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Student Achievement Goals
Student Achievement Goals & Outcomes
True to its mission, Mars Hill University “challenges and equips students to pursue intellectual, spiritual, and personal growth.” The university assesses the extent to which students achieve this growth using the following measures: first-year student retention rates, graduation rates, licensure examination outcomes, and post-graduation career outcomes. For certain measures, such as graduation rates, the University has identified a set of ten peer institutions, all of which share commonalities with us, to benchmark our performance against. In 2020, MHU’s Student Achievement Goals were revised to better reflect institutional priorities.
Retention
Achievement Goal: Retention Rate (Fall to Fall) of new, first-time, full time students of 70% or greater
| MHU Retention Rates | |||||
| Reporting Cycle | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Cohort Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| First-Year Retention Rate | 57 | 59 | 63 | 63 | 67 |
| First-Year Retention Goal | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| First Year Retention Median of Peer Comparison Institutions |
61 | 59 | 61 | 63 | Data not available |
Source: IPEDS
Graduation
Achievement Goal: Graduation rate at or above the 50th percentile of peer comparison institutions across demographic groups
| MHU 6-Year Graduation Rates | |||
| Cohort | IPEDS Reporting Year | Comparison Group Median Graduation Rate |
MHU Outcome: Graduation Rate |
| 2009 | 2015-2016 | 38% | 34%, 30th percentile |
| 2010 | 2016-2017 | 38% | 34%, 40th percentile |
| 2011 | 2017-2018 | 32% | 31%, 30th percentile |
| 2012 | 2018-2019 | 38% | 39%, 60th percentile |
| 2013 | 2019-2020 | 40% | 30%, 20th percentile |
| 2014 | 2020-2021 | Data Not Available | 35%, percentile not available |
Source: IPEDS
Professional Licensure Rates in Education and Nursing
Achievement Goals: MHU education students will meet or exceed a pass rate of 95% in education licensure exams. MHU’s Nursing Program will obtain a National Council Licensure Examination—Registered Nurse (NCLEX) pass rate reflecting 95% of a three-year average, according to the North Carolina Board of Nursing standards, within three years.
Education
| Academic Year | Outcome |
| 2015-2016 (2015 Cohort) | 85.19% (3 year pass rate) |
| 2016-2017 (2016 Cohort) | 84.21% (3 year pass rate) |
| 2017-2018 (2017 Cohort) | 100% (only 2 years of data available, 2 year pass rate) |
| 2018-2019 (2018 Cohort) | 100% (only 1 year of data available, 1 year pass rate) |
| 2019-2020 (2019 Cohort) | Data not yet available |
Source: Aggregated ETS and Pearson results as reported to the State of North Carolina via the Title II Federal Reporting process and published in the annual EPP Report Card.
Nursing
| Academic Year | Outcome |
| January 1, 2018-December 31, 2018 (first year of test-takers) | 81% |
| January 1, 2019-December 31, 2019 | 65% |
| January 1, 2020-December 31, 2020 | 67% |
Source: North Carolina Board of Nursing
Post-Graduation Career Outcomes
Achievement Goal: 92% of MHU graduates will have a positive post-graduation outcome, defined as employed full-time, participating in a program of voluntary service, serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, or enrolled in a program of continuing education, within twelve months of graduation. The knowledge rate goal is 75%.
Where are our graduates now? We received responses to the First Destination Survey from the areas indicated below.
Source: Handshake
Class of May 2020 Post-Graduation Career Outcomes:
Undergraduate Placements: 94% of undergraduates who responded to our follow-up First Destination Survey report they are employed, enrolled in continuing education, or engaged in volunteer service. Knowledge Rate: 47%
Graduate Placements: 100% of graduate students who responded to our follow-up First Destination Survey report they are employed. Knowledge Rate: 91%
Source: Handshake First Destination Survey and Cothran Center for Career Readiness