Students

The purpose of the students portal is to provide customized information related to the University System of Georgia's strategic planning goals and accountability. Through the students portal, users can create reports on student enrollment, retention rates, graduation rates, and degrees conferred. In each section, users are asked to choose a report or graph type and then select values for the parameters of interest for that report. Definitions relevant to the reports are in a separate pull-down menu

Enrollment
Tracking USG and institutional enrollment is the foundation of planning for the future. In addition, enrollment data can be used to understand how the USG is serving Georgia by providing access to higher education. Reports allow users to track particular student cohorts over time.

Retention Rates
Monitoring retention rates is important because students who return the second year are more likely to graduate. Student characteristics and behaviors, such as preparation for college, motivation and engagement, time spent studying, finances, work, and family obligations affect retention rates. Institutional characteristics also affect retention rates. Although institutions that enroll better-prepared students who are traditional freshmen and who live on campus have higher retention rates, institutions that make personal connections with students and have high levels of faculty involvement with students also retain students at higher rates. The official USG retention rate tracks first-time, full-time students for one year.

Graduation Rates
Increasing graduation rates is one of the Board of Regents' strategic goals. Factors that affect graduation rates include the student's academic preparation for college, motivation and study habits, finances, work, interaction with faculty, , amount of financial aid available, and degree of fit between the student and institution. The graduation rate is the proportion of students who enter as first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students in a given summer or fall who earn a degree within 150 percent of the nominal time needed to complete the degree. Bachelor’s degree graduation rates are calculated over six years; associate’s degree rates are calculated over three years.

Degrees Conferred
The number of degrees awarded reflects an institution's productivity. Degree production and balance among different degree levels indicate the institution's complexity and vitality, as well as the institution's mission, purposes, and objectives. Users may create reports on degrees and certificates for a particular institution, sector, or the System on degrees and certificates by CIP, level of degree, year of degrees conferred, gender, and race/ethnicity.