Which colleges have high freshmen return rates?

Hey there, I'm a high school junior beginning to navigate the college application process. I've read that one indicator of a good school experience can be the percentage of freshmen who return for their second year. Are there any schools that are particularly good at retaining their freshman students? And how do I find these statistics?

Absolutely, freshmen retention rates can be an indicator of student satisfaction and the overall quality of the first-year experience at a college. A high retention rate often indicates that students are happy with their academics, campus life, and resources offered by the school.

Many highly selective colleges tend to have high freshman retention rates. For instance, the University of Chicago, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania all have first-year retention rates over 98%.

However, please keep in mind that there are many great colleges of all sizes and types that also boast high first-year retention rates. For example, Clemson University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, both public universities, have first-year retention rates over 90%.

To find this data, you can typically visit a college's website and find their institutional research or facts & figures page. This page will often have a fact book or other document containing retention rates. Another resource is the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard database, which includes information about retention and graduation rates.

But remember, while retention rates are a helpful indicator, it's also important to consider a school's culture, academic programs, and resources when deciding if it’s the right fit for you. The campus visit (either virtual or in-person) is a valuable tool for determining which college feels right for you. You might also want to speak with current students or recent alumni about their experiences.