Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18 through 2019-20

Outcome Measures
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18

This IPEDS Outcome Measures data collection instrument will be
used again during the 2017-18 data collection. Changes to the
IPEDS Outcome Measures component starting with the 2017-18
data collection are reflected on the following 12 pages.

Changes to the IPEDS Outcome measures component, 2017-18
1. Academic reporters will report on a full-year, entering cohort:
Similar to program reporters, all reporting institutions to the OM survey will be given the same instructions
when creating their OM cohort:
Institutions will report using a full-year cohort. Institutions will report during the period between July 1, 2009
and June 30, 2010.
Students will be assigned to a cohort upon entry and will remain in the assigned cohort.
2. Four Pell Grant sub-cohorts will be reported for each of the four OM cohorts (FTFT, PTFT, FTNFT, and
PTNFT).
Students who received a Pell Grant (dollars disbursed) are included in the Pell Grant sub-cohorts. Institutions
should not include students who were awarded a Pell Grant, but did not receive a disbursement.
Institutions will identify and include Pell Grant recipients who received a Pell Grant during the cohort coverage
period of July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. Students who did not receive a Pell Grant during the cohort coverage
period, but received a Pell Grant after June 30, 2010 are not included in the Pell Grant sub-cohorts.
3. A new 4-year after entry award status column will be added.
Institutions will report the award statuses at 4-, 6- and 8-years. There is no change to enrollment status
reporting requirements at 8 years after entry.
4. At the 4-, 6-, and 8-year award statuses, institutions will report the highest award earned (i.e.,
certificates/equivalent, associate’s or bachelor’s).
For each of the OM cohorts, a sub-cohort of non-Pell Grant recipients will be calculated by subtracting the Pell
Grant recipient sub-cohort from the total of the same OM cohort.
Collect the status update from both 2- and 4-year institutions at 8 years after the cohort enters the institution
with award information collected for both the 6- and 8-year timeframes. Pell Grant recipient data collection will
begin in 2017-18. Institutions will report on their 2009-10 cohorts.
Note: Data will not be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, or gender.
Note: No outcome data will be collected from non-degree-granting institutions.

1st Screen
Award Status at Four, Six, and Eight Years
Directions: Refer to the 2017-18 Survey Materials Instructions for Award Status at Four, Six, and Eight
Years.
Complete this screen for the 2009-10 entering cohort.

Establish Your Cohort

Undergraduate Students
First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Non-First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Total Entering
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Note: PV only for program reporting institutions.

2009-10
cohort

2009-10
cohort
Revised

PV

PV

PV

PV

PV

Exclusions
to 2009-10
cohort

Adjusted
2009-10
cohort

2nd Screen
Award Status at Four Years After Entry
Highest Awarded by your institution
(August 31, 2013)
4 years
Undergraduate
Students
First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Non-First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Total Entering
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients

Adjusted
2009-10
cohort

Certificates

Associates

Bachelors

Percent of
adjusted cohort
who received an
award from your
institution

3rd Screen
Award Status at Six Years After Entry
Highest Awarded by your institution
(August 31, 2015)
6 years
Undergraduate
Students
First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Non-First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Total Entering
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients

Adjusted
2009-10
cohort

Certificates

Associates

Bachelors

Percent of
adjusted
cohort
who
received
an award
from your
institution

4th Screen
Award Status at Eight Years After Entry
Highest Awarded by your institution
(August 31, 2017)
8 years

Undergraduate Students
First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Non-First-time entering
Full-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Part-time
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients
Total Entering
Pell recipients
Non-Pell recipients

Adjusted
2009-10
cohort

Certificates

Associates

Bachelors

Enrollment Status at Eight Years After Entry
Students who did not receive an award from your
institution through August 31, 2017

Number
still
enrolled at
your
institution

Number
who
subsequen
tly enrolled
at another
institution

Number of
students
whose
subsequent
enrollment
status is
unknown

Total number
who did not
receive an
award from
your
institution

Percent of
adjusted cohort
who received
an award from
your institution

Percent of
adjusted cohort
who did not
receive an award,
but are still
enrolled at your
institution or
subsequently
enrolled at
another
institution

Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
This report requests data on four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in your institution during the period
between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. Each cohort will also report on undergraduates who received a Pell grant during this at-entry period.
Institutions are to report the award status of these students as of August 31, 2013 (Four Year Status), August 31, 2015 (Six Year Status) and the
award and enrollment status of these students as of August 31, 2017 (Eight Year Status).
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.
Coverage
The Outcome Measures component collects data from degree-granting institutions on four degree/certificate-seeking student cohorts:
• Full-time, first-time entering students
• Part-time, first-time entering students
• Full-time, non-first-time entering students
• Part-time, non-first-time entering students
For each cohort, institutions will also report a sub-cohort of Pell Grant recipients. Non-Pell Grant recipients will be calculated by subtracting the
sub-Pell Grant recipients from the respective total cohort.
Who to Include in the Cohorts
All degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution (during the 12-month period as described in the "Reporting Period
Covered" section above) should be included in one of these four cohorts. All institutions will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering
students all those students who entered the institution between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 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 off-campus centers and those enrolled in distance
learning/home study programs.
Be sure to include students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of student financial aid
determination.
A student who is designated as a member of a cohort remains in that cohort, even if the student:
• Started as either a full-time or part-time student and later changes enrollment intensity.
• 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.
• Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution.
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.
• Exclusively taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
• Exclusively auditing classes.
• Foreign students who are only taking coursework at a host institution (e.g., an American institution overseas), if these students are not
enrolled at a U.S. institution.
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 Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced overview
of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials, taxonomies, information centers
(e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.), and other valuable information.
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
Reporting Instructions
I. Establishing Cohorts
A. The method used to establish the cohort reported on this survey has been predetermined by your
institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (D1) on the Institutional
Characteristics Header survey component of the IPEDS Fall 2017 Data Collection, according to the
following rules:
a. Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters, trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) are
considered academic reporters and will report using a full-year cohort of students. Do not use a fall cohort. These institutions must count as
entering students all those students who entered the institution between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. Cohort data will be preloaded from the
12-Month Enrollment survey component.
b. Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as defined above) are considered either
program or hybrid reporters and will report using a full-year cohort. These institutions must count as entering students all those students who
entered the institution between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 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. Cohort data will be preloaded from the 12-Month Enrollment survey
component.
B. Institutions will report a sub-cohort of Pell Grant recipients for each cohort.
Institutions will identify and include Pell Grant recipients who received a Pell Grant between the cohort coverage period of July 1, 2009 and June
30, 2010. Students who did not receive a Pell Grant during the cohort coverage period, but receive a Pell Grant July 1, 2010 through August 31,
2017 are not included in the Pell Grant sub-cohorts.
Students who received a Pell Grant (dollars disbursed) are included in the Pell Grant sub-cohorts. Institutions should not include students who were
awarded a Pell Grant, but did not receive a disbursement.
2009-10 Cohort: For program/hybrid institutions, the initial 2009 cohort data will be preloaded from the 12-month Enrollment survey. If your
institution is an academic reporter or did not respond to either survey, the information will not be preloaded and will be blank for data entry.
2009-10 Cohort Revised (through August 31, 2017): Please review the data in the 2009-10 cohort column, and make any necessary corrections for
omissions or double counting in the revised cohort column through August 31, 2017. If your initial cohort data were preloaded for the first-time,
full-time cohort, the revised cohort data will also be preloaded.
Exclusions to 2009-10 Cohort (through August 31, 2017): Indicate the total number of students who left your institution as of August 31, 2017 for
one of the following allowable reasons:
a.
b.
c.
d.

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 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 in b, c, or d above, but return prior to the status date of August 31, 2017,
may be subtracted from the cohort.

Adjusted 2009-10 Cohort: The adjusted cohort is calculated by subtracting the exclusions from the revised 2009-10 cohort.
II. Award Status at Four Years
Report the award status for each of the four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and sub-group of Pell Grant
recipients as of four years after entering your institution.
All students entering in 2009-10 should be included in one of these four cohorts. Report each student only once. Awards are mutually exclusive
from other time points.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2013): Report the number of students from the four entering cohorts who have received an
award (i.e., degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) from your institution by August 31, 2013, which is four years after the students
have entered your institution. Non-degree awards are to be counted in the “certificates” column. For each cohort, report the highest award (i.e.,
certificate, associates, or bachelors) conferred by your institution at the 4-year time point even if the student was still enrolled at your institution or
had transferred to another institution. For students who had earned multiple awards at your institution at the 4-year time point: count the student
only once and report the highest award conferred by your institution. DO NOT include graduate awards conferred to undergraduate students.
III. Award Status at Six Years
Report the award status for each of the four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and sub-group of Pell Grant
recipients as of six years after entering your institution.
All students entering in 2009-10 should be included in one of these four cohorts. Report each student only once. Awards are mutually exclusive
from other time points.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2015): Report the number of students from the four entering cohorts who have received an award
(i.e., degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) from your institution by August 31, 2015, which is six years after the students have entered
your institution. Non-degree awards are to be counted in the “certificates” column. For each cohort, report the highest award (i.e., certificate,
associates, or bachelors) conferred by your institution at the 6-year time point even if the student was still enrolled at your institution or had
transferred to another institution. For students who have earned multiple awards at your institution at the 6-year time point: count the
student only once and report on the highest award conferred by your institution. DO NOT include graduate awards conferred to undergraduate
students.
IV. Award and Enrollment Statuses at Eight Years
Report the award and enrollment statuses for each of the four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and subgroup of Pell Grant recipients as of eight years after entering your institution.
All students entering in 2009-10 should be included in one of these four cohorts. Report each student only once. Awards are mutually exclusive
from other time points.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2017): Report the number of students from the four entering cohorts who have received an
award (i.e., degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) from your institution by August 31, 2017, which is eight years after the students
have entered your institution. Non-degree awards are to be counted in the “certificates” column. For each cohort, report the highest award (i.e.,
certificate, associates, or bachelors) conferred by your institution at the eight-year time point even if they are still enrolled at your institution or
have transferred to another institution. For students who have earned multiple awards at your institution at the 8-year time point: count the
student only once and report on the highest award conferred by your institution. DO NOT include graduate awards conferred to undergraduate
students.
Students who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2017:
Report the enrollment status of each student from the four 2009-10 entering cohorts and sub-group of Pell recipients, who have not received an
award by August 31, 2017. Each student who has not received an award should be reported in only one of these columns.
Number still enrolled at reporting institution: Report the number of students still enrolled at the institution as of August 31, 2017. Do not include
any students who have received an award by August 31, 2017. You may include students who you know are enrolling at your institution in the fall
term immediately following August 31, 2017.
Number subsequently enrolled at another institution: Report the total number of students who transferred out of your institution (without an
award - i.e., a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) and enrolled in another institution as of August 31, 2017. You may include
students who you know are enrolling at the other institution in the fall term immediately following August 31, 2017. Only include students for
whom you have confirmed subsequent enrollment.
Number of students whose subsequent enrollment status is unknown: This column will be calculated by subtracting the sum of the Number still
enrolled at your institution, Number who subsequently enrolled at another institution, and the Number awarded by your Institution (through
August 31, 2017) from the adjusted 2009-10 cohort.

Total number of students who did not receive an award from your institution: The total number of students who did not receive an award by
August 31, 2017 will be calculated by summing three columns: Number still enrolled at your institution, Number who subsequently enrolled at
another institution, and Number of students whose subsequent enrollment status is unknown.
Percent of adjusted cohort who received an award from your institution by August 31, 2017: This column will calculate the proportion of students
who received an award by August 31, 2017 from your institution for each entering cohort. The data from Awarded by your institution (through
August 31, 2017) are divided by Adjusted 2009-10 Cohort.
Percent of adjusted cohort who are still enrolled (at your institution or subsequently enrolled at another institution): This column will calculate
the proportion of students who are still enrolled at your institution as of August 31, 2017, or left your institution and subsequently enrolled at
another institution. The sum of data from the Number still enrolled at your institution and Number who subsequently enrolled at another
institution are divided by Adjusted 2009-10 Cohort.
Glossary
Pell Grant Cohort: Students from the other four OM cohorts who received any Pell Grant dollars (disbursed) at that institution during the July 1June 30 entry period are included in the Pell Grant cohort. Students who were awarded but did not receive a disbursement are not included.
FAQs
GENERAL
1. Who is the best institutional representative to complete the Outcome Measures (OM) survey?
The individual who completes the Graduation Rates, Graduation Rates 200, and Completions survey components may be the best person to
complete the Outcome Measures survey. This individual will most likely have to work closely with the registrar and enrollment managers.
2. Will race/ethnicity and gender be required in future years?
There are currently no plans to collect race/ethnicity and gender for Outcome Measures because of institutional burden and the federal need to
obtain the data as soon as possible.
3. Is the Outcome Measures survey component similar to the Student Achievement Measure (SAM) project?
OM is similar to SAM in that both have the same goal of measuring postsecondary success and progression of undergraduate students. However,
the methodologies used to measure the outcomes are different. First, OM is part of the mandatory IPEDS collection compared to SAM’s voluntary
participation. Second, OM has 4 cohorts with Pell Grant sub-cohorts and SAM has up to 7 cohorts. Third, SAM captures student progress and
suc c ess at t he aw ard lev el ( bac he lo r’s and asso c iate’ s/c ert ifica tes aw ards) , w hereas O M do es no t make a disti nc tio n b etw
een a ward levels. Finally, the time points for SAM vary depending on the cohorts compared to OM’s standard use of 4-, 6- and 8-year time points
across all cohorts. For more information on SAM, see http://www.studentachievementmeasure.org/resources
OM TERMINOLOGY CLARIFIED
4. What is a “still enrolled” degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student?
A still enrolled degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate would be an undergraduate student enrolled for credit during the previous year.
5. What is a “non-first-time” degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate student?
A non-first-time degree/certificate undergraduate student is new to your institution, but has prior postsecondary experience. This term will most
likely refer to students reported as transfer-in on the Fall Enrollment component of the entry year of the cohort. Transfer-in students may enter
with or without credit.
6. Are the Outcome Measures’ 4-, 6- and 8-year time points the same as Graduation Rates’ 150% and 200% of normal time?
No, these are not the same. Graduation rates of 150% and 200% of normal time are accumulated progress of time-to-degree. The 4-, 6- and 8-year
snapshots used in OM provide the status of awards and enrollment at 4, 6- and 8-years after a cohort enters the reporting institution. More
specifically, OM counts the award conferred regardless of the length of time it took the student to complete the program relative to the “normal”
time to complete. OM requires institutions to report the award/enrollment status for each of the four student cohorts, and there are no specific
reporting requirements as to how quickly an award must be earned. Do not equate or use Graduation Rates’ “normal time to degree” as the same
period of time for Outcome Measures’ 4-, 6- and 8-year award statuses.
COHORTS
7. Does OM have two different cohort years for 4- and 2-year institutions in the same fashion as Graduation Rates cohort years?
No, OM has only one cohort entry year for both 2- and 4-year institutions. Furthermore, the OM forms for 2- and 4-year institutions are the same.
For the 2017-18 collection year, all degree-granting institutions, regardless of institution level, will report on undergraduate students who entered
their institutions in 2009-10. Academic year and program/hybrid reporters will report on a full-year cohort (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010).
8. How do I count students who enrolled during the prior summer?
Academic year reporters should include students who enrolled for the first time in the prior summer term and continued in the fall term. This
guidance is not applicable to program or hybrid reporters.
9. What about spring cohorts? Should students who enroll during the spring be included?

Academic year reporters should only report on a fall cohort and should not include students who entered the institution during the spring.
However, program and hybrid reporters should include in their full-year cohort students who entered during the full year of September 1, 2007 to
August 31, 2008. Thus, for the 2015-16 OM collection, program and hybrid reporters will include students starting in the spring of 2008.
10. My institution changed our calendar system since the cohort was originally reported (e.g., we were a program reporting institution in 2008,
but then became an academic year reporting institution a couple years later). Which calendar system does my institution repor t on (program or
academic)?
Your institution should report on its current calendar system, and in this example, it should be the academic year reporting system. Thus, you
should revise the originally reported cohort under the old calendar system and recount the student cohort to match the new ca lendar system. For
future OM reporting, continue to recount your cohorts from the old system into the current calendar system until your cohorts reflect the current
calendar system.
DATA REPORTING REVISIONS
11. If, after completing OM, an institution discovers a mistake in reporting (e.g., mis-classification of students or mis-reporting of awards, etc.),
how does the institution make the correction?
The institution should contact the IPEDS Help Desk. In some cases, it may be possible to make the correction in the current collection year. In other
cases, it will be necessary to wait and use the Prior Year Revision System during the subsequent collection year. The Help Desk can provide
guidance on the appropriate solution.
DEGREE-GRANTING STATUS
12. If an institution was not a degree-granting institution in 2009, but later became a degree-granting institution, will that institution be
required to complete the Outcome Measures survey component?
Yes. All degree-granting institutions are required to complete the OM survey component, including those that were non-degree-granting in 2009.
DEGREE-SEEKING AND NON-DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS
13. Should students be included in Outcome Measures cohorts if degree/certificate-seeking intent is not explicitly stated?
The institution should try to determine, to the greatest extent possible, whether the student is degree/certificate-seeking. For example, students
must be degree/certificate-seeking to receive federal student aid. Students, who are eligible for federal student aid but decide not to receive aid,
are still considered degree/certificate-seeking and should be included in the appropriate Outcome Measures cohort. Students who are not eligible
for federal student aid and who have not clearly stated their degree/certificate-seeking intent should be excluded from OM.
14. How do I report students who enter my institution as non-degree/certificate-seeking students in the fall, but enroll as degree/certificateseeking students during the cohort year?
For academic year reporters, Include these students in your full-year cohort. do not include these students in any of the fall cohorts because the
students did not enter at that same institution as degree/certificate-seeking students during the reporting period. For example, if the student
enters an institution the fall of 2008 as non-degree/certificate-seeking, but then becomes degree/certificate-seeking at the same institution the
following spring, this student should not be included in either fall 2008 cohort (OM collection 2016-17) or the following fall cohort for the next
IPEDS collection cycle. For the 2016-17 OM collection, the reporting period for academic year reporters is either as of October 15, 2008, or the
instit utio n’ s o ff ic ial fall c en sus da te. For the 2017-18 OM collection, the reporting period covered for program or hybrid reporters is July 1,
2009, to
June 30, 2010.
15. If I am a program or hybrid reporter, how do I report students who begin at my institution as non-degree/certificate-seeking students, but
the following year they become degree/certificate-seeking?
For program or hybrid reporters, if during the reporting period these students become degree/certificate-seeking students, include these students
in the OM cohorts. However, if the students become degree/certificate-seeking at the same institution outside of the OM reporting period, do not
include these students in OM reporting. For example, if a non-degree/certificate-seeking student entered an institution on October 15, 2008, and
then became degree/certificate-seeking on September 16, 2010, this student would not be included in OM reporting. For the 2017-18 OM
collection, the reporting period covered for program or hybrid reporters is September 1, 2009, to August 31, 2010.
16. How do I report students who were non-degree-seeking at another institution and subsequently enrolled at my institution as
degree/certificate-seeking students?
Because these degree/certificate-seeking students entered a new institution, these students should be included in that institution’s OM reporting
and would be placed in one of the two non-first-time cohorts.
AWARD RELATED QUESTIONS
17. What does “award” mean?
An award can be a degree (e.g., Associate’s or Bachelor’s), diploma, certificate, or other formal award conferred by the reporting institution that
would be included on the IPEDS Completions Survey. For OM, an award does not mean financial aid award.
18. How would a student who transfers from a 4-year institution to a 2-year institution and then completes a lower-level degree/certificate be
counted?

When completing OM, the 4-year institution would report this student from the appropriate cohort as subsequently enrolled at another institution.
The 2-year institution would place this student in one of the two non-first-time entering cohorts and then count this non-first-time entering
student as having received the appropriate award from the institution.
19. If a student earns multiple awards at my institution, do I count the higher award?
Yes, report the highest award as of each award status point – 4-, 6-, and 8-year. However, only one award is reported for each student for each
award status point, regardless of whether the student earns multiple awards at your institution.
20. If a student transfers-in with an award from another institution, and then earns an award at my institution, which award do I count?
Do not count awards conferred from another institution. Institutions should only count and report the first award conferred by their own
institution.
21. How do I count students seeking a second baccalaureate degree?
Nothing that the highest degree a student can receive in the OM survey component is the bachelor’s degree, the answer depends on whether the
student is seeking the second baccalaureate at the same institution or a different institution.
If the student is seeking a second baccalaureate at the same institution (Fall Enrollment counts these students as “continuing students”), do not
reset the time period for this student or place him/her in a new cohort. OM wants to know when these students received their highest award
(degree/certificate) at the same institution over a span of 8 years.
If the student is seeking a second baccalaureate at a different institution from where the student received his/her first baccalaureate (Fall
Enrollment counts these students as “transfer-in students”), then count these students as degree/certificate-seeking, non-first-time entering
students (either full-time or part-time). These students have prior postsecondary experience, but are seeking a degree/certificate at the different
institution.
22. How should I count a student who left my institution and is known to have received an award at a subsequent institution?
At the 8-year status, count such students in the category “did not receive an award and subsequently enrolled at another institution.” If your
institution did not confer the award, your institution does not report the award.
23. Does transfer-prep count as an award?
Yes. As is also the case with the Graduation Rates component, the OM component has a provision that allows institutions to count students who
have successfully completed a transfer-preparatory program as having received an award.
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.
A 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 transfer-prep the equivalent of an associate’s degree, thus completers of transferpreparatory programs (although these students do not receive a “formal award”) should be counted as having received an award for purposes of
OM.
24. Can stackable credentials count as an award?
Yes, stackable credentials can be counted, as long as the credentials meet the definition of an award. According to the Department of Labor,
stackable credentials are “a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build up an individual’s qualifications and help them to
move along a career pathway or up a career ladder to different and potentially higher-payer jobs” (Source: TEGL 15-10, www.doleta.gov). Educause
(Jan 27, 2014) explains these credentials as an institution-designed “pathway for students to acquire credentials along a trajectory that can lead to
a baccalaureate and beyond but that has exit and entry points designed in a way to allow students to pick up wherever they left off en route to the
next level of achievement.”
25. Can institutions report graduate levels awards in OM?
No. Institutional shall not report graduate level awards in OM. However, institutions that enroll undergraduates in a graduate program that
requires 2 or 3 years of undergraduate work at their institution before being accepted into the graduate program (i.e., a Pharm. D. program) can
count the 2 or 3 years of undergraduate work, which is seen as operating similarly to a transfer-prep program, as an equivalent to an
undergraduate award.
COUNTING NON-FIRST-TIME ENTERING STUDENTS (AKA TRANSFER STUDENTS)
26. How should I count transfer-in students?
At your institution, transfer-in students should be counted as non-first-time entering students in either the full-time or part-time cohort. The
progress of transfer-in students should be tracked at 4-, 6-, and 8-years after entering your institution.
27. Won’t there be double counting of a student if two institutions are counting the same student who earned an award?

Institutions should report only awards conferred by their institution. Students who transfer into your institution and receive an award from your
institution within the reporting period should be reported only by your institution. The institution sending the student to your institution would
report the student only as a “student who subsequently enrolled at another institution.” Thus, the same student should not appear in the same
outcome category for both institutions.
28. Are first-time or non-first-time students who transfer-out to another institution included in the non-first-time entering cohort of the
transfer-in institution?
Yes. If first-time or non-first-time students who transfer into your institution and never have been previously enrolled in your institution, you
should include them in either your full-time or part-time, non-first-time entering cohort.
29. How do I report a degree-seeking student who starts out at my institution, transfers to another institution, but then returns to my
institution within the 8-year timeframe?
Students should be counted in their original cohort only. If the student subsequently enrolls in another institution and returns to your institution
within the reporting period, the student should be reported in one of the two categories: 1) did not receive an award and still enrolled at your
institution or 2) received an award from your institution. Once a student enters a cohort year, that student remains in that same cohort year at
your institution.
30. Are institutions required to report transfer-out undergraduate students?
Institutions shall complete the OM survey component as completely and accurately as possible and report transfer-out undergraduate students,
regardless if the institution has a transfer-preparatory program as part of its mission. OM does not distinguish if an institution has a transferpreparatory program like the Graduation Rates (GR) survey component, which is governed by the Student-Right-to-Know-Act and gives institutions
that do not have a transfer-preparation program in their mission the option of reporting transfer-out numbers to GR.
STUDENTS WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENT
31. How do I count students in a dual enrollment program? What about students who received early admissions to my institution?
Students who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but are enrolled in a high school diploma or equivalent program while taking
college-credit coursework, are considered “non-degree-seeking” students. After the students have earned their high school diploma or equivalent,
and when they enroll at a postsecondary institution the following fall, they are then considered “first-time” students. This guidance is the same for
the early-admission students. Until the high school student has received a high school diploma or equivalent, the student is not considered degreeseeking and is not included in any of the OM cohorts. In other words, these students do not enter an Outcome Measures cohort until after earning
their high school diploma or equivalent.
32. How do I count adult learners who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but are certificate-seeking students taking creditbearing undergraduate courses?
Students, who are enrolled in college-credit coursework, but have not earned a high school diploma or its equivalent and do not plan on earning a
high school diploma or its equivalent, should be included in OM if they are degree/certificate-seeking students.
TRACKING SUBSEQUENT ENROLLMENT
33. Are institutions required to subscribe to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) in order to obtain data needed to report the number
students that subsequently enrolled at another institution?
IPEDS neither requires nor endorses institutions to subscribe to the NSC or any other third-party organization to help with reporting. However,
IPEDS realizes that fee-based services can facilitate an institution’s reporting of the Outcome Measures survey component.
34. Can social media be used to confirm the enrollment at subsequent institutions?
Yes, however IPEDS neither requires nor endorses the use of social media (e.g., LinkedIn), which may help with OM reporting of enrollment at
subsequent institutions. However, IPEDS encourages institutions to use additional methods, such as alumni surveys, to verify and confirm
subsequent enrollment.
35. What other resources are available to help me report on subsequent enrollment?
For institutions that report student unit-record data to a coordinated-system office (e.g., coordinating board, system office, state department of
higher education, board of regents/trustees, etc.), those offices may be a resource to help identify subsequent enrollment at another institution
within that coordinated system.

Outcome Measures

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18

This IPEDS Outcome Measures data collection instrument will be
used during the 2017-18 data collection. Proposed changes are
shown in the following pages.

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

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/9/2016

2016-17 Survey Materials > Form

Outcome Measures
Overview
Outcome Measures Overview
Welcome to the IPEDS Outcome Measures (OM) survey component. The OM component collects award and
enrollment data from degree-granting institutions on four undergraduate cohorts at two points in time: six-year and
eight-year.
The four cohorts of degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates are:
• Full-time, first-time entering (FTFT)
• Part-time, first-time entering (PTFT)
• Full-time, non-first-time entering (FTNFT)
• Part-time, non-first-time entering (PTNFT)
Updates:
•

•

•

Data Reporting Reminders:
All reporting institutions will report on an entering cohort year: 2008
Six-year status will be as of August 31, 2014
Eight-year status will be as of August 31, 2016
Reporting Tips:
• Follow directions on who to include and exclude in your cohorts. Inclusion and exclusion directions are similar
to Graduation Rates.
• Carefully read each OM FAQ before reporting your institution's data. NOTE: There is a new FAQ (#10) which
addresses if your institution changed its calendar system (i.e., academic year, hybrid, or program).
Coverage:
For academic year reporters (standard academic terms - semesters, trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan), institutions will
report using a fall cohort. Institutions may either use October 15, 2008 or the institution's official fall reporting date.
For program and hybrid reporters (not on standard academic terms), institutions will report using a full-year cohort.
Institutions will report during the period between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009.
Resources:
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

Award Status at Six Years
Award Status at Six Years Directions: Refer to 2016-17 Survey Materials' Instructions for Award Status at Six
Years.
Complete this screen for the 2008 entering cohort.
The 6 year period is the time the cohort enters through August 31, 2014.
2008
cohort

Revised 2008
cohort

First-time entering
Full-time
Part-time
Non-first-time entering
Full-time
Part-time
Total entering students

Exclusions to 2008
cohort

Adjusted
2008
cohort

Percent of
Awarded
adjusted cohort
by
who received an award from your
your
institution
institution

Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years
Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years Directions: Refer to 2016-17 Survey Materials' Instructions for Award and
Enrollment Status at Eight Years.
Complete this screen for the 2008 entering cohort. The 8 year period is the time the cohort enters through August 31, 2016.
2008 Cohort
(preloaded
adjusted
cohort from
six year
award status
screen)

Additional Adjusted
Percent of
Awarded Students who did not receive an award from Percent
Exclusions 2008
your
institution
through
August
31,
2016
of
adjusted
cohort
by your
(September Cohort institution Number still Number who Number of Total adjusted who did not
receive an
1, 2014
enrolled at subsequently students number cohort
who
award, but are
through
your
enrolled at
whose
who did
received still enrolled at
August 31,
institution
another subsequent
not
2016)
institution enrollment receive an award your institution
or
status is an award from your
unknown from your institution subsequently
enrolled at
institution
another
institution

First-time entering
Full-time
Part-time
Non-first-time entering
Full-time
Part-time
Total entering students

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted
on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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2016-17 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/9/2016

Outcome Measures

Purpose of Survey
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Instructions
I. Establishing Cohorts
II. Award Status at Six Years
III. Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years
Purpose of Survey

The purpose of the IPEDS Outcome Measures (OM) survey component is to provide the award and enrollment statuses
of four undergraduate student cohorts at degree-granting institutions. Student completion awarded by the reporting
institution and enrollment status are collected at the six- and eight-year points of time after they entered the reporting
institution.

General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered

This report requests data on four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in your
institution either (1) as of October 15, 2008 (or the institution's official Fall census date) or (2) during the period
between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009. Institutions are to report the award status of these students as of
August 31, 2014 (Six Year Status) and the award and enrollment status of these students as of August 31, 2016
(Eight Year Status).

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.

Coverage

The Outcome Measures component collects data from degree-granting institutions on four degree/certificate-seeking
student cohorts:
•
•
•
•

Full-time, first-time entering students
Part-time, first-time entering students
Full-time, non-first-time entering students
Part-time, non-first-time entering students

Who to Include in the Cohorts

All degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students entering the institution (either during the fall term or during the
12-month period as described in the "Reporting Period Covered" section above) should be included in one of these four
cohorts. Include students enrolled in the fall term who entered the institution for the first time in the prior summer
term. For institutions that will report using a full-year cohort, count as entering students all those students who
entered the institution between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009, 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 students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
A student who is designated as a member of a cohort remains in that cohort, even if the student:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Started as either a full-time or part-time student and later changes enrollment intensity.
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.
Went on a study abroad program the first year upon entering the institution.

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.
Exclusively taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Exclusively auditing classes.

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 Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data
collection, a self-paced overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.

IPEDS Resource Page

The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials,
taxonomies, information centers (e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.),
and other valuable information.

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

Reporting Instructions
I. Establishing Cohorts

The method used to establish the cohort reported on this survey has been predetermined by your
institution's response to the predominant calendar system question (D1) on the Institutional
Characteristics Header survey component of the IPEDS Fall 2016 Data Collection, according to the
following rules:
a.

b.

Institutions that offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (semesters,
trimesters, quarters, or 4-1-4 plan) are considered academic reporters and will report using a fall cohort of
students. Institutions may use a census date of October 15, 2008, or the end of the institution's drop-add
period, or another official fall reporting date to determine the cohort. This should be the same reporting date
established for your IPEDS Fall Enrollment report.
Institutions that do not offer a predominant number of programs based on standard academic terms (as
defined above) are considered either program or hybrid reporters and will report using a full-year cohort.
These institutions must count as entering students all those students who entered the institution between
September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009, 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.

II. Award Status at Six Years

Report the status of the four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of six years of
entering your institution. All students entering in 2008 should be included in one of these four cohorts. Report each
student only once.
2008 Cohort: For some institutions, the initial 2008 cohort data will be preloaded from either the Fall Enrollment
(e.g., part-time, first-time entering; full-time, non-first-time entering; and part-time, non-first-time students) or the
Graduation Rates (e.g., first-time, full-time cohort) survey components. If your institution did not respond to either
survey, the information will not be preloaded and will be blank for data entry.
Revised 2008 Cohort (through August 31, 2014): Please review the data in the 2008 cohort column, and make
any necessary corrections for omissions or double counting in the revised cohort column through August 31, 2014. If
your initial cohort data were preloaded for the first-time, full-time cohort, the revised cohort data will also be
preloaded from the Graduation Rates survey. If your data do not appear in the initial 2008 cohort column, please
provide the enrollment data as requested in the revised cohort column.
Exclusions to 2008 Cohort (through August 31, 2014): Indicate the total number of students who left your
institution as of August 31, 2014 for one of the following allowable reasons:
a.
b.
c.
d.

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 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 in b, c, or d above, but return prior to the
status date of August 31, 2014, may be subtracted from the cohort.
Adjusted 2008 Cohort: The adjusted cohort is calculated by subtracting the exclusions from the revised 2008 cohort.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2014): Report the number of students from the four entering
cohorts who have received an award (i.e., degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) from your institution by
August 31, 2014, which is six years after the students have entered your institution. Include in these columns students
who have received an award from your institution even if they are still enrolled at your institution or have transferred
to another institution. For students who have earned multiple awards at your institution: only count the student once
and report on the first award conferred by your institution (not the highest award conferred by your institution). DO
NOT include graduate awards conferred to undergraduate students.
Percent of adjusted cohort who received award from your institution by August 31, 2014: This column will
calculate the proportion of students who received an award from your institution for each entering cohort. The data
from Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2014) are divided by 2008 Cohort.

III. Award and Enrollment Status at Eight Years

Report the status of the four cohorts of entering degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students as of eight years
of entering your institution. All students entering in 2008 should be included in one of these four cohorts. Report
each student only once.
2008 Cohort: This information will be preloaded from the Award Status at Six Years screen.
Note: For the 2016-17 Collection Year, there will not be a column to enter a Revised 2008 Cohort (through
August 31, 2014) on the eight-year OM screen. Revised cohorts can only be made on the six-year OM screen.
Additional Exclusions to 2008 Cohort (September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2016): Indicate the total
number of students who left your institution as of August 31, 2016. Enter the exclusions since the six-year status.
Students may be excluded for the following allowable reasons:
a.
b.
c.
d.

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 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 in b, c, or d above, but return prior to the
status date of August 31, 2016, may be subtracted from the cohort.
Adjusted 2008 Cohort: The adjusted cohort for the eight-year OM screen is calculated by subtracting the additional
exclusions from the 2008 cohort, which is the preloaded adjusted cohort from the six-year OM screen.
Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2016): Report the number of students from the four entering
cohorts who have received an award (i.e., degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) from your institution by
August 31, 2016, which is eight years after the students entered your institution. Include in these columns students
who have received an award from your institution even if they are still enrolled at your institution or have transferred
to another institution. For students who have earned multiple awards at your institution: only count the student once
and report on the first award conferred by your institution (not the highest award conferred by your institution). DO
NOT include graduate awards conferred to undergraduate students.
Students who did not receive an award from your institution by August 31, 2016:
Report the enrollment status of each student from the four 2008 entering cohorts who have not received an award by
August 31, 2016. Each student who has not received an award should be reported in only one of these columns.
Number still enrolled at reporting institution: Report the number of students still enrolled at the institution as of
August 31, 2016. Do not include any students who have received an award by August 31, 2016. You may include
students who you know are enrolling at your institution in the fall term immediately following August 31, 2016.
Number subsequently enrolled at another institution: Report the total number of students who transferred out of
your institution (without an award - i.e., a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award) and enrolled in another
institution as of August 31, 2016. You may include students who you know are enrolling at the other institution in the
fall term immediately following August 31, 2016. Only include students for whom you have confirmed subsequent
enrollment.
Number of students whose subsequent enrollment status unknown: This column will be calculated by
subtracting the sum of the Number still enrolled at your institution, Number who subsequently enrolled at another
institution, and the Number awarded by your Institution (through August 31, 2016) from the adjusted 2008 cohort.
Total number of students who did not receive an award from your institution: The total number of students
who did not receive an award by August 31, 2016 will be calculated by summing three columns: Number still enrolled
at your institution, Number who subsequently enrolled at another institution, and Number of students whose
subsequent enrollment status is unknown.
Percent of adjusted cohort who received an award from your institution by August 31, 2016: This column
will calculate the proportion of students who received an award by August 31, 2016 from your institution for each
entering cohort. The data from Awarded by your institution (through August 31, 2016) are divided by Adjusted 2008
Cohort.

Percent of adjusted cohort who are still enrolled (at your institution or subsequently enrolled at another
institution): This column will calculate the proportion of students who are still enrolled at your institution as of August
31, 2016, or left your institution and subsequently enrolled at another institution. The sum of data from the Number
still enrolled at your institution and Number who subsequently enrolled at another institution are divided by Adjusted
2008 Cohort.

Glossary

date: 8/9/2016

Term

Definition

Adjusted cohort

The result of removing any allowable exclusions from a cohort (or subcohort). For the Fall
Enrollment component, it is the cohort for calculating retention rate; for the Graduation Rates
component, this is the cohort from which graduation and transfer-out rates are calculated; and for the Outcome
Measures component, these are the four cohorts (full-time, first-time; part-time-first-time; full-time, non-first-time;
and part-time, non-first-time) for which outcomes rates are calculated at 6 and 8 years.

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.

Calculated value (CV)

Calculated value (CV) is used to designate fields that are generated (or calculated) based on data provided on other
lines within the same part of a survey component. For example, a "balance" line or "other (detail)" line will be
calculated as the difference between the total line and the sum of the remaining detail.

Certificate

A formal award certifying the satisfactory completion of a postsecondary education program.

Cohort

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

Entering students
(undergraduate)

Students at the undergraduate level, both full-time and part-time, coming into the institution for the first time in the
fall term (or the prior summer term who returned again in the fall). This includes all first-time undergraduate
students, students transferring into the institution at the undergraduate level for the first time, and nondegree/certificate seeking undergraduates entering in the fall.

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.

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.

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).

Part-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for either less than 12 semester or quarter credits, or less than 24 contact hours
a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for less than 9 semester or quarter credits.

Postsecondary award,
certificate, or diploma (at
least 1 but less than 2
academic years)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the
baccalaureate degree) in at least 1 but less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years , or designed for completion
in at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or in at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit
hours, or in at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours.

Postsecondary award,
certificate, or diploma (at
least 2 but less than 4
academic years)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the
baccalaureate degree) in at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years , or designed for completion
in at least 60 but less than 120 semester or trimester credit hours, or in at least 90 but less than 180 quarter credit
hours, or in at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 contact or clock hours.

Postsecondary award,
certificate, or diploma (less
than 1 academic year)

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the
baccalaureate degree) in less than 1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters), or designed for completion in less
than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or in less than 45 quarter credit hours, or in less than 900 contact or
clock hours.

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.

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-in student

A student entering the reporting institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary
institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate). This includes new students enrolled in the fall term who
transferred into the institution the prior summer term. The student may transfer with or without credit.

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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2016­17 Survey Materials > FAQ

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Outcome Measures
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Who is the best institutional representative to complete the Outcome Measures (OM)
survey?

2)

Will race/ethnicity and gender be required in future years?

3)

Is the Outcome Measures survey component similar to the Student Achievement
Measure (SAM) project?

OM Terminology Clarified
4

What is a “still enrolled” degree/certificate­seeking undergraduate student?

5

What is a “non­first­time” degree/certificate­seeking undergraduate student?

6

Are the Outcome Measures’ 6­year and 8­year time points the same as Graduation
Rates’ 150% and 200% of normal time?

Cohorts
7

Does OM have two different cohort years for 4­year and 2­year institutions in the same
fashion as Graduation Rates cohort years?

8

How do I count students who enrolled during the prior summer?

9

What about spring cohorts? Should students who enroll during the spring be included?

10

My institution changed our calendar system since the cohort was originally reported
(e.g., we were a program reporting institution in 2008, but then became an academic
year reporting institution a couple years later). Which calendar system does my
institution report on (program or academic)?

Data Reporting Revisions
11)

If, after completing OM, an institution discovers a mistake in reporting (e.g., mis­
classification of students or mis­reporting awards, etc.) how does the institution make
the correction?

Degree­granting Status
12)

If an institution was not a degree­granting institution in 2008, but later became a
degree­granting institution, will that institution be required to complete the Outcome
Measures survey component?

Degree­seeking and Non­degree­seeking Students
13)

Should students be included in Outcome Measures cohorts if degree/certificate­seeking
intent is not explicitly stated?

14)

If I am an academic year reporter, how do I report students who enter my institution
as non­degree/certificate­seeking students in the fall, but in the following spring term
enroll as degree/certificate­seeking students?

15)

If I am a program or hybrid reporter, how do I report students who begin at my
institution as non­degree/certificate­seeking students, but the following year they
become degree/certificate­seeking?

16)

How do I report students who were non­degree­seeking at another institution and
subsequently enrolled at my institution as degree/certificate­seeking students?

Award Related Questions
17)

What does “award” mean?

18)

How would a student who transfers from a 4­year institution to a 2­year institution and
then completes a lower­level degree/certificate be counted?

19)

If a student earns multiple awards at my institution, do I count the higher award?

20)

If a student transfers­in with an award from another institution, and then earns an

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award at my institution, which award do I count?

21)

How do I count students seeking a second baccalaureate degree?

22)

How should I count a student who left my institution and is known to have received an
award at a subsequent institution?

23)

Does transfer­prep count as an award?

24)

Can stackable credentials count as an award?

25)

Can institutions report graduate levels awards in OM?

Counting Transfer­in and Transfer­out Students
26)

How should I count transfer­in students?

27)

Won’t there be double counting of a student if two institutions are counting the same
student who earned an award?

28)

Are first­time or non­first­time students who transfer­out to another institution included
in the non­first­time entering cohort of the transfer­in institution?

29)

How do I report a degree­seeking student who starts out at my institution, transfers to
another institution, but then returns to my institution within the 8­year timeframe?

30)

Are institutions required to report transfer­out undergraduate students?

Students Without a High School Diploma or Equivalent
31)

How do I count students in a dual enrollment program? What about students who
received early admissions to my institution?

32)

How do I count adult learners who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but
are certificate­seeking students taking credit­bearing undergraduate courses?

Tracking Subsequent Enrollment
33)

Are institutions required to subscribe to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) in
order to obtain data needed to report the number of students that subsequently
enrolled at another institution?

34)

Can social media be used to confirm the enrollment at subsequent institutions?

35)

What other resources are available to help me report on subsequent enrollment?

Answers:
General
1)

Who is the best institutional representative to complete the Outcome
Measures (OM) survey?
The individual who completes the Graduation Rates (GR), Graduation Rates 200
(GR200), and Completions (C) survey components may be the best person to
complete the Outcome Measures survey. This individual will most likely have to
work closely with the registrar and enrollment managers.
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2)

Will race/ethnicity and gender be required in future years?
There are currently no plans to collect race/ethnicity and gender for Outcome
Measures because of the institutional burden and the federal need to obtain the data
as soon as possible.
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3)

Is the Outcome Measures survey component similar to the Student
Achievement Measure (SAM) project?
OM is similar to SAM in that both have the same goal of measuring postsecondary
success and progression of undergraduate students. However, the methodologies
used to measure the outcomes are different. First, OM is part of the mandatory
IPEDS collection compared to SAM’s voluntary participation. Second, OM has 4
cohorts and SAM has up to 7 cohorts. Third, SAM captures student progress and
success at the award level (bachelor’s and associate’s/certificates awards), whereas
OM does not make a distinction between award levels. Lastly, the time points for
SAM varies depending on the cohorts compared to OM’s standard use of 6­year and
8­year time points across all cohorts. For more information on SAM,
see http://www.studentachievementmeasure.org/resources
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OM Terminology Clarified
4

What is a “still enrolled” degree/certificate­seeking undergraduate student?
For academic year reporters, a degree/certificate­seeking undergraduate student
who is actively enrolled for credit at the institution during the most recent term
(spring or summer) is considered still enrolled. For program and hybrid reporters, a

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still enrolled degree/certificate­seeking undergraduate would be an undergraduate
student enrolled for credit during the previous year.
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5

What is a “non­first­time” degree/certificate­seeking undergraduate student?
A non­first­time degree/certificate undergraduate student is new to your institution,
but has prior postsecondary experience. This term will most likely refer to students
reported as transfer­in on the Fall Enrollment (EF) component of the entry year of
the cohort. Transfer­in students may enter with or without credit.
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6

Are the Outcome Measures’ 6­year and 8­year time points the same as
Graduation Rates’ 150% and 200% of normal time?
No, these are not the same. Graduation rates of 150% and 200% of normal time
are accumulated progress of time­to­degree. The 6­year and 8­year snapshots
used in OM provide the status of awards and enrollment at 6­ and 8­years after a
cohort enters the reporting institution. More specifically, OM counts the first award
conferred regardless of the length of time it took the student to complete the
program relative to the “normal” time to complete. OM requires institutions to report
the award/enrollment status for each of the four student cohorts, and there are no
specific reporting requirements as to how quickly an award must be earned. Do not
equate or use Graduation Rates’ “normal time to degree” as the same period of
time for Outcome Measures’ 6­ and 8­year award statuses.
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Cohorts
7

Does OM have two different cohort years for 4­year and 2­year institutions in
the same fashion as Graduation Rates cohort years?
No, OM has only one cohort year for both 2­year and 4­year institutions.
Furthermore, the OM survey component for 2­year and 4­year institutions are the
same. For the 2016­17 collection year, all degree­granting institutions, regardless of
institution level, will report on undergraduate students who entered their institutions
in 2008. Academic year reporters will report on a fall cohort (either the institution’s
official fall census date or October 15, 2008). Program and hybrid reporters will
report on a full­year cohort (September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009).
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8

How do I count students who enrolled during the prior summer?
Academic year reporters should include students who enrolled for the first time in
the prior summer term and continued in the fall term. This guidance is not
applicable to program or hybrid reporters.
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9

What about spring cohorts? Should students who enroll during the spring be
included?
Academic year reporters should only report on a fall cohort and should not include
students who entered the institution during the spring. However, program and
hybrid reporters should include in their full­year cohort students who entered during
the full year of September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009. Thus, for the 2016­17 OM
collection, program and hybrid reporters will include students entering in the spring
of 2008.
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10

My institution changed our calendar system since the cohort was originally
reported (e.g., we were a program reporting institution in 2008, but then
became an academic year reporting institution a couple years later). Which
calendar system does my institution report on (program or academic)?
Your institution should report on its current calendar system, and in this example, it
should be the academic year reporting system. Thus, you should revise the
originally reported cohort under the old calendar system and recount the student
cohort to match the new calendar system. For future OM reporting, continue to
recount your cohorts from the old system into the current calendar system until
your cohorts reflect the current calendar system.
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Data Reporting Revisions
11)

If, after completing OM, an institution discovers a mistake in reporting (e.g.,
mis­classification of students or mis­reporting awards, etc.) how does the
institution make the correction?
The institution should contact the IPEDS Help Desk. In some cases, it may be
possible to make the correction in the current collection year. In other cases, it will
be necessary to wait and use the Prior Year Revision System during the subsequent
collection year. The Help Desk can provide guidance on the appropriate solution.

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Degree­granting Status
12)

If an institution was not a degree­granting institution in 2008, but later
became a degree­granting institution, will that institution be required to
complete the Outcome Measures survey component?
Yes. All degree­granting institutions are required to complete the OM survey
component, including those that were non­degree­granting in 2008.
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Degree­seeking and Non­degree­seeking Students
13)

Should students be included in Outcome Measures cohorts if
degree/certificate­seeking intent is not explicitly stated?
The institution should try to determine, to the greatest extent possible, whether the
student is degree/certificate­seeking. For example, students must be
degree/certificate­seeking to receive federal student aid. Students who are eligible
for federal student aid but decide not to receive aid are still considered
degree/certificate­seeking and should be included in the appropriate Outcome
Measures cohort. Students who are not eligible for federal student aid and who have
not clearly stated their degree/certificate­seeking intent should be excluded from
OM.
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14)

If I am an academic year reporter, how do I report students who enter my
institution as non­degree/certificate­seeking students in the fall, but in the
following spring term enroll as degree/certificate­seeking students?
For academic year reporters, do not include these students in any of the fall cohorts
because the students did not enter at that same institution as degree/certificate­
seeking students during the reporting period. For example, if the student enters an
institution the fall of 2008 as non­degree/certificate­seeking, but then becomes
degree/certificate­seeking at the same institution the following spring term, this
student should not be included in either fall 2008 (OM collection 2016­17) or the
following fall cohort for the next IPEDS Collection cycle. For the 2016­17 OM
collection, the reporting period for academic year reporters is either as of October
15, 2008, or the institution’s official fall census date.
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15)

If I am a program or hybrid reporter, how do I report students who begin at
my institution as non­degree/certificate­seeking students, but the following
year they become degree/certificate­seeking?
For program or hybrid reporters, if during the reporting period these students
become degree/certificate­seeking students, include these students in the OM
cohorts. However, if the students become degree/certificate­seeking at the same
institution outside of the OM reporting period, do not include these students in OM
reporting. For example, if a non­degree/certificate­seeking student entered an
institution on October 15, 2008, and then became degree/certificate­seeking on
September 16, 2008, this student would not be included in OM reporting. For the
2016­17 OM collection, the reporting period covered for program or hybrid
reporters is September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009.
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16)

How do I report students who were non­degree­seeking at another
institution and subsequently enrolled at my institution as degree/certificate­
seeking students?
Because these degree/certificate­seeking students entered a new institution, these
students should be included in that institution’s OM reporting according to that
institution’s reporting type (academic or program/hybrid) and the respective
reporting period covered (fall cohort or full­year cohort). These students would be
placed in one of the two non­first­time cohorts.
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Award Related Questions
17)

What does “award” mean?
An award can be a degree (e.g., Associate's or Bachelor's), diploma, certificate or
other formal award conferred by the reporting institution that would be included on
the IPEDS Completions Survey. For OM, an award does not mean financial aid
award.
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18)

How would a student who transfers from a 4­year institution to a 2­year
institution and then completes a lower­level degree/certificate be counted?

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When completing OM, the 4­year institution would report this student from the
appropriate cohort as subsequently enrolled at another institution. The 2­year
institution would place this student in one of the two non­first­time entering cohorts
and then count this non­first­time entering student as having received an award
from the institution.
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19)

If a student earns multiple awards at my institution, do I count the higher
award?
Report only the first award conferred by your institution, and do not report
subsequent awards. Award levels are not differentiated for purposes of OM
reporting. Therefore, one (and only one) award is reported for each student,
regardless of whether the student earns multiple awards at your institution.
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20)

If a student transfers­in with an award from another institution, and then
earns an award at my institution, which award do I count?
Do not count awards conferred from another institution. Institutions should only
count and report the first award conferred by their own institution.
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21)

How do I count students seeking a second baccalaureate degree?
The answer depends on whether the student is seeking the second baccalaureate at
the same institution or a different institution.
If the student is seeking a second baccalaureate at the same institution (Fall
Enrollment counts these students as “continuing students”), do not reset the time
period for this student or place him/her in a new cohort. OM wants to know when
these students received their first award (degree/certificate) at the same institution
over a span of 8 years. These students should be counted in one of the four cohorts
for the first award only. Any additional degrees/certificates beyond the first award
at the same institution are not counted in future/different cohort years or cohorts.
See response to FAQ# 19 in Awards Related Questions regarding students earning
multiple awards at the same institution.
If the student is seeking a second baccalaureate at a different institution from
where the student received his/her first baccalaureate (Fall Enrollment counts these
students as “transfer­in students”), then count these students as degree/certificate­
seeking, non­first­time entering students (either full­time or part­time). These
students have prior postsecondary experience, but are seeking a degree/certificate
at the different institution.
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22)

How should I count a student who left my institution and is known to have
received an award at a subsequent institution?
At the 8­year status, count such students in the category “did not receive an award
and subsequently enrolled at another institution.” If your institution did not confer
the award, your institution does not report the award.
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23)

Does transfer­prep count as an award?
Yes. As is also the case with the Graduation Rates component, the OM component
has a provision that allows institutions to count students who have successfully
completed a transfer­preparatory program as having received an award.
SPECIAL NOTE: In order to resolve a potential conflict between transfers­out 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 transfer­preparatory program.
A transfer­preparatory 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 transfer­prep the equivalent of an associate’s
degree, thus completers of transfer­preparatory programs (although these students
do not receive a “formal award”) should be counted as having received an award
for purposes of OM.
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24)

Can stackable credentials count as an award?
Yes, stackable credentials can be counted, as long as the credentials meet the
definition of an award. According to the Department of Labor, stackable credentials
are “a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build up an

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individual’s qualifications and help them to move along a career pathway or up a
career ladder to different and potentially higher­payer jobs” (Source: TEGL 15­
10, www.doleta.gov). Educause (Jan 27, 2014) explains these credentials as an
institution­designed “pathway for students to acquire credentials along a trajectory
that can lead to a baccalaureate and beyond but that has exit and entry points
designed in a way to allow students to pick up wherever they left off en route to the
next level of achievement.”
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25)

Can institutions report graduate levels awards in OM?
No. Institutions shall not report graduate level awards in OM. However, institutions
that enroll undergraduates in a graduate program that requires 2 or 3 years of
undergraduate work at their institution before being accepted into the graduate
program (i.e., a Pharm. D. program) can count the 2 or 3 years of undergraduate
work, which is seen as operating similarly to a transfer­prep program, as an
equivalent to an undergraduate award.
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Counting Transfer­in and Transfer­out Students
26)

How should I count transfer­in students?
At your institution, transfer­in students should be counted as non­first­time entering
students in either the full­time or part­time cohort. The progress of transfer­in
students should be tracked at 6 and 8 years after entering your institution.
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27)

Won’t there be double counting of a student if two institutions are counting
the same student who earned an award?
Institutions should report only awards conferred by their institution. Students who
transfer into your institution and receive an award from your institution within the
reporting period should be reported only by your institution. The institution sending
the student to your institution would report the student only as a “student who
subsequently enrolled at another institution.” Thus, the same student should not
appear in the same outcome category for both institutions.
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28)

Are first­time or non­first­time students who transfer­out to another
institution included in the non­first­time entering cohort of the transfer­in
institution?
Yes. If first­time or non­first­time students who transfer into your institution and
never have been previously enrolled in your institution, you should include them in
either your full­time or part­time, non­first­time entering cohort.
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29)

How do I report a degree­seeking student who starts out at my institution,
transfers to another institution, but then returns to my institution within the
8­year timeframe?
Students should be counted in their original cohort only. If the student subsequently
enrolls in another institution and returns to your institution within the reporting
period, the student should be reported in one of the two categories: 1) did not
receive an award and still enrolled at your institution or 2) received an award from
your institution. Once a student enters a cohort year, that student remains in that
same cohort year at your institution.
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30)

Are institutions required to report transfer­out undergraduate students?
Institutions shall complete the OM survey component as completely and accurately
as possible and report transfer­out undergraduate students, regardless if the
institution has a transfer­preparatory program as part of its mission. OM does not
distinguish if an institution has a transfer­preparatory program like the Graduation
Rates (GR) survey component, which is governed by the Student­Right­to­Know­Act
and gives institutions that do not have a transfer­preparation program in their
mission the option of reporting transfer­out numbers to GR.
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Students Without a High School Diploma or Equivalent
31)

How do I count students in a dual enrollment program? What about students
who received early admissions to my institution?
Students who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, but are enrolled in a
high school diploma or equivalent program while taking college­credit coursework,
are considered “non­degree­seeking” students. After the students have earned their
high school diploma or equivalent, and when they enroll at a postsecondary
institution the following fall, they are then considered “first­time” students. This
guidance is the same for the early­admissions students. Until the high school

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student has received a high school diploma or equivalent, the student is not
considered degree­seeking and is not included in any of the OM cohorts.
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32)

How do I count adult learners who do not have a high school diploma or
equivalent, but are certificate­seeking students taking credit­bearing
undergraduate courses?
Students, who are enrolled in college­credit coursework, but have not earned a high
school diploma or its equivalent and do not plan on earning a high school diploma or
its equivalent, should be included in OM if they are degree/certificate­seeking
students.
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Tracking Subsequent Enrollment
33)

Are institutions required to subscribe to the National Student Clearinghouse
(NSC) in order to obtain data needed to report the number of students that
subsequently enrolled at another institution?
IPEDS neither requires nor endorses institutions to subscribe to the NSC or any
other third­party organization to help with reporting. However, IPEDS realizes that
fee­based services can facilitate an institution’s reporting of the Outcome Measures
survey component.
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34)

Can social media be used to confirm the enrollment at subsequent
institutions?
Yes, however IPEDS neither requires nor endorses the use of social media (e.g.,
LinkedIn), which may help with OM reporting of enrollment at subsequent
institutions. IPEDS strongly encourages institutions to use additional methods, such
as alumni surveys, to verify and confirm subsequent enrollment.
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35)

What other resources are available to help me report on subsequent
enrollment?
For institutions that report student unit­record data to a coordinated­system office
(e.g., coordinating board, system office, state department of higher education,
board of regents/trustees, etc.), those offices may be a resource to help identify
subsequent enrollment at another institution within that coordinated system.
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