Rend Lake CollegeStudent SuccessGraduation RateCNN MoneyTerry WilkersonInaIllinoisSouthern IllinoisCommunity College

Student success shows at Rend Lake College, and a new student success list featured on CNN Money puts RLC tops in the state.

College Measures, a joint venture of the American Institutes of Research and Matrix Knowledge Group, created the chart for CNN Money as a tool to help students determine which school will give them the best chance of transferring to a four-year institution. The ranking was based on the percentage of students that graduated within three years or transferred to four-year colleges.

Rend Lake College was ranked first on the list for colleges in the state of Illinois with a success rate of 68 percent. Nationally, RLC ranked 14^th (including ties).

“This top ranking speaks just as much to the quality of our students and the hard work they put in as it does to our efforts to make sure they succeed,” said RLC President Terry Wilkerson. “We are here to make sure we can help each student achieve what they want to achieve, whether it’s a transfer to a four-year university or training for a career.”

RLC’s efforts to ensure students complete their educations can start as soon as high school. Some high schools in the Rend Lake College district participate in the Upward Bound program, which is designed to provide academic support and guidance to participants.

When students enroll at RLC, programs such as Student Transfer and Retention Support, free tutoring in the Learning Enhancement Center and more are available to help students succeed. Also available are clubs such as Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for community colleges, and the Society for Success and Leadership.

RLC partners with several four-year universities to allow students to transfer into bachelor’s degree programs on campus or at the RLC MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon, which also has an effect on success rates. Most recently, RLC teamed with Missouri Baptist University to begin offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice on the Ina campus. RLC also partners with Southern Illinois University, Mid-Continent University, McKendree University and Kendall College.

In addition, low tuition, the availability of financial aid, convenient class locations and dedicated faculty and staff contribute to student success at Rend Lake College.

The CNN Money article can be found here.