SUNY vs. Mass

Why would the SUNY Maritime graduation rate be 48% while the Mass Maritime rate is 70%? On the surface it would appear as though SUNY would be a very bad bet. I would welcome any thoughts or opinions by those who have experience. Thank you.

GratefulDad said:

Why would the SUNY Maritime graduation rate be 48% while the Mass Maritime rate is 70%? On the surface it would appear as though SUNY would be a very bad bet. I would welcome any thoughts or opinions by those who have experience. Thank you.

Click to expand...

Perhaps it is a function of student body makeup and the way statistics are required ro be reported. The first year retention of first time, full time students is pretty good at 85%. And the 6 year graduation rates for first time, full year students is well above average at at 70%. Other categories of students is likely lowering the total:

"With a six year graduation rate of 70.3%, returning students in the SUNY Maritime class of 2013 who attended classes full-time were more likely than average to graduate in a reasonable time. After eight years, the graduation rate was 70.3%."

See full statistics at:
https://www.collegefactual.com/coll...llege/academic-life/graduation-and-retention/

Glen, Thank you very much for your reply. While I don’t see the 70% number you quoted, I did see this on the link you provided:

“First-Time / Full-time Students at SUNY Maritime Represent 85.7% of the Class of 2013 and 81.8% of all Their Bachelor's Degree Graduations.
With a four year graduation rate of 25.0%, first-timestudents in the SUNY Maritime class of 2013 who attended classes full-time had a graduation rate similar to the national average. After six years, the graduation rate was 48.0% and by 2017, 51.0% of this class had completed their degree.”

Both schools have a similar retention rate at 85% and 87% respectively.

I am very interested in understanding if the gap in graduation rates is really that large.

GratefulDad said:

Glen, Thank you very much for your reply. While I don’t see the 70% number you quoted, I did see this on the link you provided:

“First-Time / Full-time Students at SUNY Maritime Represent 85.7% of the Class of 2013 and 81.8% of all Their Bachelor's Degree Graduations.
With a four year graduation rate of 25.0%, first-timestudents in the SUNY Maritime class of 2013 who attended classes full-time had a graduation rate similar to the national average. After six years, the graduation rate was 48.0% and by 2017, 51.0% of this class had completed their degree.”

Both schools have a similar retention rate at 85% and 87% respectively.

I am very interested in understanding if the gap in graduation rates is really that large.

Click to expand...

Like I said - it is the way numbers must be crunched. Read the article I posted carefully. 70% of full time first time students who entered the college graduated in 6 years. This is way above average. Mass Maritime may caclculate their student populations differently.

As a first time - full time student - you should compare colleges by the type of student you intend to be, not the averages across all populations.

Glen, Respectfully, In your first reply you quote a number of 70% for returning full time students. In your second reply you quote the same number for first time full time students.

My concern is for first time / full time students over 6 years, the standard all schools use. SUNY publishes 48% and Mass publishes 70%. I don’t believe this is a difference in method of calculation as it has been commonly uniform for years. Further, if it were not standardized I am sure schools would use a method of calculation that would show them in the best light.

If, in fact, these numbers are apples to apples SUNY looks very expensive in more ways than money.

I suspect this may be because SUNY, being in a densely populated urban area sitting in the middle of an active marine industry, attracts a larger number of part time and non traditional students than Mass Maritime does. These students are probably less likely to graduate than a traditional full time student.

KP Eng said:

I suspect this may be because SUNY, being in a densely populated urban area sitting in the middle of an active marine industry, attracts a larger number of part time and non traditional students than Mass Maritime does. These students are probably less likely to graduate than a traditional full time student.

Click to expand...

KP Engineering - this is exactly my point. It appears SUNY has a varied population of students. Those who are older and are attending school after dropping out statistically have a lower probability of finishing in 4 or 6 years. I know very little about SUNY or any of the maritime state colleges. However, if I were interested in this type of college and were applying for the first time to college, I would focus on the academic programs, and both first year attrition, and first time/full time student graduation results vs averages for all population. And of course - what type of career services the college offers. Just my view

SUNY Maritime:
The acceptance rate at SUNY Maritime College is 69.4%.
The average GPA at SUNY Maritime College is 3.3.
The average SAT score composite at SUNY Maritime College is a 1178 on the 1600 SAT scale.

Mass Maritime
The acceptance rate at Massachusetts Maritime Academy is 83.2%
The average GPA at Massachusetts Maritime Academy is 3.16.
The average SAT score composite at Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a 1127.\

Many of the SUNY majors require 157 credits in 4 years. Typical colleges require 120.
http://www.sunymaritime.edu/sites/d...Undergraduate Degree Curricula 20151004_0.pdf

MAss Maritime seems like it requires 128 for Marine Engineering.
https://www.maritime.edu/marine-engineering