Retention and Graduation Rates

SCO monitors how each student progresses through its four-year professional program. As shown in our data, SCO has excellent retention and graduation rates that exceed our goals of 95% for both metrics.

Retention Rates*

The retention rate is the percentage of SCO’s first-time, first-year professional students who continue at SCO the next year. For example, a student who is full-time in the fall semester and stays in the program at the beginning of the next academic year is counted in this rate. The goal of SCO for retention is that 95% or more of all students who enter the program will return through year four.

*Retention numbers only include students who remain continuously enrolled with their cohorts. These students may graduate with a different cohort.

Graduation Rates

The graduation rate is the percentage of SCO’s first-time, first-year professional students who complete their program within 150% of the published time for the program. Students enter the professional program at the Southern College of Optometry in cohorts and normally complete the program in four years. For reporting purposes, entering students who complete within six years are also counted as graduates. SCO has the goal that, over a 5 year period, an average of 95% of all entering students will graduate in 150% of the time it normally takes to graduate. The graduation rate average of cohorts entering from 2007 through 2011 was 97.6%.