<p>" I believe that there is a school for everyone out there, and if Goucher doesn’t match a student then it’s not worth all of the money to stay. So I would take the retention rate as a sign to really do some serious research- both personal research and learning about different schools- to try to make sure you make a great choice… as opposed to viewing it as a turn-off."</p>
<p>Every school admits some students for whom the school is not a good match. I have never know, however, of a case where a low retention rate was primarily the result of such mismatches. More likely the low rate is becasue of a particular characteristic of the student body (ie: first gen students, as an earlier poster noted) or because of problems with merit/need-based aid (offering great 1st year package and signif less in later years so that students can’t afford to stay). </p>
<p>A low retention rate is cause for some concern. And a low rate should definitely be investigated, as it suggests a “global” issue/problem - -not merely one of individual “fit,” as the post above suggests. (Like other posters, I’m still scratching my head about Goucher’s low retention rate.)</p>