The Student Achievement Measure is supported by six sponsoring associations, working together to provide a more comprehensive and accurate picture of student progress and completion as students move across institutions and state boundaries.

Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University is a learner-centered, research university, building intellectual inquiry and discovery into undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in a way that fosters knowledge and innovation, and transforms wisdom into action. As a public university, WMU provides leadership in teaching, research, learning, and service, and is committed to enhancing the future of our global citizenry. We challenge and engage all members of our community with a university experience that creates skilled, life-long learners and we offer all students a learning community designed for and dedicated to their success.

Fall 2015 First-time Full-time Cohort

6-year outcomes for undergraduate bachelor’s-seeking students as of 2021

First-Time Full-Time

First-Time Full-Time Students Starting Fall 2015

Number of students: 2,916

roll over each bar for detail data

56%
8%
5%
7%
24%
WITHIN 6 YEARS
50%
6%
13%
9%
22%
WITHIN 5 YEARS
28%
3%
38%
12%
19%
WITHIN 4 YEARS
view detail data for graph »
Graduated: Reporting institution
Transferred & Graduated: Other Institution
Enrolled: Reporting institution
Transferred & Enrolled: Other Institution
Current Status Unknown

The SAM Full-time Bachelor's Degree model tracks a group of students who started a bachelor's degree program at Western Michigan University in the Fall of 2015. The students' progress toward a degree is reported within 4, 5, and 6 years. The same group of students is included in the results for every year.

The sections of the SAM chart represent the proportion of students in the original group with the following five outcomes.

  • Students who started at and graduated from Western Michigan University are represented by the darker purple bar with the solid black bar underneath (). (This section of the chart Within 6 Years is approximately the same as the federal graduation rate, but it may differ slightly for each institution.)
  • Students who started at Western Michigan University and then transferred to and graduated from another institution are represented by the lighter purple bar with the white stripe underneath ()
  • Students who started at and are still enrolled at Western Michigan University are represented by the darker aqua bar with two white stripes underneath ().
  • Students who started at Western Michigan University and then transferred to and are still enrolled at another institution are represented by the lighter aqua bar with the bottom white stripe ().
  • Students from the original group whose status is unknown are represented by the green bar with the top white stripe (). These students may have graduated or still be enrolled somewhere, but their status could not be determined conclusively.

Western Michigan University | Bachelor's Seeking Model - First-Time Full-Time

OUTCOMES FOR STUDENT STARTING AT
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN FALL 2015 BY SUMMER 2021
 
2015-16
 
2016-17
 
2017-18
WITHIN 4 YEARS
2018-19
WITHIN 5 YEARS
2019-20
WITHIN 6 YEARS
2020-21
+ view details
Bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University 0% 0% 2% 28% 50% 56%
+ Associate and/or Certificate degree from Western Michigan University 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
= Total Graduated from Western Michigan University 0% 0% 2% 28% 50% 56%
+ view details
Bachelor's degree from another institution 0% 0% 0% 2% 4% 6%
+ Associate and/or Certificate degree from another institution 0% 0% 1% 1% 2% 2%
= Total Graduated from another institution 0% 0% 1% 3% 6% 8%
Enrolled at Western Michigan University 98% 79% 67% 38% 13% 5%
+ view details
Enrolled at another 4-year institution 0% 5% 7% 6% 4% 3%
+ Enrolled at another 2-year institution 1% 7% 7% 6% 5% 4%
= Total Transferred and enrolled
at another institution
1% 12% 14% 12% 9% 7%
Current Status Unknown 1% 9% 16% 19% 22% 24%
Full-Time Transfer

Full-Time Transfer Students Starting Fall 2015

Number of students: 1,262

roll over each bar for detail data

67%
9%
3%
3%
18%
WITHIN 6 YEARS
57%
6%
13%
7%
17%
WITHIN 4 YEARS
12%
2%
67%
9%
10%
WITHIN 2 YEARS
view detail data for graph »
Graduated: Reporting institution
Transferred & Graduated: Other Institution
Enrolled: Reporting institution
Transferred & Enrolled: Other Institution
Current Status Unknown

The SAM Full-time Bachelor's Degree model tracks a group of students who started a bachelor's degree program at Western Michigan University in the Fall of 2015. The students' progress toward a degree is reported within 4, 5, and 6 years. The same group of students is included in the results for every year.

The sections of the SAM chart represent the proportion of students in the original group with the following five outcomes.

  • Students who started at and graduated from Western Michigan University are represented by the darker purple bar with the solid black bar underneath (). (This section of the chart Within 6 Years is approximately the same as the federal graduation rate, but it may differ slightly for each institution.)
  • Students who started at Western Michigan University and then transferred to and graduated from another institution are represented by the lighter purple bar with the white stripe underneath ()
  • Students who started at and are still enrolled at Western Michigan University are represented by the darker aqua bar with two white stripes underneath ().
  • Students who started at Western Michigan University and then transferred to and are still enrolled at another institution are represented by the lighter aqua bar with the bottom white stripe ().
  • Students from the original group whose status is unknown are represented by the green bar with the top white stripe (). These students may have graduated or still be enrolled somewhere, but their status could not be determined conclusively.

Western Michigan University | Bachelor's Seeking Model - Full-Time Transfer

OUTCOMES FOR STUDENT STARTING AT
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN FALL 2015 BY SUMMER 2021
 
2015-16
WITHIN 2 YEARS
2016-17
 
2017-18
WITHIN 4 YEARS
2018-19
 
2019-20
WITHIN 6 YEARS
2020-21
+ view details
Bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University 0% 12% 39% 57% 64% 67%
+ Associate and/or Certificate degree from Western Michigan University 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
= Total Graduated from Western Michigan University 0% 12% 39% 57% 64% 67%
+ view details
Bachelor's degree from another institution 0% 0% 0% 2% 4% 5%
+ Associate and/or Certificate degree from another institution 2% 2% 3% 4% 4% 4%
= Total Graduated from another institution 2% 2% 3% 6% 8% 9%
Enrolled at Western Michigan University 94% 67% 35% 13% 6% 3%
+ view details
Enrolled at another 4-year institution 0% 4% 5% 4% 2% 2%
+ Enrolled at another 2-year institution 0% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1%
= Total Transferred and enrolled
at another institution
0% 9% 9% 7% 4% 3%
Current Status Unknown 4% 10% 14% 17% 18% 18%