Diploma Mills

[sanantone]

The lowest graduation rates are usually at open admissions schools of low quality. The best schools in the country do not have low graduation rates. That is something that good schools try to avoid because low graduation rates are never a good thing. You don't want to have a reputation of taking people's money without giving them something valuable in return. High graduation rates are usually a sign of high-quality instruction. Of course, it's easier to have higher graduation rates when you're selective. When you're not highly-selective, you have to work harder at teaching.

The schools with the lowest graduation rates are for-profit colleges and community colleges, and it's definitely not because they're rigorous. For-profit colleges have low graduation rates because they accept students who can't read well and can't do basic math. Since they usually don't require placement tests, they don't know if a student needs remediation. Oftentimes, for-profits don't even offer remedial courses. This sector is also known for spending a lot more on marketing than instruction.

One of the main reasons why community colleges have low graduation rates is because many of their degree-seeking students have no intention of earning an associate's degree. They just want the transfer credits. Also, a lot of the students need remedial courses, and they drop out because remediation requirements can add a year or more to someone's program. Honestly, most of the students at open admissions schools will never be able to complete college-level coursework.