Student Success Rates

The day tax cohort is a full-time 9-month accelerated program which commences August of each year. The program is designed for students to complete 18 units in the first 5 months followed by an additional 12 units in the next 4 months. The program is also designed to support and encourage earlier entry into the profession with a goal of part-time or full-time job placement for the students as early as January. Many of the students entering this program are either career changers or recent graduates from undergraduate institutions. The retention rate after 4 terms for this program has averaged 95% for the past 6 years.

Factors contributing to the high rate of retention are:

• accelerated nature of the program
• high job placement rate
• small class size
• close student-teacher relationships
• personalized academic and career advising
• active engagement of tax and accounting professionals as instructors and guest speakers

Since 2003, an average of 62% of full time students successfully graduated within the first 4 terms. Graduation rates increased to averages as high as 88% at the end of 7 terms. To support professional success students are discouraged from enrolling in academic courses when employed in professional internships during the tax/accounting busy season (January-April). In many cases this is a contributing factor extending graduation beyond 4 terms. Once a student is employed, various business obligations may impact timing of degree completion.
The evening and online students primarily matriculate on a part time basis. A majority of these students are working professionals -- both those already in the tax or accounting industry and those seeking career changes. These part-time students typically register for 2 courses per year avoiding taking a course during busy season (spring trimester), graduating in 5 years (or 15 academic terms).

In addition, International students (who are required to enroll in 3 courses a term), and a small group of evening and online students, who by choice enroll in 2-3 courses a term, complete their degree in 2-3 years (6-9 terms).

The average retention rate since 2003 in the first 4 terms for the evening or online student is 82%. The average graduation rate in the first 4 terms is 3% increasing to an average of 42% after 13 terms and an average of 66% after 15 terms.