高等教育中的5种学生保留策略

Best Practices for Keeping Students Engagedand Enrolled in 2025 and Beyond U.S. student enrollment and retention numbers have increased modestly since 2020, yet traditional-age students are increasinglyquestioning whether higher education is right for them.While student recruitment remains a significant challenge for colleges and universities, institutions must also redouble their effortsto retain every current student in order to maintain overall enrollment numbers and institutional fiscal health.Higher education leaders can effectively address retention by monitoring student needs, tracking signals of attrition, and providingrelevant support services that help enrolled students engage and thrive. THE RISING COST OF ATTRITION WHY STUDENTS LEAVE While students have always cited financial or time-related reasons for withdrawing from college, studentsin recent years are citing a wider array of reasons for abandoning their studies, including changes in theirpersonal motivations, their health, and their sense of belonging. IDENTIFYING STUDENTS AT RISK OF ATTRITION Many things can influence students’ decisions to stop out. The factors fall into two categories: academicand non-academic. Indicators from both categories can act as an early warning signal to identify at-riskstudents and to develop programs and offerings that can help with retention. = Predictor of Persistence= Risk of Attrition3! TOP ACADEMIC FACTORS PROGRESS 3Strong high school GPA3Strong undergraduatefirst‑year GPA3Higher SAT scores3More rigorous high schoolcoursework (e.g., advancedplacement courses)!Enrollment in remedialcourses in the first semesterof college 3The rate at which a studentprogresses toward a degreeor credential by earning credithours and passing courses3Beginning the first year witha specific intended majorand career path3Full‑time status!Part-time status!Failing to makeacademicprogress!Not declaring a major bythe end of the first year 3Positive faculty‑studentinteractions3Taking advantage ofresources that promoteacademic success (e.g.,tutoring, advising)!A poor attendance record BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPROVING RETENTION To increase their retention rates, institutions should focus on building concreteand measurable strategies that directly address the causes of student attrition. COLLECT AND ANALYZE STUDENT RETENTION DATA ACROSSDIFFERENT VARIABLES Institutions should not only measure overall student retention rates, but also analyze them across different dimensions (e.g., byyear, course, and/or discipline) to understand which areas have the highest risk of attrition and to develop targeted interventions.Collect data including: While some students will choose to leave despite your best efforts, valuable information can still be collected and used to helpdrive retention for other students. To identify areas for improvement and to uncover gaps in your offerings, ask students who areleaving questions such as: ‰Have you spoken with your advisor or otherfaculty when contemplatingwithdrawal?‰What are the reasons you are choosingtowithdraw?‰What is your assessment of your experienceat this institution?‰Is there a student service you felt wasmissing from your experience?‰Did you feel appropriately supported byyour professors and school faculty?‰Are you transferring to another institution?Where and why?‰What are your plans for the future? Andhow can we assist? ENSURE YOUR STUDENTS HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED Colleges and universities need to offer enhanced support and benefits to keep students engaged with and committed to theircurrent institution. Develop student support strategies that target individual academic, personal, financial, and social variablesthat affect student persistence, such as: FOCUS ON BUILDING POSITIVE STUDENT-FACULTY ENGAGEMENT Faculty play a critical role in student retention. Students are most likely to persist when they feel a consistent sense of belonging,competence, and social engagement in the classroom. By designing a relevant and student-centered curriculum, communicatingeffectively with students, and engaging them in the learning process, faculty members can help raise student retention rates. ‰Create a safe classroom climate that iswarm, open, and organized to promotefeelings of belonging‰Provide experiences that build uponstudents’ strengths and instill a senseofpurpose‰Use a variety of assessment instrumentsthat can be readily scored Retain more students by aligning with theirneeds and perceptions. Download the2024National Admitted Student Survey.