Diplomas and Dropouts Report Exposes Dramatic Variation in Completion Rates at Colleges and Universities Across the Country

The average four-year college graduates less than 55 percent of its first-time students in six years; many students have less than a one in three chance of earning a degree.

WASHINGTON, DC (June 3, 2009) – In his first speech to Congress, President Obama promised that “by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.” Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don’t), released today by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), exposes the dramatic variation in completion rates across nearly 1,400 colleges and universities.

To read the full press release, visit the AEI web site.

###
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

ONLINE RESOURCES

American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

PRESS RELEASES

Feb 01, 2012Gates Foundation Invites Public to Explore New Visitor Center Jan 30, 2012Private and Public Partners Unite to Combat 10 Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2020 Jan 26, 2012Foundation Commits $750 Million to Global Fund