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New report details gaps in graduation rates at U.S. colleges

A new study from the group Complete College America says that despite years of increasing enrollments at colleges around the country, the number of students finishing college is stagnant.

For years in Idaho, there's been frustration and concern among education leaders about the small percentage of the state's high school graduates who go on to college.

For example, here is University of Idaho President Duane Nellis in a recent September address at his university:

"As you know, the state of Idaho has among the highest high school graduation rates in the nation, and among the lowest as far as students going on for some level of post- secondary educational experience."

Now there's word that concern is also needed to make certain students do finish college once they start.

A new report from the group Complete College America says just 34 percent of young adults in Idaho, those ages 25-34, have a college degree. In Oregon, that figure is 36 percent, while in Washington it is 39 percent.

Complete College America says the problem is that within ten years, 60 percent of new jobs will require a college education, and the advocacy group says more must be done to ensure that the students who do go to college get to the finish line.

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