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NSC Completion Rates Report Summary

Reports from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) show a decline in Blue Ridge Community College’s overall six-year completion rates in two cohort years. Nevertheless, the College’s completion rates have rebounded to over 55% and even with two years of decline, have remained well above the national average for two-year public institutions.

Table 1: NSC Six-Year Total Completion Rate 2014-2017 Cohorts


Cohort
Blue Ridge
National Average
201452.22%40.28%
201550.62%42.17%
201648.60%43.08%
201755.6243.45

“Minimum Acceptable” and “Target” Performance Levels

Key academic and student success leaders at the College determine the College’s appropriate minimum and target performance levels.

The minimum acceptable completion rate is 52%. The College expects performance on this measure, at minimum, to meet or exceed this rate. This minimum acceptable rate was calculated by averaging the College’s completion rate over the past three years. Using the average score as the minimal acceptable level allows the College to monitor whether its total completion rate continues to trend upward.

The target completion rate is 54.6%. This rate is one standard deviation above Blue Ridge Community College’s three-year average. This methodology is based on the North Carolina Community College System’s method of identifying “excellence level” at one standard deviation above the mean.

The table below compares Blue Ridge’s recent results with these performance levels.

Table 2: NSC Six-Year Total Completion Rate Compared to Blue Ridge Performance Levels


Cohort
Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge Performance Levels
201550.62%Below minimum
201648.60%Below minimum
201755.62%Above Target

Table 3: Summary of Disaggregated Completion Rates

DemographicFall 2015 Cohort Fall 2016 Cohort Fall 2017 Cohort
NCompletion Rate % NCompletion Rate % NCompletion Rate % 
Exclusively Full-Time 46 82.72 61 78.69 62 85.49 
Exclusively Part-Time 54 37.04 62 27.42 45 31.12 
Mixed Enrollment 145 45.52  161 45.35 134 50.02 
Men 109 43.12  143 43.37 135 54.08 
Women 136 56.64 141 53.90 106 57.58 
Age 20 & Younger 176 52.86 224 48.67 201 55.62 
Age > 20-24 26 46.15  25 40.00 13 46.15 
Age Older than 24 43 44.19  35 54.30 27 55.56 
Hispanic 29 62.07 47 48.94 32 62.51 
White 191 50.80  212 50.48 179 56.45 
Male Hispanic 13 53.85 31 45.16 21 52.39 
Female Hispanic 16 68.75 16 56.25 11 81.82 
Male White 86 43.02  102 44.14 101 54.46 
Female White 105 57.17 110 56.37 78 59.02 
2026-27 Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose (V4)

Beginning the 2026-27 academic year, all “Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose” forms must be completed in the Offices of Financial Aid. 

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