Academics
Metric One
Metric 1: First-Year Retention - Associate Degree Students
South Georgia State College's (SGSC) one-year retention rates continue to rise, demonstrating the institution’s commitment to student success. The Fall 2023 first-year retention rate for first-time, full-time Associate degree-seeking freshmen increased to 54.0%, up from 52.9% in 2022, marking continued progress toward the institution’s ambitious 56.1% target. The Fall 2022 cohort achieved 94.3% of this goal, posting the strongest retention performance in five years. While the Fall 2023 cohort’s rate represents a modest increase, it maintains strong momentum and validates the sustained effectiveness of SGSC’s student success initiatives. System-wide retention also improved to 67.6%, continuing its upward trajectory from 65.9% in 2022 and 60.5% in 2021. These gains reflect SGSC’s ability to prepare students for long-term academic achievement and demonstrate the impact of its targeted retention efforts.
- Institution-specific: The institution-specific retention rate divides the institution-specific number of cohort members enrolled or graduated by the total cohort number.
- System-wide: For the system-wide retention rate, the system-wide number of cohort members enrolled or graduated is divided by the total cohort number.
| First-Time, Full-Time Associate Degree-Seeking Freshmen One-Year Retention Rates |
Institution-Specific for State Colleges |
System-Wide for State Colleges |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Institution-Specific Rate for SGSC | System-Wide Rate for SGSC | Avg institution-specific rate for State Colleges |
Avg rate within the System for State Colleges |
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| Year | N | N | % | N | % | % | % |
| Cohort | Retained | Retained | Retained | Retained | Retained | Retained | |
| Fall 2019 | 664 | 307 | 46.3% | 452 | 68.1% | 56.6% | 65.8% |
| Fall 2020 | 419 | 210 | 50.1% | 258 | 61.6% | 51.7% | 58.8% |
| Fall 2021 | 380 | 191 | 50.3% | 230 | 60.5% | 53.2% | 58.5% |
| Fall 2022 | 448 | 237 | 52.9% | 295 | 65.9% | 55.1% | 61.3% |
| Fall 2023 | 411 | 222 | 54.0% | 278 | 67.6% | 57.3% | 63.9% |
| Source: USG ADC Census; USG Retention Rate Reports - https://www.usg.edu/research/usgbythenumbers. | |||||||
Analysis and Evaluation of Metric 1
Looking ahead, SGSC remains committed to maintaining and accelerating this progress through expanded student support initiatives. With the Fall 2023 retention rate reaching 96.2% of the 56.1% target, the institution is well on track to achieving this goal. To ensure continued improvement, SGSC will continue to focus on scaling up successful programs like BOOST Mindset and enhancing faculty engagement in retention initiatives. Additional efforts include refining academic advising strategies, improving course scheduling flexibility, and expanding early intervention programs for at-risk students. By continuously assessing and enhancing these strategies, SGSC is well-positioned to not only reach but surpass its 56.1% retention goal, further strengthening student success across the institution.