Student Outcomes

Success rates, completion statistics, and student outcome metrics for J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College

Huntsville, AL

Overall Completion Rate

23.9%

Working Student Success

33%

Transfer Out Rate

16.1%

Still Enrolled Rate

1%

What Happens After Students Enroll?

Eight-Year Student Outcomes

Eight-year outcomes for students who entered J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.

16.5%
12.8%
69.6%
Completed
16.5%
105 students
Still Enrolled
1.1%
7 students
Transferred Out
12.8%
81 students
No Award
69.6%
442 students

Understanding These Outcomes

Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.

Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.

Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.

No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.

These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.

What Are Student Transfer and Continuation Patterns?

Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway

Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.

First-Time Students(227 cohort size)
17.0%
17.0% completed
11.0% transferred to other institutions
Transfer-In Students(81 cohort size)
31.0%
31.0% completed
20.0% transferred again to other institutions
Continuing Students(146 cohort size)
12.0%
12.0% completed

Key Insights

Transfer students outperform first-time students by 14.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.

Combined 15.5% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.

Cohort Composition

227
First-Time
81
Transfer-In
146
Continuing

Understanding Student Pathways

First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.

Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.

Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.

Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.

Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.

What are the Completion Rates by Student Type

Full-time Students
17.8%
Part-time Students
33%
First-time Students
23.3%
Transfer Students
30.2%

What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Notably, part-time students have a higher success rate here (33% vs 17.8% for full-time), which is great news if you plan to work while studying. This pattern is common at trade colleges where programs are designed to accommodate working adults. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.

What are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time

Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 547 students

After 4 Years

40
Certificates
55
Associate Degrees
95
Total Awards
17%
Completion Rate

After 6 Years

42
Certificates
59
Associate Degrees
101
Total Awards
18%
Completion Rate

After 8 Years (Final)

40
Certificates
65
Associate Degrees
105
Total Awards
19%
Completion Rate

Final Student Status

19%
Graduated
1%
Still Enrolled Here
15%
Enrolled Elsewhere
0%
Status Unknown

Completion Breakdown by Cohort

Part-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 20
8-Year Rate: 50%

Part-time First-time Students

Cohort Size: 31
8-Year Rate: 39%

All First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 81
8-Year Rate: 31%

All Part-time Students

Cohort Size: 146
8-Year Rate: 30%

Full-time Non-first-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 41
8-Year Rate: 27%

Full-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 61
8-Year Rate: 25%

All Non-first-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 93
8-Year Rate: 25%

Part-time Non-first-time Students

Cohort Size: 43
8-Year Rate: 23%

Time to Completion

Average time: 5 years
Median time: 5 years
Complete on time: 21.7%

About This Data

Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.