In order to recognize the increasing population of high school students who begin taking college courses in high school, those students have been included in the cohort. Previously these students were coded as non-degree seeking students, and when they arrived on campus after graduating from high school, they were coded as returning students, excluding them from the cohort. This cohort definition conforms to the standards required by various external groups for reporting purposes. Secondly, the federal government further refined their cohort definition to include students who were enrolled in any summer session prior to the fall semester.
Retention is defined as re-enrollment or receipt of a degree.
Retention rates have been restated for fall 96 and fall 97 to comply with the new cohort definition.