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Students who start at a community college are more likely to complete a four-year degree | Bismarck State College

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Students who start at a community college are more likely to complete a four-year degree

Published: Apr 25 2017
A report released last month shows North Dakota’s college students as being ahead of the curve nationally.
 
According to the report released by the National Student Clearinghouse, students in N.D. had a higher rate of bachelor degree completion after previous enrollment at a two-year school than much of the rest of the nation. That rate for the state, 54 percent, was higher than the national average of 49 percent, and above the rates for the three contiguous states: Minnesota (45 percent), Montana (31 percent), and South Dakota (25 percent).
 
That rate of completion means that students who first enrolled at a public two-year college before transferring to a four-year university were more likely to complete their 4-year programs than the national rate.
 
North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott noted that it was one metric indicating how well the system’s colleges and universities worked together.
 
“Our students are driven and that shows,” Hagerott said. “Cooperation and collaboration among our community colleges, four-year universities and research universities provides for a better transition for them. I have no doubt that will continue to show through.”
 
Texas showed the highest percentage, at 75 percent. Rhode Island was the lowest, with 24 percent.