Leading the pack of colleges with the lowest graduation rates is San Francisco’s Golden Gate University with a 10 percent six-year graduation rate.
Also on Community College Spotlight: On the fast track to remedial success.
Colleges with the lowest graduation rates
December 17, 2010 by
About Joanne
I know a several people who took a few courses at GGU but none of them intended to earn a degree from there- it was more of a continuing ed sort of thing. For example, I worked with a lady who wanted to move from a clerical job to an accounting one at our firm. The manager of the accounting department was willing to hire her provided she completed 3 specific accounting courses. So the lady did them online through GGU and got the promotion. At the time I left the company, she had not pursued any additional coursework towards a degree.
On behalf of Golden Gate University and the dean of undergraduate studies, I wanted to point out the reasons why the report is inaccurate, and The Chronicle of Higher Education is looking into it.
Here’s some reason’s why it is misleading:
1) The Chronicle calculated the statistics of “all first-time, full-time [undergraduate] students entering in the fall seeking bachelor’s degrees who completed bachelor’s degrees within six years.”
GGU’s undergraduate population are all part-time students coming in with transfer units. In fact, this trait for applicants is an admissions requirement for GGU’s undergraduate program tailored specifically to the population GGU serves- working adults in need of flexible scheduling.
2) Since 2003, GGU has had only a total of six “full-time, first-time” enrolled students, a negligible sample size. Yes, 6.
3) GGU not a “private research institution”, which the article states is another characteristic of Universities under analysis.
4) The undergrads GGU serves (currently 422 students) are not your traditional freshmen. They are working adults who need flexible scheduling, online classes, and are looking to complete their degree for career advancement. Our understanding of the modern student is what has enabled us to thrive for 110 years now as a non-profit, private university.
5) Approximately 50% of the students who have enrolled since 2003 have graduated with their bachelor’s degree. http://www.ggu.edu/undergraduate_programs/student_success/retention_and_graduation
For a part-time adult population with life always interfering, this is something to be proud of.
Putting GGU on that list is absurd, for the reasons mentioned in the above two posts.