Economic Diversity

For Academic Year 2020-2021, 35% of first-time, full-time (See definition below) undergraduates attending Oglethorpe University were awarded Pell grants. Oglethorpe seeks to enroll a diverse population of students each year with regard to economic background. The average new student Pell population at Oglethorpe’s peers is 40% and the median is 40%. In order to ensure economic diversity, Oglethorpe would like to have an incoming cohort of students who are awarded Pell that, at a minimum, is at the 25^th percentile compared to peers, and a target of within 5% of the peer median. The 25^th percentile for the peer group for 2020-2021 was 32% Pell.

• Minimum: 25^th percentile (32% Pell)
• Target: within 5% of the peer median (40% Pell)
• Actual: 38% Pell

Oglethorpe met the minimum and achieved the target.

First-time, full-time: A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level and is enrolled for 12 or more semester credits.

Racial/Ethnic Diversity

Oglethorpe is located in Atlanta, Georgia and strives to represent the racial and ethnic diversity of its locale. In Fall 2021, 66% of the incoming first-time, full-time cohort identified as Students of Color (this excludes non-resident alien and race/ethnicity unknown from the denominator). This represents a greater racial/ethnic diversity as compared to its peers. Oglethorpe’s peers’ percent of Students of Color in the cohort ranged from 13% to 53% with the average being 32% and median being 29% Students of Color.

• Minimum: 29% students of color
• Target: 50% students of color
• Actual: 66% students of color

Oglethorpe has met the minimum and achieved the target.

Age Diversity

Oglethorpe University is a traditional residential university. However, Oglethorpe does offer evening courses as part of an Adult Degree Program (ADP). This is limited to only a few majors and this program has decreased in enrollment over the past several years. As a result of this offering, and as a commitment to diversity in student enrollment, Oglethorpe strives to enroll students that are considered non-traditional in age. In Fall 2021, 5% of Oglethorpe’s undergraduate population was age 25 or older. The percent of adult students at Oglethorpe’s peers ranged from 1% to 20% with the average being 5% adult students and median being 3%. Oglethorpe sets the peer median as its minimum and works to be at 10% as we strive to increase our transfer and adult programs.

• Minimum: 3% students age 25 or older
• Target: 10% students age 25 or older
• Actual: 5% students age 25 or older

Oglethorpe has met the minimum but not achieved the target. To address this issues, Oglethorpe will work to attract more non-traditional students through greater marketing of and recruitment to the Adult Degree Program.

Employment or Continuing Education

Given Oglethorpe’s commitment to prepare students for success, it participates in the First Destinations Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers to gather data on graduates’ experiences after completing their degree. Graduates are surveyed six months after earning a baccalaureate degree. Data show that graduates from Oglethorpe’s Class of 2023 report:

• 65% are employed either full-or part-time
• 22% are continuing their education in full-time graduate studies
• 9% are still looking for employment
• 2% are not currently seeking employment

Using peers, defined as other schools with a Carnegie Classification as Baccalaureate: Arts and Sciences Focus, Oglethorpe has defined:

• Minimum: Peer average (86% employed or in continuing education)
• Target: Exceed peer average by 5%
• Actual: 88% employed or in continuing education

Graduation Rate

The six-year graduation rate (see definition below) represents students who enrolled as first-time, full-time students six years earlier and completed their undergraduate degrees within 150% of the traditional 4-year time frame. Over the last five years, Oglethorpe’s graduation rate has ranged from 47% to 58%. Oglethorpe Peers have ranged from 29% graduation rate to 76% over that same time period. Oglethorpe sets its minimum threshold based on the 25^th percentile and the target as being in the 50^th percentile of its peers each year. For 2021, Oglethorpe surpassed the minimum standard set and achieved the target.

• Minimum: 25^th Percentile (46% Graduation Rate)
• Target: 50^th Percentile (58% Graduation Rate)
• Actual: 58% Graduation Rate

For 2021, Oglethorpe surpassed the minimum standard set and achieved the target.

Data are collected on the number of students entering the institution as full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in a particular year (cohort), and whether they completed within 150 percent of normal time to completion. Typically, this corresponds to a 6-year rate, but some programs may differ.

Retention Rate

The retention rate is an indicator of how well first-year students acclimate to an institution’s academic and social life. Oglethorpe determined that increasing the retention rate was a priority and would be a key component of its SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan. Oglethorpe has focused on increasing its retention rate. Because of this effort, Oglethorpe set as its minimum the median retention rate of its peers (72% in 2021) and a target of being in the 80^th percentile (78% in 2021).

• Minimum: Peer Median (72%)
• Target: 80^th Percentile of Peers (78%)
• Actual: 79% Retention Rate

For 2021, Oglethorpe surpassed the minimum standard set and achieved the target.

Pell Graduation Rate

Given that enrolling an economically diverse student body is a university priority, it is also important that those students are not just provided access, but also see success. Oglethorpe monitors the graduation rate of its Pell students as compared to the non-Pell student body. Given that Oglethorpe’s graduation rate of Pell students reflects about the same difference as its overall graduation rate, Oglethorpe has decided to focus setting minimums and targets based on its own metrics rather than as compared to peers. Currently the graduation rate of Pell students at Oglethorpe is 48%, whereas the graduation rate of all students at Oglethorpe is 58%, reflecting a 10% gap. At its peer institutions, the Pell graduation rate is also 48% and the graduation rate for all students is 58%, reflecting a 10% gap. Thus, Oglethorpe sets as its target the closing of the gap between those two rates. At a minimum, Oglethorpe seeks to have no greater gap than its peers between Pell and overall graduation rate. The target is to close the gap to 5%.

• Minimum: 10% between Pell and overall graduation rate.
• Target: 5% gap between Pell and overall graduation rate.
• Actual: 10% gap between Pell and overall graduation rate.

Oglethorpe has met the minimum but not achieved the target. To address this issue, Oglethorpe will expand Pell students to ensure that they are aware of and promote greater use of Oglethorpe student success programs and activities.