University sees record-high retention ratesMore students are returning to Vanderbilt for their sophomore year than ever before. According to University officials, the number of would-be sophomores who chose to return has increased sharply from 89.7 percent in 1997 to 94.3 percent this year. The most recent average retention rate for U.S. News & World Report top-25 schools was 96 percent.
Campus administrators credit this unprecedented increase in the freshman-to-sophomore retention rate to numerous initiatives designed specifically to help students acclimate to the University. Current juniors and seniors also returned to campus in record-high percentages this year. "The rise in retention represents the cumulative effect of many different programs and efforts, and the work of many faculty and staff over an extended period of time," said Thomas G. Burish, Provost. "But more progress is needed, which is why several additional programs are being implemented and planned." Factors credited with the increase include a recent upsurge in the admissions yield rate (the ratio of accepted applicants who enroll), the implementation of comprehensive pre-orientation programs and freshman seminars, greater involvement of the Psychology and Counseling Center, and the availability of more lucrative financial aid packages. Enrolling the right students may be the first of the many variables contributing to the higher retention rates. "The academic qualifications of our recent classes have increased substantially, and stronger students are well known to retain better," said William M. Shain, dean of undergraduate admissions. "We have also instituted a more holistic approach to admissions, one result of which is a better fit between Vanderbilt as a community and the students who enroll." Once they have arrived, it's a matter of facilitating the transition from new freshmen to engaged participants in the University community. Pre-orientation initiatives such as those offered under the umbrella program DoreWays are widely regarded as useful tools. This summer, 300 students participated in the four DoreWays programs: Squirrel Camp, Big Horizons, Leadership Symposium and WilSkills Experience. "Orientation programs are extremely important to keeping students here," Marci Hunt, assistant director of student activities and director of DoreWays, told the Register in August. "[They] give the incoming students an opportunity to connect with student leaders, faculty and staff before the demands of their academic life become their top priorities." Larry Dowdy, dean of students, said the success of the programs from across the University has made the campus more hospitable for all students. "I sense a renewed spirit of genuine care and commitment to our students, both inside and outside of the classroom," said Dowdy. "The love of students, placing them first, challenging them appropriately and helping them realize their potential are the driving forces underlying all of our programs." The availability of professionally trained counselors to address student needs once the semester is under way is also considered a key factor in the increase in retention. "We have known for some time that students who attend regular sessions at the Psychology and Counseling Center have enhanced retention rates," said Nicholas Sieveking, director of the Psychology and Counseling Center. "Building on this, the PCC has in recent years developed additional programs focused specifically on improving the likelihood that students will remain at Vanderbilt." Two such programs are the Decision Tree Project, which was developed in 1997 to help students who are considering leaving the University reach a decision, and the Century End Adviser's Panel. The CEAP was a program that concluded in 2000 that followed and interviewed 60 undergraduate students throughout each of their academic years at Vanderbilt. Coupled with the similar upsurge in the sophomore-to-junior, and junior-to-senior retention rates, officials project that the graduation rate could increase by as much as 5 percent over the next two to three years. The six-year graduation rate -- a common benchmark for such comparisons -- for the freshmen who entered in 1995 was 84.2 percent, according to Greg Perfetto, assistant provost and director of the Office of Special Projects. The national average for U.S. News & World Report top-25 schools was 89 percent for that period. "We've been behind, but we're quickly gaining ground," said Perfetto. "The projects begun years ago are beginning to bear fruit."
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