Returning student is a student who was enrolled at the same institution in a prior term and is enrolling again, as distinct from a first-time or transfer-in student.
How it is measured
Institutions match current-term registration records against prior-term enrollment. Students with a prior enrollment record at the institution are coded continuing/returning. First-time and transfer-in students are coded separately even if they begin in the same term.
Example: a student completes the fall term, does not enroll in spring, and re-enrolls the following fall. That student is a returning student for the second fall, not a first-time student. The original fall entry still places the student in the retention and graduation cohorts that began that year.
How it differs
First-time students have no prior postsecondary enrollment. Transfer-in students have prior enrollment at a different institution. Stop-out is the temporary interruption; returning is the status upon re-enrollment at the same school.
Common errors
Reclassifying a stop-out student as first-time upon return. Including returning students in the entering cohort used for graduation rates. Confusing “returning” with “retained” - retention is a rate calculated on a first-time cohort, not a headcount of returning students.
References
- 1. IPEDS continuing/returning studentPreviously enrolled at the institution
- 2. Fall Enrollment survey categoriesDistinction from first-time and transfer-in
Returning student is a student who was enrolled at the same institution in a prior term and is enrolling again, as distinct from a first-time or transfer-in student.