Central State University Aims to Boost Its Retention and Graduation Rates

Central State University, the historically black educational institution in Wilberforce, Ohio, is taking steps to improve its retention and graduation rates. The most recent data shows that only 47 percent of entering freshmen return for their sophomore year and just 19 percent of entering freshmen earn a bachelor’s degree within six years at Central State.

The Ohio Board of Regents plans to base its funding criteria, in part, on the success of institutions of higher learning in graduating their students. So Central State is establishing a University College for all incoming freshmen. Students will be required to take a first-year course that aims to teach them how to succeed in college. In addition, the university is beefing up its counseling and mentoring programs. The university hopes to raise its graduation rate to the national average within five years.

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