In a study recently released by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) for Public Policy Research, Gustavus Adolphus College is ranked in the top 10 for its graduation rate among institutions with similar levels of admission selectivity.
“This is great news that reinforces the fact that academic excellence is one of the pillars of the Gustavus experience,” President Jack R. Ohle said. “Gustavus’s outstanding graduation rate speaks volumes about the hard work put in every year by Gustavus faculty, who help students thrive and progress toward a liberal arts degree.”
The study, titled “Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don’t),” took the nearly 1.2 million students who entered college at four-year institutions in the fall of 2001 and examined what percentage of those students graduated by the spring of 2007. Gustavus ranked in a tie for ninth place with an 86 percent graduation rate in the category labeled “highly competitive.” The average six-year graduation rate in the highly competitive category was 75.2 percent.
“Not only does Gustavus have a high graduation rate, but we also have a high retention rate,” said Mark Anderson, Vice President for Enrollment Management. “Students who choose Gustavus are typically extremely pleased with their experience and the overwhelming majority graduate in four years.”
Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., topped the list with an 89 percent graduation rate. Other schools in the top 10 include Mount Holyoke College, the University of California, Berkeley, Grinnell College, Wheaton College, and St. Olaf College.
AEI is a private, non-partisan, not-for-profit institution based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics, and social welfare. Founded in 1943, AEI is home to some of America’s most accomplished public policy experts. The institute sponsors research and conferences and publishes books, monographs, and periodicals.
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