^ It’s more than just those 100 - 125 every year (although over time that starts to add up). It’s also all those other students who now don’t even think of transferring. They will also graduate happier, love the school more, and will be better ambassadors for the university’s brand.
@Cue7 knows this, as comments on CC back in 2012 demonstrate. The reference to “15 years ago” would place the College in 1997, pretty much around the time they decided to hire Behnke:
"Truth123 - 15 years ago, UChicago’s retention rate (maybe not freshman retention rate but overall retention rate) was about 80%. This certainly held true for me, and it was a bit sad - of my ~10 closest friends at UChicago, 2 transferred, and, on top of that, 2 attempted unsuccessfully to transfer to Columbia.
The problem with a low retention rate is it doesn’t capture the ~10-15% more students who either THINK actively about transferring or actively attempt to transfer. So, I’d say of my cohorts back in the 90s, ~20% left, and probably another 10-15% attempted to leave. That’s a lot."
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/13898402/#Comment_13898402
That CC thread conversation was about the College’s announced freshman retention rate, which had just hit 99% for the first time ever. Worth a read.
@Cue7’s observational experience was spot on. Boyer mentions that around 1996, 35% of the student body considered transferring at some point. I guess that means about 20% get around to it, and another 15% either try or wish they had.
That additional 15% translates into 200 - 250 every year, not 100 - 125. Now that will REALLY start to add up quickly!