
______________________________________________________________________________
The PY Adjusted cohort

•
•
•
•

•

The number of students who completed the program within 100% of normal time to completion (column 55) is
expected to be greater than 0.
The number of students who completed the program within 100% of normal time to completion (column 55)
should be less than or equal to the number of Total completers within 150% (column 11).
If the number of Total transfer-out students is greater than 12, then the Revised cohort must be less than or equal
to 25% of that value.
The calculated total number of students No longer enrolled (column 52) can not be negative. To correct this value,
the sum of Total exclusions (column 45), Total completers within 150% (column 29), Total transfer-out
students (column 30), and Still enrolled (column 51) must be less than or equal to the number of students in the
cohort (column 10).
If your institution reported having more than 100 students in the subcohort (column 10); and your institution reported
having more than 10 Total transfer-out students (column 30), then the number of students No longer enrolled
(column 52) is expected to be greater than 0.
Note: Please verify that non-completers were not reported erroneously as transfer-out students (column 30) or
exclusions (column 45).

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Worksheet
An additional worksheet screen is displayed at the end of the survey to provide your institution with a summary of the data
entered in the current and prior years. Tables include:
•

•

Calculation of graduation and transfer-out rates, including:
◦ Graduation rate
◦ Transfer-out rate
4-year average rates, including:
◦ Adjusted cohort
◦ Total completers within 150%
◦ Total transfer-out students
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know completion or graduation calculation
◦ 4-year average Student Right-to-Know transfer-out rate calculation

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