Student Success
Student Success at SMC
For a glossary of terms used on this page, see the Student Success Glossary.
SMC’s graduation and transfer rates are higher than state and national averages compared to other two-year colleges.
Posted in compliance of HLC Policy FDCR.A.10.080
SMC is proud of the diverse mix of students served by the college.
Source: IPEDS Fall Enrollment & US Census (2010), American Fact Finder
Notes: Race/Ethnicity self-disclosed on the application
Tax paying district is Cass County and Hamilton and Keeler Townships in Van Buren County
SMC student persistence across academic terms is in the top 10% of all public two-year colleges nationwide.
Source: NCCBP Executive Report, 2023
SMC has demonstrated consistent improvement and continues to exceed the national average in all eight measures of student satisfaction.
Note: In a normal distribution, the 75th percentile is .6745 standard deviations above the mean.
Source: Winter 2012, Spring 2015, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, and Spring 2021 Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Surveys
SMC's graduation rate is consistently above the state average.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey
Methodology/Definitions: Cohort based on full-time, first-time, degree or certificate-seeking students who complete a degree or certification within 150% of the start date (typically defined as 3 years for an associate degree). Michigan and National Two Year Public graduation rate is calculated using the IPEDS Data Center (Graduation Rate, Total Cohort).
SMC's graduation + transfer rate is consistently above the state and national average.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey
Methodology/Definitions: Cohort based on full-time, first-time, degree or certificate seeking students who complete a degree or certificate or transfer within 150% of the start date (typically defined as 3 years for an associate degree). Michigan and National Two Year Public graduation rate is calculated using the IPEDS Data Center (Summary Tables Report, Graduation Rate added to Transfer-Out Rate).
SMC has awarded over 6,000 degrees since 2000.
Methodology/Definitions: This metric is the number of Associate Degrees awarded July 1 to June 30 of the designated year. Note: this is the number of awards, not the number of students. Students can earn multiple awards.