The broad picture of higher education retention and completion isn't pretty — and as the federal government pushes to use an expanded student data set, experts say the numbers will get even worse. This is bad news for the industry, as more and more states and federal regulators push to tie funding to outcomes. With shifting demographics, and declining populations, gone are the days when the industry at-large could afford to reject broad swafts of students who were less likely to succeed.
However, the picture isn't all bad. Some institutions are actually finding a great amount of success serving particularly those students who are most disadvantaged. And still others are making headways with using mobile apps and an increased emphasis on leveraging data to make a difference with the total student body. Here, we round up the top strategies that are really making a difference across the country
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Are mobile apps a key to online student retention success?
Mobile applications could be the right mix of convenience and classroom quality — but only if designed well. Read More »
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The state of retention and completion in higher education in 9 charts
Overall, the retention and graduation numbers aren't pretty. Read More »
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Beyond grades
Admissions offices are giving character attributes more weight in the application process in hopes of boosting student retention. Read More »
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How to retain adult learners
Saint Rice, Lindenwood University's assistant dean of the School of Accelerated Degree Programs, provides eight practical strategies for helping non-traditional students succeed. Read More »
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What can data do for students?
How online universities use big-data to spot roadblocks to student success before it’s too late. Read More »
