The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC) has released its sixth Some College, No Credential (SCNC) report, which was created with the support of the Lumina Foundation. It compares data from the 2022-23 academic year to 2023-24. The number of students leaving college without earning a credential, referred to as “stopping out,” has declined for the second year in a row. Much of the country also saw increases in re-enrollment compared to the previous year.
“Re-enrollment has increased for two consecutive years, and credential completion among re-enrollees has also ticked upward,” said Dr. Matthew Holsapple, NSCRC senior director of research. “However, the some college, no credential population continues to grow year-over-year…outpacing those returning…driven by 2.1 million new stopouts between January of 2022 and July of 2023.”
NSCRC considered students who have enrolled at least once in postsecondary education since January 1993 but have not earned any degree or certificate and have had no enrollment for at least three consecutive academic terms as of July 31, 2023.
According to the NSCRC report, as of the start of the 2023-24 academic year 37.6 million Americans under the age of 65 have stopped out of college without a credential. Holsapple said this data helps colleges and universities target their efforts toward students more likely to return and complete their educations.
Lehman College, a senior college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system, has been part of CUNY Reconnect, which was designed to address the stopout problem.
Dr. Richard Finger, Lehman vice president for enrollment management, said over the last three years the college has had over 2,000 students re-enroll. These students are persisting and about 10% have graduated thus far.
“We are trying to wherever possible, if they’re adult learners, integrate credits for prior learning, integrate academic experience,” said Finger. “If they’re over the age of 24, we’re admitting them into our adult degree program, so they receive specialized advising geared for adult learners. They’re also encouraged to continue their studies at a pace that they know they’re going to be successful.”
