The numbers also reveal nothing about why students leave a particular school. More often, youngsters leave in good standing. They quit school because they can't adjust. They may be poor at budgeting their time or fuzzy about why they're in college at all. Paradoxically, Gates' chance of finishing Harvard was higher than at most schools.
More selective institutions see their students graduate in relatively short time.
In fact, Harvard College is a standout, with 89 percent of its 6,500 students graduating in four years, and 97 percent in six. Harvard's careful choice of intellectually able and motivated students is renowned. But the school also gives them just eight terms, or semesters, to earn a degree. Since 97 percent of all students live on campus, classmates tend to bond and finish together. There are required courses, but no rigid educational tracks.