Colleges Striving to Retain New Students
Research Highlights Effective Strategies
Up to a fourth of all students at four-year colleges do not return for their second year of school. And the dropout rates are particularly high for African American, Hispanic, and first-generation college students. The good news is that there are proven strategies to remedy the situation.
 New research from ACT suggests that retention of first-year students needs to be a higher priority among U.S. colleges and universities. The research report series What Works in Student Retention? is based on surveys completed and returned by officials at nearly one-third of the colleges across the country, including 629 four-year colleges and 432 two-year colleges. The report urges colleges to make student retention a priority and points to practices that have proven to be effective in reducing the number of dropouts.
A number of specific practices appear to be highly effective in increasing student retention. Programs that are focused on first-year transition, learning communities, use of faculty mentors, and multicultural centers have shown to be successful. In addition, specific academic advising practices, interventions with potentially at-risk students, and learning assistance centers contribute to overall effectiveness.
A separate ACT Policy Report, The Role of Academic and Non-Academic Factors in Improving College Retention, indicates that many colleges' retention efforts are too narrowly focused. Academic help alone is not enough to keep many students in school. These students also need individual support to feel connected to the campus community. Colleges, however, may focus on only academic or non-academic support, rather than both.
Based on the findings of these two reports, ACT recommends that colleges create a structured, comprehensive retention program geared to assist students as they make the transition to college life. Specifically, ACT suggests that colleges:
- Designate a visible, senior-level individual on campus to coordinate retention activities.
- Analyze student characteristics and needs and then implement a formal retention program that best meets those needs and the needs of the institution.
- Take an integrated approach to retention efforts that incorporates both academic and non-academic factors.
- Implement an early-alert assessment and monitoring system to identify students at risk of dropping out.
 Such strategies can complement related efforts by colleges to improve the academic preparation of their incoming freshmen. When survey takers were asked to what degree certain student characteristics contributed to attrition on their campus, "inadequate preparation for college-level work" ranked first among the choices.
Learn more. . .
(links will open in your web browser)
What Works in Student Retention? (report series)
College Dropout Rates/Retention Tables: 2000-2003
The Role of Academic and Non-Academic Factors in Improving College Retention
Press Release
Policy Alert message (this email message)
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