How America Completes College 2024
Understanding what helps students graduate
conducted by Ipsos
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Nearly two-thirds of students are “on track”
“On-track” students are undergraduate students who reported being on a successful path to graduation, never having considered leaving school or being at risk of dismissal.
“At-risk” students are undergraduate students who have seriously considered leaving school or have been at risk of dismissal.
3 Top Reasons ‘at-risk’ students consider leaving school
Four-year financial plans boost completion rates
Planning for college, including having a financial plan for all four years, is associated with a higher likelihood of students completing college.
Check out the many resources and tools Sallie Mae offers to help you plan for college.
First-generation students tend to face more challenges
First-generation students are more likely to consider leaving school, work longer hours, and report lower confidence in their career direction compared to students from college-educated households.
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First-generation college students face more difficulties with mental health while in school.
58% found it difficult to prioritize mental health vs. 44% of students from college-educated households.
Mental health challenges are a huge concern for students
There is a strong link between mental health and the decision to leave college.
Only 31% of at-risk students rated their mental health as excellent or good compared with 61% of on-track students
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“How America Completes College” reflects the results of an online survey, in English, with 1,029 young adults, ages 18-30, currently enrolled in a 2- or 4-year program, and 427 young adults, ages 18 to 30, who started a 2- or 4-year degree but withdrew before completing the program. The research was conducted between June 2, 2023 and June 26, 2023.