Does Ranger School currently have the lowest graduation rate ever? If so, what's going on?

I would lean towards this explanation. Though I never went to Ranger school my first test o n the Civilian side after ETS was the EDS System Engineer Development program. The program recruited from a largely Veteran pool and the terms were sign a promissory note, if you do not pass the class, you pay back the costs of the class and your fired. So I was on a dorm room floor of mostly Engineers when EDS came to my college campus. Most of them thought "what if I fail?" due to the promissory note vs "what if I pass?". So I got the job as a non-Engineering student because about 99% of the Engineering students were too afraid to apply. Their loss. I also see this a lot on the civilian side of the fence. People do not realize an opportunity even though it is right on the end of their nose because of some aspect in their way that makes them overly nervous. BTW, EDS was forced to tear up all the promissory notes before I graduated the program due to a legal challenge.........of course from someone who failed the course.

Even the job I have now, most folks did not want to apply due to the extensive background check (what if they fail the check and are terminated?). This one actually made me think a little. If your too afraid of a background check..........whats in your past? Oh well.

Thank you for the reply. That makes sense, it just seems that the graduation rate has dropped significantly year after year. 2006 had a 56.2% grad rate and it just seems to drop from there. I would like to think changes to the school had something to do with this apart from the general mindset of the student.

2LT (Join to see) - It could be unfortunately, that folks are getting really getting softer and weaker...

I looked online and found in 1980 the GRADUATION rate was 64%. Then by 2010-2011 the grad rate was 42%. If it is now 33% that is complete incompetence. Either the selection process to let them in school is broken or the standards have continued to get so difficult that nobody can graduate. But the job of the ranger school isn’t to make them elite (that is for the battlefield) the job of the school is to put out ranger qualified officers and NCO’s. If they are NOT doing that, then everything needs to be reevaluated from selection, to training, to staff and alleged standards. Since the creation of the course in 1951, the overall average grad rate is right at 50%. So we are doing something wrong.

Thank you for the response. That makes. These are the numbers I'm looking at http://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/ARTB/content/pdf/Ranger%20School%20Performance%20for%20FY16.pdf . Thes one I found for 2008-2010 were all over 50%.

1LT I’d like to pick your brain a little about the course.

The overall average since 1951 is right at 50%. In 1980 they graduated 64%. In ‘14 it was 42%. It is inexcusable that they are graduating anywhere lower than 50%. Either we are not preparing soldiers or we are not selecting the right soldiers to attend or the cadre and standards need to be reviewed. But the job of the school is to put out ranger trained soldiers. Not doing so simply wastes money and manpower. It is possible that branches (or units) need to put together train up courses. Hard to say. There was a time (Vietnam) when all officers attended, but by the 80’s it was nearly impossible for non-combat arms officers to get it... now it is open again. That is all about budget.

I was a Ranger Instructor 1977-1978. 30% - 40% was a typical pass rate. We did not view it a school to pass Rangers, but to pass leaders. It was meant to produce people who a had a greater willingness to persevere in the face of adversity and motivate others to do the same. Sub 50% is entirely reasonable.