While that subject is beyond the scope of this talk, I applaud the ongoing efforts here in North Carolina and across the country to increase student achievement and close the gaps between students of different backgrounds. 6  The National Center for Education Statistics defines college completion as earning a bachelor’s degree within six years of matriculating.
Graduation rates are calculated according to where students started as full-time, first-time students. Transfer students and students who return to college after an absence are not included. 7  Accenture and The Manufacturing Institute, 2014 Manufacturing Skills and Training Study, January 2015.