Courses, Credits, Attainment, and Time to Degree of 2011–12 Beginning Postsecondary Students

A new National Center for Education Statistics First Look report, Courses Taken, Credits Earned, and Time to Degree: A First Look at the Postsecondary Transcripts of 2011–12 Beginning Postsecondary Students, examines the 6-year coursetaking experiences, postsecondary attainment, and time to degree of U.S. undergraduates who began their postsecondary education for the first time in the 2011–12 academic year. The report uses data collected through the Postsecondary Education Transcript Study for the 2011–12 cohort of the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study. Key findings include the following: By June 2017, about 6 years after postsecondary entry, 2011–12 beginning postsecondary students had attempted an average of 88 undergraduate credits and earned an average of 78 undergraduate credits Forty-two percent of 2011–12 beginning postsecondary students had taken at least one remedial course during their enrollment through June 2017. Forty-seven percent of 2011–12 beginning postsecondary students had ever enrolled in summer classes through June 2017. Students whose first credential earned was an undergraduate certificate took an average of 21 months since postsecondary entry to complete it. Students whose first credential earned was an associate’s degree took an average of 37 months to complete that degree. Students whose first credential earned was a bachelor’s degree took an average of 49 months to complete the degree.