Student Completion Rates

[dmathews1960 5]

I apologize in advance if there is already a thread for this....I couldn't find one. I am looking for ANY data, even anecdotal, about the percentage of FJC students that earn their A license.  Talking to other folks at other DZ's, many people have told me that they think it's probably 5-10%.   I would be interested in averages, and also in exceptionally high rates (whatever those might be) in order to increase ours.  Many years ago, I was a young Ph.D. mathematician when it was decided that the national pass rate in Intro Calculus (then less than 50%) was unacceptable.  Tons of money was spent by the National Science Foundation to develop different training programs, and lots more effort was put into student retention.  One of the catchphrases was that this course should be "a pump not a filter" into the other sciences.   Of course, there were plenty of folks who didn't see this as a problem that needed fixing.  I remember one professor telling me very matter-of -factly, "Calculus isn't for everyone."   There is lots that can be said about all of this.  I know that it takes time, and money, and dedication to get licensed.  I know that not everyone who takes a FJC even wants to get licensed.  Still, my personal belief is that if the rate is less than ten percent that we can and should do better.   I thank everyone in advance for any data you can provide or any direction you can point me.    Thank you.

[chuckakers 370]

Stats for this will be all over the map, if available on a mass scale at all. Student programs and retention efforts vary widely from DZ to DZ, and many don't track it beyond a guess.

I can tell you from experience that the best student retention at my DZ came from getting first jump students to stay after hours for our parties.

Seriously.

[riggerrob 558]

Since starting jumping in 1977, I have sport jumped and instructed at a wide variety of schools in a variety of countries: Austria, Canada, France, West Germany and the USA.

Retention rates were in the 1 to 5 percent range for most schools. When we look at static-line and IAD, retention rates are 1 to 5 percent to A license. The majority of s/l or IAD students only ever wanted to do a single jump, to prove their machismo.

Retention rates among tandem students is even lower, perhaps 1 per 1,000. That is because the average tandem student is only interested in a carnival ride and bragging rights. Selfies and bragging rights at that evening's party seem to be their dominant motivators. Many tandem students freely admit that they lack the intellectual capability to learn everything needed to survive a solo jump.

The only schools that have a significantly better retention rate are those that sell package deals (10 or 20 jumps) to Solo Certificate or even A-License. How many students continue jumping after that drops rapidly after a year or three.

The most frustrating schools to work at were those that sold accompanied freefall jumps one at a time. Since many students could only afford one or two jumps per month, they forgot too much between jumps and repeated too many levels.

Rob Warner, CSPA Rigger Examiner, instructor for s/l, IAD and PFF

USPA Instructor for s/l and IAD

Strong Tandem Instructor Examiner

 

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

18 hours ago, chuckakers said:

Stats for this will be all over the map, if available on a mass scale at all. Student programs and retention efforts vary widely from DZ to DZ, and many don't track it beyond a guess.

I can tell you from experience that the best student retention at my DZ came from getting first jump students to stay after hours for our parties.

Seriously.

Hi Chuck,

This is exactly why I came back for a 2nd jump.

Jerry Baumchen

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:31 PM, chuckakers said:

...I can tell you from experience that the best student retention at my DZ came from getting first jump students to stay after hours for our parties.

Seriously.

^This. Big time.

At the bigger DZ I've been a part of (haven't been there in a couple years now ), the DZO is adamant about building a fun jumper population.
He freely admits it's selfish. He, his wife and his two sons all jump, and he wants a good group of friends for him and his family to jump with.

So EVERY student is invited to the 'festivities'. They are informed that they are a part of 'us', and welcome at the social events. 
They host a variety of those sorts of things too. Lots of bonfires on Saturday nights, Chili cookoff & film festival near the end of the season (good prizes for the winners provided by the DZ), even a 'prom' and winter skating party (pick up the packing mat and the hangar floor makes a great roller skating area) during the offseason to keep everyone in touch with each other.

They seem to graduate a lot of A licenses. 

No clue what the FJC numbers to A license numbers are, but to be fair, it's a hell of a commitment, both time & money. It's not always apparent how dedicated one has to be during the FJC, so I'd be surprised if the retention rate was much over 25%.

[dkvkb 2]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:31 PM, chuckakers said:

Stats for this will be all over the map, if available on a mass scale at all. Student programs and retention efforts vary widely from DZ to DZ, and many don't track it beyond a guess.

I can tell you from experience that the best student retention at my DZ came from getting first jump students to stay after hours for our parties.

Seriously.

I agree totally. But even if there aren't any parties afterwards, just talking to them as you're walking in from a jump, or as you pass by them in the hangar makes them feel they are a part of the community. There's such a wide range of emotions & doubts when you first start jumping, and feeling like you don't belong is a huge part of that. I think most of us are so focused on planning our jumps (and rightly so), it's easy to overlook the new jumpers. And honestly, sometimes I haven't said something to someone because I'm wondering if I introduced myself to them three times already 

[serzkawpoije 0]

Seems like comparing the rate of USPA membership sign-ups to the rate of A-license numbers assigned would get you a fairly good ratio of at least people that start down the path toward A-license and don't complete it. 

It wouldn't account for those taking an FJC with no intention of going forward or deciding on their first jump they won't be continuing. But that's probably good and would reflect a more accurate number of people that want their A-license but aren't completing it.