In IPEDS, full-time first time entering students become a fall cohort used for calculating graduation/transfer rates (i.e. the GRS Survey).  For the 33 TCUs that report IPEDS data, the average graduation rate is 30%, YET full-time first time freshman average only a small percentage (9% of a 12-month unduplicated headcounts; 15% of fall "snapshot" headcounts) of TCU enrollments.

 

The first time entering student section in AKIS is defined as "IPEDS" Plus. 

 

IPEDS defines first time students as:  "A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. Also includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior...

Academic Year is defined by how each institution defines their academic year. 

 

This is a question posed by Dine' College in 2005 and here is my response.