Learning Community Success

The Learning Communities Program is intended to promote a variety of activities commonly linked with enhanced general education outcomes:

• Stronger student academic achievement
• Higher levels of student retention
• Greater student-to-student interaction and social support networks
• Increased faculty-student interaction
• Established academic support networks
• Eased transition to college
• Higher levels of satisfaction with college experience

Specific to Minnesota State Mankato, data shows the difference in year 1 retention rates, GPAs, 4-year and 6-year graduation rates of first time, full-time undergraduate students who were in a learning community and those who were not. All indicators are more positive for the students who participated in a learning community. 

 Undergraduate First Time, Full-Time Students

	In Learning Community	Not in Learning Community
1 Year Retention Rates         Fall 2018         Fall 2019          Fall 2020          Fall 2021          Fall 2022	87.4% 82.8% 78% 79.6% 82.6%	76.0% 78.2% 73.9% 75.1% 78.7%
GPA          Fall 2018  Fall 2019  Fall 2020  Fall 2021  Fall 2022	3.21 3.14 3.07 3.13 3.15	2.97 3.03 2.95 3.05 3.06
4 Year Graduation Rates           Fall 2016           Fall 2017           Fall 2018           Fall 2019	34.1% 38.3% 38.5% 34.4%	27.6% 28.6% 30.1% 33.1%
6 Year Graduation Rates           Fall 2015           Fall 2016           Fall 2017	61.2% 60.5% 64.5%	51.1% 52.0% 53.4%

Note:  Data from Institutional Analytics and Strategic Effectiveness