Uncovering the Momentum
of 15 to Finish
Blake Johnson | Director of Communications, Complete College America
Dhanfu El-Hajj Elston | Executive Director of Student Success and Transition,
Purdue University Calumet
Wayne Hill | Chief Marketing Office, The University of Akron
Kathy Johnson | Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education,
IUPUI
Serene Klempin | Research Associate, Community College Research Center
Fifteen to Finish
DC
Statewide Initiatives
States with Campus-Based
Initiatives
2
The Power of 15 Credits: More students graduate
when they complete 30+ credits in their first year.
Bachelor’s Degree
79%
69%
37%
21%
30+ credits
24–29.9 credits
12–23.9 credits
0–11.9 credits
The Power of 15 Credits: More students graduate
when they complete 30+ credits in their first year.
Associate Degrees
62%
43%
27%
10%
30+ credits
24–29.9 credits
12–23.9 credits
0–11.9 credits
Most students DON’T take the credit hours
necessary to graduate on time.
Full-time Students Taking
15+ Credits Per Semester
Hawai’i’s 15 to Finish
Significant results in campaign’s very first year.
15 or More Credits Attempted
UH First-Time Freshmen, Fall 2012
Maoa
Hilo
West Oahu
UHCCs
46.9
41.5
39.3
13.5
7.8
Fall 2009
55.5
11.2
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Wayne Hill, Associate Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
The University of Akron
CAMPAIGN GOALS
1. Change campus language/culture to “Full Time” = 15/16
credit hours per semester
30 to 32 hours per year (including summer)
2. Increase % of incoming freshmen taking 15/16 credit
hours per semester
3. Increase % of continuing students taking 15/16 credit
hours per semester
ANALYSIS 2010-12 COHORTS
HIGHLIGHTS
ACT & credits
attempted-first
fall semester
Retention rate
(%)
Mean first-year
GPA
Mean first-year
credits earned
ACT < 20 &
Credits (<15)
53.00%
2.08
19.2
1. Retention rates ranged from
10% higher to 23% higher
for students taking 15+
credits
24.7
2. First-year GPA was 0.28 to
0.36 higher, on average, for
students taking 15+ credits
23.8
3. Students taking 15+ credits
earned, on average, 2 to 6
more credits toward degree
ACT < 20 &
Credits (15+)
ACT 20-23 &
Credits (<15)
ACT 20-23 &
Credits (15+)
65.50%
61.70%
72.50%
2.44
2.37
2.7
27.4
4. Students taking 15+ credits
were similar in age to
students taking <15 credits
ANALYSIS 2010-12 COHORTS
HIGHLIGHTS
ACT & credits
attempted-first
fall semester
Retention rate
(%)
Mean first-year
GPA
Mean first-year
credits earned
ACT 23-27 &
Credits (<15)
70.10%
2.67
29.2
ACT 23-27 &
Credits (15+)
79.90%
2.95
31.2
ACT ≥ 27 &
Credits (<15)
80.60%
3.01
34.6
ACT ≥ 27 &
Credits (15+)
88.70%
3.32
40.6
1. Retention rates ranged from
10% higher to 23% higher
for students taking 15+
credits
2. First year GPA was 0.28 to
0.36 higher, on average, for
students taking 15+ credits
3. Students taking 15+ credits
earned, on average, 2 to 6
more credits toward degree
4. Students taking 15+ credits
were similar in age to
students taking <15 credits
TACTICS
Deans presentation
Advisors discussion
Messaging and graphic
identity (right)
Video (right)
Web page (right)
www.uakron.edu/finish
TACTICS
New Student Orientation
presentations
Poster (right)
E-mail timed to registration
TV information screens on
campus/residence halls
Campus and student e-mail
announcements
TACTICS
Social media (right)
Table tents
Parent newsletter
COST: ABOUT $1,500
RESULTS
Percent of NEW full-time freshmen registered for 15+ credits
80%
70%
60%
50%
Direct Admit
40%
Emergent
30%
Preparatory
20%
Total
College Ready
Adult
10%
0%
Fall 2013 (census)
Fall 2014 (census)
Your questions
Wayne Hill, Associate Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
whill@uakron.edu | 330-972-2148 | The University of Akron
Data-Driven
Strategy:
• Institutional Research
Report produced in
April, 2013 and
shared with Council
on Retention and
Graduation
• IR director shared
briefer version with all
academic advisors
engaged in Summer
2013 & 14 Orientation
15 or More Credit Hours Attempted and
Completed - Fall Semester
% 15 IU Credit Hours or More Attempted and Earned
First-time, Full-Time Beginners
63%
51%
38%
23%
21%
17%
15%
2005
2006
24%
23%
18%
16%
2007
2008
29%
29%
28%
27%
23%
22% 22%
21%
2009
% 15 or More Attempted
2010
2011
2012
2013
% 15 or More Earned
2014
15 or More Credit Hours
Attempted Spring 2014
% 15 Credit Hours or More Attempted and Earned in the Spring
Semester, First-time, Full-time Beginners Enrolling in Spring
55%
36%
35%
30%
23%
25%
38%
27%
41%
29%
40%
27%
38%
37%
27%
39%
27%
17%
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
% 15 or More Attempted
2010
2011
2012
% 15 or More Earned
2013
Many Students Attempting (but not
completing) 15 Still Earned Credit
Number of Students and Credits Earned Spring Semester
N=471
114
120
108
100
80
60
40
39
20
19
20
6
0
0
1
1
2
3
9
5
4
5
6
29
11
8
7
8
9
38
37
27
10
11
12
13
14
Communications to Students
Banners, posters and digital signs:
Building a Culture of Timely Graduation
Background
Institution by the Numbers
 Located in Hammond, IN
 Public Master’s University
 8,600 undergraduate enrollment
 31% overall graduation rate
 74% first-year retention rate
 PUC has long served a
population of underserved
students: first-generation,
commuter, low socio-economic
status, and racial minorities
 Steady transition from parttime non-traditional to
traditional full-time students
 Fall 2013 began focus on timely
graduation
Purdue University Calumet
Full-Time is 15
Comprehensive Institutional Plan
New Student Orientation
o Clear, Introductory Messages to
Students & Parents
Degree Maps (4-year)
Block Scheduling
o (Opt-Out vs. Opt-In to 15 credit
hours)
Reinforced Messages
o Academic Advisors
o Marketing Campaign
% First-Time, Full-Time Students Enrolled in
15+ Credit Hours (1st semester)
66%
70%
60%
50%
40%
40%
30%
27%
27%
2011
2012
20%
10%
0%
2013
2014
COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH CENTER
CCA Convening / December 1, 2014
15-Credit Strategies
Type of Strategy
Definition
Financial incentives
Completion of 15 credits per semester
required for financial aid or scholarships
Public awareness
campaigns
Advertising importance of 15 credits for
on-time completion through “15 to
Finish” campaigns marketed to the
general public through TV, other media
Institutional awareness
campaigns
Within-campus efforts to promote
importance of 15 credits for on-time
completion
Structural reforms
State or institutional policies making 15
credits the normal full-time course load
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COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH CENTER
CCA Convening / December 1, 2014
15-Credit Policies
Type of Policy
Definition
Banded tuition
Fixed tuition rate for a specified range of
credits, with tuition set at price of an
intermediate number of credits
Flat banded tuition
Fixed tuition rate for a specified range of
credits, with tuition at the cost of lowest
number of credits within credit range
Tuition cap
No additional tuition charged above a set
number of credits
Default financial aid
processing
Full-time status used as the default for
processing all financial aid applications.
Degree credit cap
Limiting the number of credits required for
associate degree to 60 and the number of
credits required for a bachelor to 120
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COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH CENTER
CCA Convening / December 1, 2014
Promising 15-Credit Research
% Attainment
BA completion by 1st semester credit load – without controls. (BPS 04/09 data)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
6 Credits
12 Credits
15 Credits
Community
College
Non-Selective
4-Year
Selective 4-Year
Monaghan, D., & Attewell, P. (2014, April). Academic momentum at the gate: Does first-semester
credit load affect postsecondary completion? Paper presented at the meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
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