1. Completion and Attrition: Program Baseline Data CGS Annual Meeting Pre-Meeting Workshop December 5, 2007 Robert Sowell Ting Zhang

2. Ph.D. Completion Project Overview Goals: To study doctoral student completion and attrition patterns at a specifically selected set of Research and Project Partners. To give deans context to lead conversations about what attrition and completion patterns actually are at their universities, and what practices could be implemented to improve these patterns. To empower graduate deans to develop interventions that are tailored to disciplines, departments, and programs at their universities.

3. Project Overview, Continued Funding provided by Pfizer Inc and the Ford Foundation 29 Research Partner institutions received grants 25 Project Partner institutions are currently participating in various project aspects (unfunded) Institutions participate in one or both project phases: Phase I (2004-2007) Phase II (2007-2010)

4. Phase I Research and Project Partners (Part I) Arizona State University* University of California Berkeley University of CaliforniaLos Angeles* University of Cincinnati* University of Colorado Boulder Cornell University* Duke University* University of Florida* Florida State University* Fordham University* George Washington University University of Georgia* * Submitted Data Howard University* University of Iowa* University of Illinois Urbana Champaign* Jackson State University University of Kansas Louisiana State University University of Louisville* Marquette University* University of Maryland Baltimore County* McGill University University of Melbourne (Australia)

5. University of Michigan* Michigan State University University of Minnesota University of Missouri Columbia* Université de Montréal* New Mexico State University New York University* University of North CarolinaChapel Hill* North Carolina State University* North Dakota State University University of Notre Dame* Pennsylvania State University* Phase I Research and Project Partners (Part II) Princeton University* University of Puerto Rico Purdue University* University of Rhode Island Rutgers-New Brunswick* University of Southern California Southern Illinois University Carbondale* Syracuse University Washington UniversitySt. Louis* Western Michigan University* Yale University* * Submitted Data

6. Arizona State University University of Arkansas Brown University University of California Berkeley University of California Los Angeles University of California San Diego University of Cincinnati Colorado State University Cornell University Duke University Phase II Research and Project Partners (Part I) University of Florida Florida State University University of Georgia Howard University University of Illinois Urbana Champaign University of Kansas University of Louisville Loyola University Chicago Marquette University

7. University of Maryland Baltimore County McMaster University University of Michigan Michigan State University University of Missouri Columbia University of North CarolinaChapel Hill North Carolina State University Northwestern University Ohio State University Pennsylvania State University Phase II Research and Project Partners (Part II) Princeton University Purdue University University of Rhode Island Rutgers N ew Brunswick University of Southern California Syracuse University Washington University St. Louis Yale University

8. Categories of Potential Interventions Selection/Matching Mentoring and Advising Financial Support and Structure Program Environments Research Experiences Curricular and Administrative Processes and Procedures

9. Data Requirements Aggregate demographic completion data by broad field Factor assessments for each institution and program Student Exit Surveys Short and standard versions Available as hard copy and online Completion and attrition data by program

10. Completion Template - Data Entry

12. Completion & Attrition – Data Verification The "Attrition Check" columns include continuing students. These columns indicate the numbers of students who must be accounted for on the Attrition Template.

13. Attrition Template - Data Definitions Years 1-4: Without MA: Withdrawal without receiving a master's degree from the program With MA: Withdrawal with completed master's degree without candidacy With Candidacy: Withdrawal after achieving candidacy, with or without a master's degree Transfer

14. Attrition Template - Data Entry

16. Number of Programs and Entering Students by Broad Field # of Programs # of Entering Students Engineering549,496 Life Sciences666,925 Math & Physical Sciences7815,262 Social Sciences659,671 Humanities677,759 All Fields Total33049,113

17. Cohort Definitions for Baseline Data Analysis A-Cohorts (10-year cohorts) Students enrolling in 1992-93; 1993-94; 1994-95 12,135 students (313 programs) B-Cohorts (7-year cohorts) Students enrolling in 1995-96; 1996-97; 1997-98 11,697 students (320 programs) C-Cohorts (4-year cohorts) Students enrolling in 1998-99; 1999-2000; 2000-01 12,125 students (323 programs)

18. New CGS Publication Ph.D. Completion and Attrition: Analysis of Baseline Program Data from the Ph.D. Completion Project

19. Completion Rates The following completion graphs show average cumulative 10-year completion rates for A-Cohorts (students entering doctoral study from 1992-93 through 1994-95). Rates shown by: Overall Broad field Discipline Institution type (public vs. private) Cohort size Entering cohorts

20. Average Overall Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering Doctoral Programs from 1992-93 through 1994-95 4.5 10.5 22.5 36.1 45.5 50.9 54.6 56.6 0 20 40 60 Cumulative Completion Rate 345678910 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

21. Ten-Year Completion Rates for SEM and SSH Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Cumulative Completion Rate 345678910 Year SEMSSH Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

22. Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Broad Field 56.8 53.7 48.2 40.9 29.3 63.6 62.9 55.9 54.7 49.3

23. Ten-Year Completion Rates for Life Science Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95

24. Ten-Year Completion Rates by Institution Type for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Cumulative Completion Rate 345678910 Year PrivatePublic Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

25. Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Institution Type and Broad Field 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 2468102468 2468 2468 2468 EngineeringLife Sciences Math & Physical Sciences Social SciencesHumanities Private Public Cumulative Completion Rates Year Graphs by BF Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

26. Ten-Year Completion Rates by Cohort Size for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Cumulative Completion Rate 345678910 Year SmallMedium Large Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data Small: 1-7 Medium: 8-14 Large: 15+

27. Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Cohort Size and Broad Field 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 2468102468 2468 2468 2468 EngineeringLife SciencesMathematics & Physical Sciences Social SciencesHumanities Smal l Medium Large Cumulative Completion Rates Year Graphs by BF Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data Small: 1-7 Medium: 8-14 Large: 15+

28. Ten-Year Completion Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Discipline-Specific Cohort Size Distributions in Chemistry vs. Computer & Information Sciences 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Cumulative Completion Rate 345678910 Year SmallMedium Large Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data 0 10 20 30 40 50 Cumulative Completion Rate 345678910 Year SmallMedium Large Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data ChemistryComputer & Information Sciences Small: 4-10 Medium:12-23 Large: 25-55 Small: 2-15 Medium:16-26 Large: 31-78

29. Comparison of Seven-Year Completion Rates between A- and B- Cohorts, SEM vs. SSH Fields 35.7 35.8 50.6 51.9 0102030405060 Cumulative Completion Rate SSH Fields SEM Fields NOTE: A-cohorts include all students entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all students entering 1995-96 through 1997-98 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data A-cohortsB-cohorts

30. Comparison of Seven-Year Completion Rates between A- and B- Cohorts, by Broad Field Mathematics & Physical Sciences

31. Attrition Rates The following attrition graphs show average cumulative 10-year attrition rates for A-Cohorts (students entering doctoral study from 1992-93 through 1994-95). Rates shown by: Overall Broad field Discipline Institution type (public vs. private) Cohort size

32. Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95 6.6 13.8 19.9 23.6 25.4 27.0 28.4 29.5 30.2 30.6 0 10 20 30 Cumulative Attrition Rate 12345678910 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

33. Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, SEM vs. SSH Fields 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Cumulative Attrition Rate 12345678910 Year SEMSSH NOTE: 10-Year attrition Rates include all cohorts entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

34. Ten-year Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Broad Field

35. Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering Social Sciences Disciplines from 1992-93 through 1994-95

36. Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Student Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Institution Type 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Cumulative Attrition Rate 12345678910 Year PrivatePublic Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

37. Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Institution Type and Broad Field 0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30 051005 05 05 05 EngineeringLife SciencesMathematics & Physical Sciences Social SciencesHumanities Private Public Cumulative Attrition Rates Year Graphs by BF Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data

38. Ten-Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Cohort Size 0 10 20 30 Cumulative Attrition Rate 12345678910 year SmallMedium Large Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data Small: 1-7 Medium: 8-14 Large: 15+

39. Ten -Year Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, by Cohort Sizes and Broad Field Small: 1-7 Medium: 8-14 Large: 15+

40. Cumulative Ten-Year Attrition Rates for A-Cohorts in Engineering (except Electrical Engineering), by Cohort Sizes and Year 0 5 10 15 20 25 Cumulative Attrition Rate 12345678910 year SmallMedium Large Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data Small: 1-7 Medium: 8-14 Large: 15-51 Regular Cohort Size Definition 0 5 10 15 20 25 Cumulative Attrition Rate 12345678910 year SmallMedium Large Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data Small: 1-6 Medium: 7-13 Large: 14-51 Discipline-specific Cohort Size Definition

41. Early Attrition (Years 1-4) The following three attrition graphs show 4-year attrition rates for: A-Cohorts (1992-93 through 1994-95) B-Cohorts (1995-96 through 1997-98) C-Cohorts (1998-99 through 2000-01)

42. Early Attrition (Years 1-4) Rates for A-, B- and C-Cohorts 20.2 24.2 23.6 024681012141618202224 Attrition Rate NOTE: A-cohorts include all students entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all students entering 1995-96 through 1997-98 C-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1998-99 through 2000-01 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data AB C

43. Early Attrition (Years 1-4) Rates for A-, B- and C-Cohorts by Broad Fields 16.6 20.2 19.3 22.0 26.6 26.5 024681012141618202224 Attrition Rate SSH Fields SEM Fields NOTE: A-cohorts include all students entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all students entering 1995-96 through 1997-98 C-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1998-99 through 2000-01 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data AB C

44. Components of Early Attrition (Years 1-4) 0 2 4 6 8 Percent Attrition Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4 ABCABCABCABC Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data NOTE: A-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1992-93 through 1994-95 B-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1995-96 through 1997-98 C-cohorts include all cohorts entering 1998-99 through 2000-01 No Master'sMaster's, No Candidacy Master's, With CandidacyTransferred

45. Continuing Students The following four graphs show continuing student rates, completion rates and attrition rates for Ten-Year rates for A Cohorts SEM vs. SSH Five broad fields Four-Year rates for each entering cohort from 1992-93 through 2000-01

46. Continuing, Completion, and Attrition Rates for Students Entering from 1992-93 through 1994-95, SEM vs. SSH

47. Four-Year Continuing, Completion, and Attrition Rates for A-, B- and C-Cohorts 72.77.120.2 67.58.324.2 65.910.523.6 020406080100 Rates C B A Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data ContinuingCompletionAttrition

48. Four-Year Continuing, Completion, and Attrition Rates by Cohort Year 75.06.518.5 73.06.820.2 70.18.121.9 68.58.622.9 66.68.125.2 67.38.224.4 66.58.824.6 67.59.023.5 63.813.422.8 020406080100 Rates 2000-01 1999-2000 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97 1995-96 1994-95 1993-94 1992-93 Source: Council of Graduate Schools Completion and Attrition Program Data ContinuingCompletionAttrition

49. Future Questions to be Addressed in the Ph.D. Completion Project How do completion patterns vary by ethnicity, gender and citizenship? Why do students say they complete (or not)? What are the perceptions about graduate school of completers and non-completers? What is the impact of the six categories of interventions? How does efficacy vary across broad field and for which populations? How does masters degree completion interact with completion/attrition across program and broad field? Can we project ultimate completion and time to degree from our completion and attrition data?

50. Future Ph.D. Completion Project Publications Baseline demographic data (publication expected March 2008) Student exit surveys (publication expected late fall 2008) Promising practices, policies and activities Publications based on 2007 and 2009 data submissions (2008-2010) Final Best Practices report (2010)