Editor’s note: This story is part of a series examining the aspects of recruitment, enrollment, and retention on U.S. campuses. Check back next Monday for a look at the factors contributing to the impending enrollment cliff.
Key points:
- Minority students across all institution types tend to have lower completion rates
- Institutions must identify and remove barriers to minority student success
White students have historically experienced higher graduation rates at American colleges and universities than minority students. The Hechinger Report found that graduation rates for White students stood 2.5 times higher than for Black students and 60 percent higher than that of Latino students.
Despite recent improvements to higher-ed access, White students remain in the majority, with fewer than 40 percent of enrolled students identifying as a race other than White. Regardless of the recent increase in Black and Latino enrollment, students of color remain the majority of those who drop out.
The problem does not improve in community college environments. A recent study from the Community College Review found that the two-year college completion rate for students of color is only 24 percent. A further 12 percent of students from underrepresented minority groups transfer to bachelor’s degree programs within four years of enrolling in a community college, and a mere 7 percent of low-income and minority community college students earn a bachelor’s degree within ten years.
College graduation rates vary substantially across racial groups. Federal data shows that White students who began attending a four-year college in 2010 graduated at a rate of 63.9 percent within six years, while Black students who started college in the same year graduated at a rate of 39.9 percent. Bias and systemic barriers can often restrict minority students from achieving success, and when the pandemic struck, traditionally disadvantaged populations were affected even more. Higher-ed institutions witnessed enrollments drop for Black and Hispanic populations at a greater rate than their White counterparts.
Alex Leader serves as Watermark‘s Chief Impact Officer, bringing focus to the positive impact of Watermark’s partner institutions and the students they serve. Prior to Watermark, Alex was the Founder and CEO of Aviso Retention, a leading higher education student success solution. Since 2007 Alex has brought a spotlight to how technology within higher education can facilitate student engagement, ensure equitable treatment, and create societal change.
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