One of the benefits of the National Student Clearinghouse Student Tracker is that it enables school districts and colleges to track graduates who go on to college during the first two years after high school. 

Student Tracker data show that as of 2017, 60% of Greater Stark County[1] graduates enroll in the first two years after graduation. Of those Greater Stark students who enroll within two years of graduation, 75% attend public institutions of higher learning, and 25% attend private institutions. More than one third of the students that enrolled in 2011 completed a college degree within six years. The majority of Greater Stark County students who earned a college degree did so in Ohio while 4% went out of state. The most common college attended by Greater Stark students in the first year following high school graduation was Kent State University (4,116). [2] The next most commonly attended Stark institution was Stark State College (2,593).

Enrolling in college is not earning a degree however. Beyond college-going, student persistence (those who return for their sophomore year) is a critical indicator for degree completion. Persistence in college becomes an important factor for students, colleges and communities who need a ready workforce.

Greater Stark County students have shown a 12% increase in college persistence since 2011. Further, Greater Stark currently surpasses the national college persistence average in both two and four year institutions. [3]

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