We combine administrative data from a regional public university with a novel revealed-preference indicator of student friendships to show that socially connected first-year university students are more likely to be retained into their second year. The impact of friends on retention is statistically and economically significant: each friend raises…

Academic Status Reports (ASRs) are submitted by an instructor to indicate that a student is succeeding in the course or, more commonly, that the instructor is concerned about their progress or participation in the course (e.g., not attending class or not submitting assignments). ASR notifications are sent to students and may also be shared with…

Unlike many earlier models of student persistence that viewed the process of student persistence through the lens of the institution, the model proposed here looks at persistence through the eyes of students. It draws on the research on student motivation, student perceptions, and the impact of student networks on student engagement to propose a…

The importance of student engagement is long recognised. Students who are more engaged will be more motivated and inclined to complete their studies. The aim of this study is to understand barriers to engagement for first-year computing students, a cohort that traditionally have high non-progression rates. A qualitative descriptive design was…

Nationally, retaining students in adult basic education (ABE) is an ongoing challenge for numerous programs. The problem is the low retention rates among adult basic education learners in a non-profit ABE program in a large metropolitan city in Georgia. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how persistence affects student…

Motivation profoundly influences human behavior, shaping skill acquisition and utilization while propelling goal pursuit and success. This study delves into motivation's universality across human endeavors, emphasizing how motivated individuals undertake actions to achieve their objectives. It examines motivation's critical role in enhancing…

As the university student body becomes more diversified and students' lives less linear, student retention carries increased importance for universities, including the conversion of deferrers and the re-enrolment of leave-taking students. This paper is based on a broader research project which explored national patterns of deferral and leave of…

Retention research has resulted in a number of theories, models, and frameworks, and the adoption of related strategies by institutions of higher education to graduate the students they admit. These strategies include programming designed to welcome students, give them a sense of belonging, and involve them in the academic and social realms of the…

Vertical transfers, those who transferred from a 2-year institution to a 4-year institution, often face multifaceted challenges and lower success rates upon arriving at the receiving 4-year institutions. This quantitative study focused on three forms of social capital related to post-transfer adjustment, retention, and success for vertical…

Understanding the drivers of student dropout from higher education has been a policy concern for several decades. However, the contributing role of certain factors--including student mental health--remains poorly understood. Furthermore, existing studies linking student mental health and university dropout are limited in both methodology and…

University and college leaders are tasked with enhancing student outcomes with fewer resources. Student retention is one such key outcome of interest for many policy makers as well as for university administrators. Over the years, administrators have turned to High Impact Practices (HIPs) such as Learning Communities (LCs) to aid in retention.…

A little less than half of the students of higher Ed institutions in the US graduate in four years, and only around 60% finish in six years. Retention rates are also less than ideal. Colleges have been experimenting with a variety of programs and policies to address this issue, especially less selective institutions whose rates are significantly…

Community colleges struggle with enrollment and student success challenges to enhance student experiences and improve completion through various initiatives. Despite efforts, many lack long-term sustainability efforts, leaving colleges seeking solutions. The Guided Pathways framework leverages a college's existing practices and restructures…

Retention and persistence models share common components such as student characteristics, institutional experiences, and academic and social integration. However, few acknowledge basic needs (e.g., food, housing, transportation) and belonging as essential to student success. In this piece, the authors discuss two gaps in these models that should…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore factors that contribute to the retention of secondary school principals in rural settings in Missouri. The overarching research question this study sought to answer is: What factors increase longevity in secondary school principals in rural settings? The three conceptual underpinnings--rural…