USU Ranked Fifth in the West for Graduation Rate

The Student Life section of Utah State Today highlights work written by the talented student journalists at Utah State University. Each week, the editor selects a story that has been published in The Utah Statesman or the Hard News Café, or both, for inclusion in Utah State Today.

 

 

by Lis Stewart in The Utah Statesman Online

 

Utah State University is making a showing in the national arena. Elbowing past schools like Southern Utah and Weber State, USU was ranked fifth highest in the West for its graduation rate among schools of a comparable admission standard in June.

 

The national graduation rate average from schools with a noncompetitive admissions process is at 35 percent, according to a study by American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI). The graduation rate for USU, which is in the noncompetitive category, is 10 percent higher. AEI, which developed the study of college graduation rates, compared more than a thousand schools for the rate of graduates who were natives — full time, first time, degree seekers — receiving their diploma within six years.

 

The Registrar’s Office accredits the high retention rate of students to many things, several of which are the time management skills, work ethic and friendliness of people at the university.

 

Senior Kyle Griffin said he enthusiastically agreed with this notion.

 

“Your education is what you make it,” he said.

 

Although USU is only able to hold on to about half of its first-time degree seekers, it fills the vacancies with transfer students from other universities. More than half of the degrees and certificates awarded last year were to transfers, who averaged all but three semesters shy of a full education, according to reports on the Office of Analysis’ Web site.

 

Griffin said he transferred from the University of Utah two years ago and found the experience at USU to be more enjoyable. He said the university has a great reputation and it’s academically sound. He advises new students to keep a working relationship with advisers and professors in order to make the most of their experience.

 

“They have office hours for a reason,” he said. “They like to help you and are great for networking,” he said.

 

More than 4,200 certificates and diplomas were given out this last school year alone, said Kyle Hyde, assistant director of the Office of Analysis. That is the highest for USU since three years ago, when the numbers peaked at just more than 4,500.

 

The 45 percent graduation rate at USU is comparably higher than other local schools, according to AEI’s study. Weber State was listed as having a 29 percent graduation rate for native students, and 41 percent for Southern Utah. Brigham Young University was another Utah university to make the list, ranking third in the category of Very Competitive.

 

Out of the top five schools in the Noncompetitive category, USU was rated second highest for affordability and high enrollment. According to the study, a noncompetitive college generally requires a person to have graduated from an accredited high school, sometimes with other requirements such as completion of certain courses.

 

The friendly atmosphere and academic rigor in Logan are considered key parts of what keeps students at USU from year one to Commencement Day, according to information provided by the Registrar’s Office.