Student Persistence and Success

This page presents data about retention, graduation, and transfer at Kalamazoo Valley over the past 10 years. These data are based on the results of the Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA), a series of measures created by the American Association of Community Colleges to determine how well community colleges are serving students. The postsecondary students in the following cohorts enrolled at Kalamazoo Valley for the first time during the listed cohort term.

Overall Student Population

Retention

This table indicates the proportion of new students that returned 1 semester later (Next Winter) and 1 year later (Next Fall).

Cohort Term Next Winter Next Fall
Fall 2015 (n= 2,468) 71.3% 49.3%
Fall 2016 (n= 2,387) 69.8% 49.8%
Fall 2017 (n= 2,351) 70.5% 47.0%
Fall 2018 (n= 2,322) 69.4% 47.2%
Fall 2019 (n= 2,209) 70.9% 45.8%
Fall 2020 (n= 1,669) 67.4% 45.5%
Fall 2021 (n= 1,735) 70.3% 49.7%
Fall 2022 (n= 1,556) 70.1% 49.6%
Fall 2023 (n= 1,552) 71.3% 51.5%
Fall 2024 (n= 1,671) 69.6% 49.9%

Source: Voluntary Framework of Accountability

Graduation or Transfer Within 6 Years

A significant proportion of students at community colleges are enrolled part-time (fewer than 12 credit hours), so the VFA measures graduations and transfers after 6 years rather the maximum of 3 years found in federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) graduation reporting.

Note: In the table below students may be counted under both "Graduated" AND "Transferred". The "Graduated or Transferred" column gives the proportion of students who EITHER graduated OR transferred.

Cohort Term Graduated Transferred Graduated or Transferred
Fall 2010 (n= 3,631) 15.9% 41.2% 50.5%
Fall 2011 (n= 3,423) 15.2% 41.1% 48.7%
Fall 2012 (n= 3,231) 16.5% 43.3% 51.7%
Fall 2013 (n= 2,934) 18.0% 42.1% 50.6%
Fall 2014 (n= 2,679) 18.4% 41.7% 50.3%
Fall 2015 (n= 2,468) 20.3% 40.2% 49.4%
Fall 2016 (n= 2,387) 20.1% 39.2% 48.4%
Fall 2017 (n= 2,351) 20.7% 37.2% 47.4%
Fall 2018 (n= 2,322) 20.0% 41.3% 50.6%
Fall 2019 (n= 2,209) 22.4% 41.3% 50.9%

Source: Voluntary Framework of Accountability

Full-Time Students

Students in these tables were enrolled in 12 or more credit hours during their Cohort Term

Retention

This table indicates the proportion of new full-time students that returned 1 semester later (Next Winter) and 1 year later (Next Fall).

Cohort Term Next Winter Next Fall
Fall 2015 (n= 1,228) 82.3% 57.6%
Fall 2016 (n= 1,092) 82.7% 59.6%
Fall 2017 (n= 1,055) 83.8% 58.0%
Fall 2018 (n= 1,096) 82.5% 59.2%
Fall 2019 (n= 1,013) 83.6% 59.1%
Fall 2020 (n= 696) 80.5% 58.0%
Fall 2021 (n= 626) 83.7% 60.9%
Fall 2022 (n= 588) 85.2% 61.9%
Fall 2023 (n= 618) 83.5% 61.3%
Fall 2024 (n= 659) 81.9% 61.6%

Source: Voluntary Framework of Accountability

Graduation or Transfer Within 6 Years

Note: In the table below students may be counted under both "Graduated" AND "Transferred". The "Graduated or Transferred" column gives the proportion of students who EITHER graduated OR transferred.

Cohort Term Graduated Transferred Graduated or Transferred
Fall 2010 (n= 1,851) 21.8% 45.3% 56.5%
Fall 2011 (n= 1,692) 20.5% 46.6% 55.3%
Fall 2012 (n= 1,577) 22.2% 48.8% 59.0%
Fall 2013 (n= 1,468) 24.7% 49.9% 60.1%
Fall 2014 (n= 1,315) 26.4% 47.3% 57.6%
Fall 2015 (n= 1,228) 26.6% 47.1% 57.1%
Fall 2016 (n= 1,092) 29.0% 45.1% 56.0%
Fall 2017 (n= 1,055) 30.0% 42.3% 55.3%
Fall 2018 (n= 1,096) 30.1% 45.2% 57.4%
Fall 2019 (n= 1,013) 31.2% 45.6% 57.2%

Source: Voluntary Framework of Accountability

Part-Time Students

Students in these tables were enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours during their Cohort Term

Retention

This table indicates the proportion of new part-time students that returned 1 semester later (Next Winter) and 1 year later (Next Fall).

Cohort Term Next Winter Next Fall
Fall 2015 (n= 1,240) 60.3% 41.0%
Fall 2016 (n= 1,295) 58.8% 41.5%
Fall 2017 (n= 1,296) 59.6% 38.0%
Fall 2018 (n= 1,226) 57.7% 36.5%
Fall 2019 (n= 1,196) 60.1% 34.5%
Fall 2020 (n= 973) 58.1% 36.5%
Fall 2021 (n= 1,109) 62.7% 43.4%
Fall 2022 (n= 968) 61.0% 42.0%
Fall 2023 (n= 934) 63.2% 45.0%
Fall 2024 (n= 1,012) 61.6% 42.3%

Source: Voluntary Framework of Accountability

Graduation or Transfer Within 6 Years

Note: In the table below students may be counted under both "Graduated" AND "Transferred". The "Graduated or Transferred" column gives the proportion of students who EITHER graduated OR transferred.

Cohort Term Graduated Transferred Graduated or Transferred
Fall 2010 (n= 1,780) 9.8% 37.0% 44.2%
Fall 2011 (n= 1,731) 10.0% 35.7% 42.2%
Fall 2012 (n= 1,654) 11.1% 38.0% 44.6%
Fall 2013 (n= 1,466) 11.3% 34.2% 41.1%
Fall 2014 (n= 1,364) 10.7% 36.3% 43.3%
Fall 2015 (n= 1,240) 14.0% 33.5% 41.8%
Fall 2016 (n= 1,295) 12.6% 34.1% 42.0%
Fall 2017 (n= 1,296) 13.2% 33.0% 41.0%
Fall 2018 (n= 1,226) 11.0% 37.9% 44.5%
Fall 2019 (n= 1,196) 14.9% 37.6% 45.6%

Source: Voluntary Framework of Accountability