Why Colleges and Universities Must Prioritize Student Retention and Success—Now More Than Ever
In the current era of higher education, the stakes have never been higher. Across the country, institutions, especially small and mid-sized colleges, are grappling with declining enrollment, budget shortfalls, and questions about long-term sustainability. Amid these challenges, there is one lever that institutions often underutilize but that holds extraordinary power to influence outcomes: student retention.
Despite the presence of tutoring centers, advising programs, and student success offices, retention remains underemphasized. These support services, while valuable, often function on the margins, separate from the institution’s core priorities and mission. What’s needed now is not more isolated initiatives, but a cultural and strategic shift: a deep and institution-wide commitment to making student success the heartbeat of the college experience.
The truth is that recruitment alone is not enough. The traditional college-bound student population is shrinking, and competition for those students is more intense than ever. In this environment, institutions that fail to retain students lose ground they can’t afford to give up. Every student who leaves represents not just a lost tuition dollar, but a missed opportunity to build a future graduate, donor, ambassador, and leader.
Retention is enrollment. When students persist year to year, enrollment stabilizes and grows organically. Institutions no longer need to recruit simply to fill the holes left by attrition. Instead, they can focus on building momentum and supporting students as they deepen their academic journeys and strengthen their connection to the institution.
Moreover, students themselves become powerful forces in the enrollment equation. Those who feel a sense of belonging, receive timely support, and experience success are far more likely to share that with peers, family, and their wider communities. Their stories become the institution’s best recruitment tool. Conversely, students who leave frustrated or disconnected often discourage others from enrolling, setting off a ripple effect that can tarnish reputation and depress enrollment for years to come.
The institutional benefits of improving retention go far beyond enrollment metrics. When students stay, instructional costs are optimized. Junior- and senior-level courses fill up, degree pathways become more efficient, and faculty can invest more deeply in upper-level teaching and mentoring. Graduates are more likely to give back, financially and as champions of the institution, than those who leave without a degree. A culture of success begets more success.
But achieving this requires more than just tweaking programs or adding services. It demands a shift in mindset. Faculty, administrators, and staff must understand that student success and institutional success are inextricably linked. Institutions must move away from deficit thinking, where students are seen as unprepared, unmotivated, or adversarial, and embrace an asset-based approach that sees potential, not problems. The issues students bring with them, whether academic, personal, or social, are not barriers to be managed, but opportunities to guide, support, and inspire.
Retention cannot belong to one office or one team. It must be everyone’s business. From the board of trustees to the dining hall staff, from faculty to facilities, every interaction with a student shapes their likelihood to stay. Faculty must be seen not only as instructors, but as mentors, advocates, and supporters. Administrators must lead by showing up, listening, and modeling a culture of care. Student affairs professionals must be integrated into enrollment and retention strategies from day one. And the institution’s infrastructure must be aligned to make all of this possible, relieving unnecessary burdens, optimizing communication, and removing systemic barriers to student progress.
The call to action is urgent. Higher education is standing at a crossroads. Institutions that lean into retention and student success will survive and thrive. Those that continue to treat it as an afterthought risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive environment.
Perhaps with the right approach and consultation with the appropriate experts, institutions can gain access to the tools, frameworks, and strategic insights needed to move from reactive to proactive, from fragmented to integrated. Whether it’s refining campus-wide strategies, building faculty engagement, or aligning leadership around a unified vision, the support exists to help institutions not only improve retention, but transform their entire approach to student success.
Because in the end, student success is institutional success. And the time to act is now.