Fall 2015 Entering Cohort
Technical College of the Lowcountry
Overview
This page presents transfer and bachelor’s degree completion outcomes for first-time, degree-seeking students who began at the Technical College of the Lowcountry in Fall 2015.
The report tracks:
- Transfer to four-year institutions
- Credential completion prior to transfer
- Bachelor’s degree attainment after transfer
Outcomes are measured over a six-year period (through Spring 2021) using national enrollment and degree data.
Key Takeaways
- Transfer-out rate: 28.44% (slightly below national average)
- Transfer with award: 20.97% (well below national benchmark ~43.6%)
- Bachelor’s completion after transfer: 35.48% (below national ~49%)
- Overall bachelor’s completion (entire cohort): 10.09% (vs. ~15.5% nationally)
Insight: Compared to the 2016 cohort, this group performed better across most transfer and completion measures, though still below national benchmarks.
Transfer-Out Rates
- TCL: 28.44%
- National Benchmark: 31.63%
Observation:
Slightly fewer TCL students transferred compared to national peers.
Transfer with Award (Credential Before Transfer)
- TCL: 20.97%
- National Benchmark: 43.61%
Observation:
TCL students were less than half as likely to complete a credential before transferring.
Bachelor’s Completion After Transfer
- TCL: 35.48%
- National Benchmark: 49.08%
Observation:
Transfer students completed bachelor’s degrees at a lower rate than national peers, but notably higher than the 2016 cohort.
Overall Bachelor’s Completion (Entire Cohort)
- TCL: 10.09%
- National Benchmark: 15.52%
Insight:
Overall bachelor’s attainment is below national averages but stronger than the following year’s cohort.
By Student Demographics
Gender
- Transfer Rate
- Women: 27.94%
- Men: 29.63%
- Bachelor’s Completion (after transfer)
- Women: 31.58%
- Men: 41.67%
- Overall Bachelor’s Completion
- Women: 8.82%
- Men: 12.35%
Observation:
Men slightly outperform women in both transfer and bachelor’s completion outcomes.
Income
- Transfer Rate
- Lower Income: 26.32%
- Higher Income: 41.67%
- Bachelor’s Completion (after transfer)
- Lower Income: 36%
- Higher Income: 40%
- Overall Bachelor’s Completion
- Lower Income: 9.47%
- Higher Income: 16.67%
Observation:
Higher-income students are more likely to transfer and complete bachelor’s degrees.
Key Observations
- Transfer rates are close to national averages, but slightly lower
- Students are much less likely to transfer with a credential
- Bachelor’s completion rates are below national benchmarks but stronger than 2016 cohort
- Equity gaps persist:
- Higher-income students outperform lower-income students
- Men outperform women in this cohort
Definitions
- Transfer-Out: Student enrolls at a four-year institution
- Transfer with Award: Student earns a credential at TCL before transferring
- Bachelor’s Completion: Student earns a bachelor’s degree after transfer
- Cohort: First-time, degree-seeking students entering Fall 2015
Important Notes
- Data reflect student movement across institutions nationwide
- Outcomes include activity through Spring 2021 (six-year window)
- National comparisons reflect two-year public institutions
Accessibility Notice
TCL is committed to ensuring that all users have access to our information. If you require assistance accessing content on this page or need the information in an alternative format, please contact us at accessibility@tcl.edu, and we will be happy to assist you.