The Flow Model is a tracking tool developed by the Office of Institutional Research at BGSU. Currently, students in different status are tracked over each semester of their enrollment through receipt of a degree. Data for students each semester are extracted from the student enrollment database and are merged with current enrollment databases for each subsequent semester. Enrollment, retention and graduation rates, time-to-degree, cumulative grade point averages and cumulative credit hours earned are tracked for all students in each cohort, and by gender, ethnicity, college, class level, ACT score range, high school grade point average range, and in-state or out-of-state status.

IMPORTANT NOTE CONCERNING MAIN CAMPUS FRESHMAN AND TRANSFER COHORTS:

The Student Flow Model includes retention rates by college that show the number of students in each college initially as well as during subsequent points in time as students change colleges.  The University-wide retention at various points in time is NOT represented.  That information as well as additional detail concerning the number of students moving into and out of each college is contained in a separate printed report known as the College Migration Report, which is distributed to college deans and associate deans and the Provost's Office each semester.

IMPORTANT NOTE CONCERNING MAIN CAMPUS FRESHMAN COHORTS SINCE FALL 2001:

Beginning with the Fall 2001 main campus new freshman cohort, students who matriculated the preceding summer semester are also included.  This complies with federal regulations for student graduation rate reporting.  This change in methodology means that comparisons with previous years may be problematic at the detailed (e.g., by race) level.

Questions and suggestions for improvement of the Flow Model are welcome.