High Retention Reflects Student Satisfaction
High freshman retention — the percent of students who return to the school for a second year — is usually associated with the overall level of student satisfaction. More selective universities tend to have higher retention rates.
In fact, the majority of these public National Universities accepted less than 40 percent of applicants in fall 2016. Here are the 13 public institutions where most freshmen return. The average is based on the proportion of freshmen entering in fall 2012 through fall 2015 who returned to school the subsequent fall.
University of Georgia
U.S. News rank: 54 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 27,951
Average freshmen retention rate: 95 percent
Learn more about UGA.
University of California–San Diego
U.S. News rank: 42 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 28,127
Average freshmen retention rate: 95 percent
Learn more about UC–San Diego.
University of Texas–Austin
U.S. News rank: 56 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 40,168
Average freshmen retention rate: 95 percent
Learn more about UT–Austin.
University of Wisconsin–Madison
U.S. News rank: 46 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 31,710
Average freshmen retention rate: 95 percent
Learn more about UW–Madison.
University of Maryland–College Park
U.S. News rank: 61 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 28,472
Average freshmen retention rate: 95 percent
Learn more about UM–College Park.
College of William and Mary (VA)
U.S. News rank: 32 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 6,276
Average freshmen retention rate: 96 percent
Learn more about William and Mary.
University of Florida
U.S. News rank: 42 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 34,554
Average freshmen retention rate: 96 percent
Learn more about the University of Florida.
Georgia Institute of Technology
U.S. News rank: 34 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 15,489
Average freshmen retention rate: 97 percent
Learn more about Georgia Tech.
University of California–Los Angeles
U.S. News rank: 21 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 30,873
Average freshmen retention rate: 97 percent
Learn more about UCLA.
University of Virginia
U.S. News rank: 25 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 16,331
Average freshmen retention rate: 97 percent
Learn more about UVA.
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
U.S. News rank: 30 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 18,523
Average freshmen retention rate: 97 percent
Learn more about UNC–Chapel Hill.
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
U.S. News rank: 28
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 28,983
Average freshmen retention rate: 97 percent
Learn more about UM–Ann Arbor.
University of California–Berkeley
U.S. News rank: 21 (tie)
Total undergraduate enrollment (2016): 29,311
Average freshmen retention rate: 97 percent
Learn more about UC–Berkeley.
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13 Public Universities Where Freshmen Return originally appeared on usnews.com
