Florida Gateway College strives to ensure positive outcomes for its students and graduates. To this end, the College tracks several student achievement metrics to determine if students are retained by the College, if they graduate from the College, and how well their education serves them as they seek employment or continuing education. By monitoring these metrics, the College can make timely and appropriate interventions to ensure positive outcomes for its students.
For each metric, two goals are presented.
Goal: The first is a minimum goal, based on the five-year average of the metric. If the metric dips below this minimum, College leaders take immediate action to improve performance.
Challenge Goal: Florida Gateway College seeks continuous improvement. Therefore, the second goal is a challenge goal, which is the five-year average of the metric plus an incremental 5% increase. Working towards the challenge goals helps the College improve its education and services to better meet students’ needs.
(N) Sample Sizes
For each metric, sample sizes are listed when available next to each reporting year. The sample size is the number of students counted in the cohort, represented by the letter “N”.
Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment students are not counted in the graduation and retention rate metrics presented. Dual enrollment students who graduate from high school and then matriculate at FGC are considered First Time In College (FTIC) students and are included in reporting from this point forward. PSVC metrics include CCC and ATD programs.
Graduation rates are an important student success metric, as students who graduate with a degree or certificate can access the benefits of an educational credential, such as improved job prospects, more fulfilling work, and a stable income. Florida Gateway College uses two data sources for graduation rates: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Reports (Figures 1-3), which presents the College’s overall graduation rate; and Florida College System (FCS) Accountability Reports (M1P2) (Figures 4-7, 8-11), which includes the College’s graduation rate by program type.
The traditional IPEDS graduation rate is calculated based on the number of first time in college students attending the College full-time who graduate within 150% of normal degree completion time.
Florida Gateway College recognizes the importance of student retention, as retention is the first step towards graduation from the College. If a student is retained, this indicates that the College is meeting the needs of that student. The Florida College System considers students in a cohort to be retained if they enrolled in two consecutive fall terms. Retention calculations include both part-time and full-time FTIC students. Source: The Florida College System Accountability Reports.
The Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree is designed for students who wish to further their education, either to a four-year institution or program that generally requires education beyond high school for admittance. As such, the percentage of A.A. students who continue education after graduation is an indicator of how well the College’s A.A. program is meeting the needs of these students. Source: Florida Education & Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) AA Completer Reports.
Note: In prior years, FGC considered only A.A. students who transferred to a four-year institution (university) in this measure. As there are a number of programs that graduates plan to pursue after obtaining their A.A. (such as the ASDN), we have expanded this measure to include any students who continue to pursue educational goals beyond the A.A. degree.
Vocational program placement rates are an important student achievement indicator. Many students enroll in higher education programs to improve their job prospects and career mobility. High placement rates demonstrate that Florida Gateway College’s programs are adequately preparing students to enter the workforce or continue their education. Vocational placement is defined by the Florida College System as being employed, being enrolled in an educational program, or being in military service.
Placement rates include all students who completed a workforce program (AS, AAS, CCC, ATD, OC) within the time period examined. The College recognizes that its placement rate is consistently high (above 90%), but is committed to striving towards the challenge goal. Source: FCS PERA Accountability and M3P2 Vocational Placement reports.
