Momentum Points
Momentum points are measures of students’ progression in their first year of college that research has found correlate with educational goal attainment in subsequent years. These leading indicators enable the college to evaluate the potential longer-term effect of large scale systems, processes and policy changes.
YESS Momentum Points Defined
Students who are first time ever enrollments in college are grouped as a cohort. Progression based on the following metrics is tracked through the end of the cohort’s first fall term and first academic year.
By end of first term, successful completion of
- 6 or more college credits
- 12 or more college credits
By end of first year, successful completion of
- College math (100-level or higher)
- College writing (121-level or higher)
- Both college writing and math
- 24 or more college credits
- 36 or more college credits
- 45 or more college credits
Findings
| Successful Completion 1st Term | F2018 | F2019 | F2020 | F2021 | F2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6+ college credits | 54.5% | 57.0% | 57.3% | 50.0% | 52.1% |
| 12+ college credits | 20.9% | 23.1% | 23.8% | 21.7% | 21.2% |
Compared to fall 2021, a higher percentage of first-time students in fall 2022 completed at least six college-level credits, while a slightly smaller proportion completed twelve or more credits.
| Successful Completion 1st Year | F2018 | F2019 | F2020 | F2021 | F2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Writing | 49.1% | 48.9% | 49.8% | 46.2% | 46.7% |
| College Math | 22.8% | 24.1% | 28.4% | 25.4% | 22.6% |
| College WR and MTH | 18.9% | 19.5% | 22.6% | 20.0% | 17.7% |
A similar slightly higher percentage of students completed college writing by the end of their first year compared to the prior year cohort. However, the percentage of students completing college math or both college math and writing was lower than each of the previous four years.
| Successful Completion 1st Year | F2018 | F2019 | F2020 | F2021 | F2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24+ college credits | 34.8% | 33.7% | 34.8% | 32.4% | 32.7% |
| 36+ college credits | 13.2% | 11.9% | 13.2% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 45+ college credits | 2.0% | 1.3% | 1.95% | 2.1% | 1.5% |
Compared to the 2021 cohort, the 2022 cohort of students achieved a similar percentage of college credit accumulation, except for a smaller proportion who accumulated 45 or more college credits.
Notes:
College credits are associated with credit courses sequenced 100-level and higher
Source: Argos, YESS, Momentum Points