Community college has a 7% graduation rate...

Keep in mind that there is essentially open admission into most community colleges, though not necessarily into the specific programs at those colleges. This, along with the many transfers, results in graduation rates that are artificially low.

Years ago, the CC where I received my ADN had a lottery system for the nursing program. This resulted in a very high washout rate and relatively low NCLEX pass rates (above the accreditation minimum though). Over the years, the program admission policy changed however. When I attended some years ago, the sole criterion for admission was your score on the NET. This led to far fewer washouts (we had 2 out of 32 in two years in my evening/weekend session but that may not be representative of the larger program) and NCLEX pass rates above most other nursing schools in the area. The downside was it denied admission to a fair number of qualified applicants - I have many friends who are excellent paramedics who could not get the ~95% on the NET needed to get into the program. Admission now is weighted: Standardized test scores (they now use the TEAS) and your academic record. This may hopefully find the right balance.

By the way, though everyone was required to take the ATI exams, there was no exam minimum test score requirement at the CC (they have since gone away from ATI, though they still use some testing scheme). Everyone who finishes the programs is eligible for the NCLEX however, and the school still has first time pass rates of about 90%. That is not as good as some of the programs in the area - all of the diploma programs have higher rates (close to 100%) and some of the 4-year programs also have nearly perfect pass rates. One of those programs is at an ivy league school however, so their admission requirements weed out any unfit candidates. One other is a top tier private college that has a HESI minimum score requirement before they will submit the student's credentials for the NCLEX. I've tried to find out how many of this school's students complete their program (which has tuition of at least $100k) but fail to qualify to sit for the exam. Needless to say, this is not a figure that they publish and I haven't been able to learn what it is.

My ADN program claimed a 100% pass rate for the class I graduated with...what I found funny about that, was they claimed this rate BEFORE at least 20 of us had taken the boards!! I wondered if they were posting their pass rate based on those who had attempted the test, not based on the number who had been endorsed to sit for the test! Don't know what the final number was after every one of us finally took the test!

My school's curriculum (an ADN program) was largely based on 'teaching to the test' mentality- by ensuring they covered closely what was on the test, in the style of the test, the ensured only the ones who could pass their tests would also be the ones to sit for and pass the state boards- which let's them claim the 100% pass rate, and makes them look like super stars in the state!

As a graduate of this program, I have to say, while it is nice to pass the test with 75 questions, I would also like to feel as though I really learned my stuff! Instead I feel like I taught myself most things (we were mixed-mode classes after my first semester) and received a survey education in nursing, not a real meat and potatoes, stick to the ribs education to carry with me into my future. This terrifies me! I feel like I will be continually playing catch up with the BSN students to be a safe nurse. For this reason, I am going right back for my RN-BSN with the intention of taking it with a state university with some face time (not just online) to get what I feel I never got the first time!

My ADN program claimed a 100% pass rate for the class I graduated with...what I found funny about that, was they claimed this rate BEFORE at least 20 of us had taken the boards!! I wondered if they were posting their pass rate based on those who had attempted the test, not based on the number who had been endorsed to sit for the test! Don't know what the final number was after every one of us finally took the test!

That is certainly the case.

My school's curriculum (an ADN program) was largely based on 'teaching to the test' mentality- by ensuring they covered closely what was on the test, in the style of the test, the ensured only the ones who could pass their tests would also be the ones to sit for and pass the state boards- which let's them claim the 100% pass rate, and makes them look like super stars in the state!

That has become very common. The state college and state university here do that, as well as the small for-profit vocational schools with ADN programs.

If it is for the entire school, I'm not surprised. I'm taking pre-reqs at my local community college but I'm not going to graduate from anything. People often transfer to 4 year colleges/universities, enroll in community colleges to take specific courses or other reasons. I'd say that very few people enroll in a community college to get an AA/AS.

Do you go to Columbus State? That is where I go and the rate is also 7%. That % is based on the school as a whole, not the nursning program. Most people just transfer to a 4 year school which is why the rate is so low

Keep in mind that there is essentially open admission into most community colleges, though not necessarily into the specific programs at those colleges. This, along with the many transfers, results in graduation rates that are artificially low.

This is primarily the reason why and some that is causing the budget crunch and class impaction to be even worse that they normally would be. They can't turn anyone away but the state colleges can so you have thousands more students competing for the same classes which they can't get so they can't graduate. I was listening on NPR that some of the CA CC's are considering for the first time ever limiting admissions.

Community colleges don't get to count there successful transfers to 4 years colleges which drives down there over all graduations rate. aka it skews the results to a non favorable false percentile. Prob and Stats 101. roflmao.

Yeah, CA CC's are buckling down since they are so impacted and losing funding. At my CC they finally put in a rule where a student only has 3 chances to take the same class, regardless of whether they fail or get a W. I can't believe they didn't have that before. Some people were taking A&P for the 4th or 5th time when I took those classes. If you can't pass by the 3rd time...I gotta wonder what will happen in a nursing program.

Yeah, CA CC's are buckling down since they are so impacted and losing funding. At my CC they finally put in a rule where a student only has 3 chances to take the same class, regardless of whether they fail or get a W. I can't believe they didn't have that before. Some people were taking A&P for the 4th or 5th time when I took those classes. If you can't pass by the 3rd time...I gotta wonder what will happen in a nursing program.

I have to admit there is one nursing class I dropped 3 times just missing the W deadline but it was a fashion sketching class so doesn't really count LOL.

I know there are a lot of students that are very upset with the influx on state college students flooding in and taking up spaces in classes and I understand their frustration because they are trying to get themselves into the position to transfer to state but can't because the students who are already where they want to be are getting in their way. For state funded programs I think there should be some limits on cross enrollment. Even the private universities allow community college cross enrollment. The CC's should be a place to be able to get a foot in the door not overflow for other institutions.

My cc DID implement a great policy for incoming high school graduates by giving in district HS grads first registration priority. It gives them a chance to get the classes they need because it takes a while to get to know how to work the system and crash classes.

I believe it may be that low because many students transfer out and do not recieve a diploma from the school. That would be a good reason for it to be so low.

Also should add I've heard that some of the bigger CC's in CA have a 50% student turnover each semester.

Definitely look at the program! While my community college only has a 19% graduation rate, their nursing program has a 90% graduation rate with a 92% NCLEX pass rate.