Credits per credential; excess credits upon completion
Credits per credential: The average number of credits accumulated by students who complete credentials, measured from initial enrollment in postsecondary education. If developmental education courses do not confer credits, do not include them. The effect of developmental education courses will be captured in time to credential if examined alongside credits per credential.
Excess credits at completion: The average number of extra credits earned by completers beyond the number required (e.g., if the average number of credits earned for a 60-credit associate degree is 87, the average excess credits would be 27).
By providing a window into how efficiently students complete credentials, these metrics offer valuable information on (1) the value students receive, because the true cost of completing a credential includes both tuition and fees for courses not needed to complete and the opportunity cost of lost wages, and (2) the reasons students may not complete, because the longer it takes to earn a credential, the more likely life circumstances will interfere. These metrics can provide college leaders valuable insights into how well academic plans are structured, whether students are following clear academic plans, and cost efficiency for students.
While college leaders will find value in collecting data on all students, consistently disaggregating data whenever possible can reveal outcome disparities. This information is essential for colleges developing strong reform plans to improve and close disparities in student success.
- Race/ethnicity
- Gender
- Family/Personal Income
- Age
- Parent/Dependent status
- Attendance intensity
- First-generation status
- Veteran status
Students may identify with one or many of the above identities. College leaders should consider how these different identities intersect and pay close attention to these relationships and how they may influence each student’s experience.