Student Achievement
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requires that institutions publish student achievement information. In SACSCOC’s Policy on Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure, student achievement information may include “reliable information in retention, graduation, course completion, licensure examinations, and job placement rates and other measures of student success appropriate to institutional mission.”
The College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA) evaluates success concerning student achievement consistent with its mission to provide degrees that support the intellectual, economic and cultural needs of the community and region while promoting student progression and timely graduation. CCGA's commitment to student achievement is specifically evident in one section of its mission statement:
“…Advocating excellence in scholarship and community engagement, the College promotes student progression and timely graduation through student-centered programs that offer a rich and diverse student experience. Students are prepared for meaningful careers, advanced study, lifelong learning, and participation in a global and technological society. …"
CCGA has identified several metrics for measuring student achievement effectiveness of its work toward mission fulfillment; furthermore, these indicators support CCGA’s strategic plan, Coastal Vision 2021, and in the process establish significant but realistic outcomes and determine a time frame for results. These institutional measures and students’ achievement on these measures are presented below:
Job Placement/Continuing Education
The Office of Career Development utilizes the National Association of Colleges and Employers' (NACE) First Destination Survey to capture information regarding new CCGA graduates' employment and continuing education within six months of graduation (industry standard). According to the NACE, 81% of bachelor's degree graduates in the Class of 2016 were employed or continuing their education six months following graduation.
| Criterion | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| Spring 2017 | Spring 2021 | |
| Job Placement / Continuing Education | 78% | 82% |
Retention & Graduation
The retention and graduation rates presented below are based on data provided to the Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System (IPEDS), a system of "interrelated surveys conducted annually" by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, which defines overall graduation rate for colleges and universities as the progress of associate and baccalaureate students who began their studies as a first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshman cohort to see if they complete a degree within 150% of "normal time" for the program in which they are enrolled. This definition does not account for all entering students, regardless of their prior college experience or educational pathway – only a select subset of students.
Likewise, according to IPEDS, retention is "a measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program, expressed as a percentage." This is the percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshmen who are again enrolled in their second fall term.
It should be noted that any first-time, full-time freshmen who transfer to another post-secondary education institution that provides a degree program that CCGA does not offer will be counted as "non-completers" and consequently lower graduation rates. If such students transfer before enrolling for a second fall term, they will lower retention rates as well.
| Criterion | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| 2014 cohort | 2018 cohort | |
| Associate three-year graduation rate | 9% | 13% |
| 2011 cohort | 2015 cohort | |
| Bachelor's six-year graduation rate | 23% | 27% |
| 2016 cohort | 2020 cohort | |
| Associate retention rate (fall-to-fall) | 49% | 57% |
| Bachelor's retention rate (fall-to-fall) | 58% | 66% |
Course Completion
The rate at which students successfully complete required coursework for a degree is a direct indication of progression, and has immediate impact in retention and cost of education. Research has suggested the longer it takes a student to complete their educational goal, the less likely they are to do so. The College has effectively restructured how it supports students who arrive on campus with a gap in academic preparation. This recent shift involved moving from traditional remedial education as a standalone enterprise to concentrating on supporting students in the credit-bearing collegiate level courses that align well with each individual program of study – promoting gateway course success via co-requisite academic support.
| Criteria | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| AY 2016-17 | AY 2020-21 | |
| Gateway course completion rate for remedial students | 68% (English) 50% (Mathematics) |
71% (English) 56% (Mathematics) |
Student Engagement
Student engagement relates to students’ involvement in High-Impact Practices (HIPs), namely, co-curricular activities that help foster student development, encourage teamwork and collaboration, promote synergistic student-faculty connections, provide real-world applications, and demand reflection and integrated learning. The College utilizes the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to collect and assess select high-impact practices involving freshmen and seniors.
| Criteria | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| Freshmen | Spring 2017 | Spring 2020 |
| Study Abroad | 0% | 1% |
| Service-Learning | 46% | 50% |
| Undergraduate Research | 2% | 5% |
| Seniors | ||
| Study Abroad | 6% | 10% |
| Service-Learning | 80% | 85% |
| Undergraduate Research | 35% | 40% |
STUDENT SATISFACTION
Coastal georgia uses the Graduating Student Survey (GSS), administered at the end of spring term, to assess student satisfaction with their college experience at the institution. Student satisfaction continues to be a key component of academic success, especially the student support services offered.
| Criteria | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| Spring 2017 | Spring 2021 | |
| Overall college experience ('very satisified' or ''satisfied') | 79% | 83% |
| Overall student life experience ('excellent' or 'good') | 74% | 78% |
| Degree requirements completed on time ('yes') | 75% | 80% |
| Made satisfactory academic progress while employed ('yes') | 90% | 95% |
| Recommend CCGA to prospective students ('definitely' or 'probably') | 85% | 89% |
Professional Licensure / Certification
The success of graduates in many professional fields, especially in healthcare and teacher education, require licensure or certification to practice or enter the workforce; therefore, measuring the success of students in passing licensure and certification exams is an important success indicator in developing a qualified workforce.
| Criteria | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| AY 2016-17 | AY 2020-21 | |
| American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) | 100% | 100% |
| Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) | 100% | 100% |
| National Council Licensure Examination (AS Nursing) | 100% | 100% |
| National Council Licensure Examination (BS Nursing) | 100% | 100% |
Degrees Awarded
CCGA’s success as an institution is measured by degrees awarded to meet workforce demands, address affordability and increase access to educational opportunities.
| Criteria | Recent Performance | Target Value (Goal) |
| FY 2017 | FY 2021 | |
| Associate Level | 296 | 308 |
| Bachelor's Level | 276 | 300 |
Brunswick, GA 31520 912.279.5700
