The retention and graduation of transfer students, shown by a variety of student characteristics, facilitate a data-informed approach to improving student outcomes by enabling institutions to track trends, compare rates, and explore the factors influencing retention and graduation across different transfer pathways. Provide feedback by filling out the Transfer Dashboard Feature Request Form.
Transfer Retention and Graduation
Retention and Graduation
Retention and graduation rates are reported for new transfer students entering full-time at UW four-year campuses and returning to or graduating from the same UW university or from any UW university. Beginning with fall 2013 cohort, six-year graduation at same UW includes graduation at the four-year campus and its affiliated two-year campus(es). Beginning with fall 2015 cohort, four-year graduation at same UW includes graduation at the four-year campus and its affiliated two-year campus(es). The Universities of Wisconsin also retain and graduate additional students who enter four-year campuses as part-time new transfer students from two-year campuses and from non-UW institutions. To protect student privacy, rate data are not shown when five or fewer students were retained or graduated.
New Transfer
New students who enroll in a university and transfer credits from another post-secondary institution.
First Generation
Students are considered first generation if they indicate that neither parent has earned a four-year college/university degree.
Race/Ethnicity
Race/ethnicity is self-reported by the individual in one or more of the following categories: African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a), Southeast Asian, Other Asian American, White, and International. The category of Hispanic/Latino(a) includes students identifying as Hispanic/Latino(a) alone or in combination with other race/ethnicities. Individuals who are non-resident aliens (temporary U.S. visa holders) are categorized as International. Individuals who are not International and do not report a race or ethnicity are categorized as Unknown.
Underrepresented Minority
Underrepresented minority (URM) students include those who indicated African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a), or Southeast Asian alone or in combination with other race/ethnicities. Non-URM students include students identifying as White, other Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or any combination of these three race/ethnicities. International students are not included.
User's Guide
Transfer Retention and Graduation User's Guide
Transfer Retention and Graduation Trends
- Transfer Retention and Graduation Trends allows users to analyze trends over time, compare individual rates to overall Universities of Wisconsin (UW) rates, and explore how various factors influence transfer pathways and student success.
- The visualizations display the cohort size by Sending Institution Type alongside selected rate trends over time. Selecting a rate line highlights the corresponding Sending Institution Type in the rate chart. Additionally, the chart allows for a comparison between individual rates and the overall rate.
- It allows the user to then filter based on:
- Individual Retention or Graduation rates
- Rate based on Retention/Graduation At Any UW or the Same UW
- Receiving University
- Sending Institution Type
- Class Level
- First Generation
- Gender
- Pell
- Race/Ethnicity
- Underrepresented Minority (URM)
Business Questions:
- How do retention and graduation rates vary by receiving university and sending institution type?
- What is the trend of retention or graduation rates over time for different sending institution types?
- How do individual rates compare to the overall rates?
- Which student demographics (e.g., First Generation, Gender, Pell, Age Category, Race/Ethnicity, URM) are contributing to variations in retention or graduation rates?
- How do these rates compare across different student populations, such as class level or sending institution type?
- What impact does attending a particular university (Any UW vs. Same UW) have on retention or graduation rates?
Transfer Retention and Graduation Interactive Table
- The interactive table allows users to analyze trends over time, compare individual rates to overall rates, and explore how various factors influence student success.
- The interactive table provides entering cohort and rates in different levels of detail: by Receiving UW, Sending Institution Type and Year; by Receiving UW and Year; and by Year.
- It allows the user to then filter based on:
- Individual Retention or Graduation rates
- Rate based on Retention/Graduation At Any UW or the Same UW
- Receiving University
- Sending Institution Type
- Class Level
- First Generation
- Gender
- Pell
- Race/Ethnicity
- Underrepresented Minority (URM)
Business Questions
- What are the retention and graduation rates by receiving university and sending institution over time?
- How do different demographic groups (e.g., First Generation, Gender, Race/Ethnicity) impact retention and graduation rates at various universities?
- What is the comparison between retention/graduation rates at any receiving university versus the same university?
- How do sending institution types influence transfer student success across different cohorts?
- How effective are different universities in retaining and graduating students over time?
- What trends can be observed in retention and graduation rates across different class levels and age categories?
- How do retention and graduation rates compare between first-generation students and their peers?
- What impact does receiving Pell grants have on student retention and graduation rates?
- How do retention and graduation rates vary by race/ethnicity URM status?
- Which sending institutions contribute to higher retention and graduation rates at receiving universities?
- Are there specific universities or institution types that consistently perform better in retaining and graduating students?
Transfer Retention and Graduation by Entering Cohort
- The dashboard enables users to compare selected retention and graduation rates side-by-side over multiple years, highlighting the interaction between these metrics.
- The dashboard allows the user to compare individually selected Retention and Graduation Rates across multiple years, to see the interaction between Retention and Graduation.
- It allows the user to then filter based on:
- Individual Retention or Graduation rates
- Rate based on Retention/Graduation At Any UW or the Same UW
- Receiving University
- Sending Institution Type
- Class Level
- First Generation
- Gender
- Pell
- Race/Ethnicity
- Underrepresented Minority (URM)
Business Questions:
- How do retention and graduation rates evolve over time for different universities?
- What demographic factors influence retention and graduation rates the most?
- How do retention and graduation rates differ between first-generation students and others?
- What is the impact of receiving Pell grants on student success?
- Which sending institutions are associated with higher retention and graduation rates at receiving universities?
- Are there specific trends in retention and graduation rates across different entering class levels?
Year by Year Transfer Retention and Graduation Comparison
- The Year by Year Transfer Retention and Graduation Comparison enables institutions to track and analyze retention and graduation rates over time, identify trends, and understand the impact of various demographic and institutional factors.
- The Year by Year Transfer Retention and Graduation Comparison provides side by side ‘Wedge’ charts of Retention and Graduation by the Number of Years Since Entering.
- It allows the user to then filter based on:
- Rate based on Retention/Graduation At Any UW or the Same UW
- Receiving University
- Sending Institution Type
- Class Level
- First Generation
- Gender
- Pell
- Race/Ethnicity
- Underrepresented Minority (URM)
Business Questions:
- How do retention and graduation rates change over time for different cohorts?
- What demographic factors most significantly impact retention and graduation rates?
- How do retention and graduation rates differ between first-generation students and others?
- What is the effect of receiving Pell grants on student success?
- Are there specific trends in retention and graduation rates across different entering class levels and race/ethnicity categories?
Transfer Retention Not Graduated, Graduation and Not Retained Not Graduated Rate Trends
- The dashboard provides a comprehensive view of student outcomes, highlighting graduation, retention, and attrition rates. By enabling detailed comparisons across multiple filters, it helps institutions identify trends, understand the factors influencing student success, and develop targeted strategies to reduce attrition and improve overall graduation rates.
- This chart shows the rates of students Graduated, Retained but not Graduated and Not Retained Not Graduated (attrition) allowing comparisons of rates across the listed filters.
- It allows the user to then filter based on:
- Rate based on Retention/Graduation At Any UW or the Same UW
- Entering Year
- Receiving UW
- Sending Institution Type
- Class Level
- First Generation
- Gender
- Pell
- Race/Ethnicity
- Underrepresented Minority (URM)
Business Questions
- What are the trends in graduation, retention, and attrition rates as the number of years since entering progress?
- How do these rates vary by demographic factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, and first-generation status?
- What impact do different sending institution types have on student outcomes at receiving universities?
- How do retention and graduation rates compare between students receiving Pell grants and those who do not?
- Which universities or institution types have the highest and lowest rates of student success?
- Are there specific class levels or demographic groups that require targeted interventions to improve retention and graduation rates?
- Which student groups are most likely to leave without graduating?