Georgia State’s Perimeter College Ranks Among Nation’s Best for Student Success

Students attending Georgia State University’s Perimeter College successfully transfer to four-year degree programs at dramatically higher rates than students at other two-year colleges around the nation, according to a new ranking by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Perimeter College ranks 20th in the nation for student success among 838 two-year colleges in the ranking, which tracked students who entered college in 2015.

Nearly 83 percent of Perimeter College students who began classes were still enrolled, had transferred to other programs or completed their programs by 2018, according to the ranking.

Perimeter outshone two-year colleges in the number of students who successfully transferred to bachelor’s programs. More than 50 percent of students who began programs transferred to four-year programs.

“We have increased the number of students who transfer from Georgia State’s associate’s programs to four-year undergraduate programs by 1,000 students a year and we and have one of the highest transfer rates in the country,” said Timothy Renick, Georgia State’s senior vice president for student success. “This increase is an affirmation that, post consolidation, our strategies are working and, more important, students are achieving their goals at record rates.”

Georgia State and Georgia Perimeter College consolidated in 2016 after a vote by the Board of Regents. Then-chancellor Hank Huckaby said the consolidation would help improve student success rates at Perimeter. Since then, graduation rates at Perimeter College have more than doubled.

“Perimeter College is committed to offering the best programs to help students reach their goals,” said Nancy Kropf, dean of Perimeter. “This ranking reflects that we are succeeding.”