The COVID-19 pandemic turned the education world upside down. Pre-pandemic, schools and colleges operated in more predictable ways, with students attending classes in person and following traditional paths to graduation. 

However, the pandemic forced a rapid shift to online and hybrid learning, which brought new challenges. 

Students now have different needs, such as more flexible learning options and greater support. These changes have made it more important than ever for institutions to focus on student retention strategies.

Keeping students engaged and enrolled is essential for their success and the institution's stability.

In this article, we’re going to explore what is student retention, how to calculate it, and how to improve student retention with the best strategies that work in today’s world. 

What is student retention & what does the stats say?

Student retention means keeping students enrolled in school, college, or universities until they complete their education. It’s a measure of how well an institution supports its students throughout their academic journey.

Several factors negatively impact student persistence and retention rates. These include:

• Academic struggles

• Financial difficulties

• Lack of support from the institution

• Personal challenges like mental health issues or family responsibilities

When students feel unsupported or overwhelmed, they are more likely to leave school.

Many institutions saw a decline in student retention rates during the pandemic. 

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the national retention rate for students who began college in the fall of 2022 was 68.2%.

However, between 2012 and 2021, the average retention rate for college students was 65.9% across all institutions. A study by The College Board found that many colleges were concerned about their retention rates, but few were investing enough resources to fix the problem.

Despite a slight increase in the retention rates post-pandemic, institutions still need to invest heavily on sustainable student retention strategies that resonate with what students want. 

How to improve student retention: 8 most effective student retention strategies

Boosting retention and reducing dropout rates benefits everyone at your institution. 

Higher student retention rates lead to financial stability, improved institute reputation, higher graduation rates, and long-term sustainability.

Here are 8 student retention strategies that have consistently proven to be effective at retaining students. 

1. Offer quality academic support

It goes without saying that the number one thing that keeps students around is the quality of education you provide. 

Students want to learn and grow, and they want to feel challenged in a supportive environment.

Data from the 2013 Gallup Student Poll, which surveyed over 600,000 students, included two key statements related to student engagement:

• "My school is committed to building the strengths of each student."
• "I have at least one teacher who makes me excited about the future."

Students who strongly agreed with these statements were 30 times more likely to be emotionally engaged at school compared to those who strongly disagreed.

So make sure you create a supportive environment where students know exactly where to seek personalized help. Clearly mark resources like tutoring centers and academic advising offices, and ensure they are welcoming. 

You may also want to schedule regular tutoring sessions for challenging subjects, and offer both in-person and online options. Encourage the formation of study groups to foster peer support, and provide spaces and resources for group meetings.

Make educational materials accessible online, including lecture notes and practice exercises. 

Encourage your faculty to be approachable and available for students outside of class. 

2. Improve campus engagement

A lively campus with lots of things to do helps students feel like they belong.

Offering a variety of clubs and organizations helps. There should be something for everyone, from sports teams to academic clubs to hobby groups. 

Encourage students to start their own clubs if they can’t find one they like. 

Plan fun events like concerts and movie nights along with educational fairs, sports events, cultural festivals, and academic workshops. These events give students a chance to relax and have fun with their classmates. 

3. Create a welcoming place

Making students feel at home is super important in improving their perception of your institute. A friendly campus makes a big difference in how students feel about their school.

Train your staff to be friendly and helpful. Everyone from the admissions office to the cafeteria should greet students with a smile.

Make sure campus buildings and spaces are clean, well-lit, and inviting. Comfortable seating, clear signage, and well-maintained restrooms contribute to a positive atmosphere.

4. Focus on the student experience

One of the best student retention strategies is to ensure their campus experience is as positive as possible. Keep classrooms, dorms, and common areas up-to-date and comfortable. 

Upgrade classroom technology if needed, like smart-boards and high-speed internet, to make learning more engaging.

Maintain strong security measures to ensure students feel safe on campus. Provide easily accessible emergency services and a reliable campus security team. 

You may also offer safety training and resources to students so they know how to stay safe and who to contact in case of an emergency.

Students love tech, so use it to your advantage! Offer online classes and resources and use online learning management systems to make it easy for students to stay on top of their work. 

5. Recognize and reward achievements

Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and your students are no different.

Regularly acknowledge students’ academic achievements and give out certificates of achievement or personalized letters from faculty members. Create awards for high grades, outstanding projects, or academic milestones. 

Publicly recognize these accomplishments in newsletters, social media, or school assemblies.

You can also organize award ceremonies to celebrate student achievements where you invite students, faculty, and family members to join in the celebration.

Set up a physical or digital "Wall of Fame" where you showcase students’ achievements. Include their names, photos, and a brief description of their accomplishments. 

6. Offer financial support

Education is expensive, and students may switch their institutes if they face obstacles in paying tuition and other charges.

To retain students struggling financially, you can implement these steps: 

• Offer a variety of scholarships based on merit, financial need, or specific achievements like distinction in sports.

• Establish grants or fellowships for students who demonstrate academic excellence.

• Set up work-study programs that allow students to earn money while gaining valuable experience.

• Offer flexible payment plans that allow students to spread out their tuition payments over time.

7. Promote career services

Helping students land a job after graduation is a big deal. It shows them that their education has value.

Make sure you have counselors on hand to help students figure out what they want to do and how to get there. They can help students with resumes, cover letters, and job interviews. 

Also, create a good network of employers. Reach out to companies in your area and invite them to campus for job fairs and interviews.

You can also introduce career-focused courses or integrate career planning into the curriculum. So that students think about their future careers throughout their academic journey. 

8. Listen to the students and act on feedback

Students are the experts on their own experience. Listening to what they have to say helps you make your school even better and retain more students.

Regularly conduct student satisfaction surveys and have suggestion boxes in place to collect students' opinions on various aspects of campus life, including academics, facilities, and support services.

Once you have the feedback, review it carefully to identify common concerns or areas where students feel improvements are needed.

Take concrete actions based on the feedback you receive. For example, if students express dissatisfaction with certain courses, work with faculty to adjust the curriculum or teaching methods.

If there are concerns about campus facilities, prioritize upgrades or maintenance in those areas. 

Calculate student retention rate to monitor improvement

Retention rates give a clear idea of how many students are staying enrolled and progressing toward their degrees.

To figure out your student retention rate, you can use a simple formula:

1. Count the number of students who were enrolled in the previous year.
2. Count how many of those students are still enrolled this year.
3. Divide the number of students who stayed by the number of students who were enrolled last year.
4. Multiply the result by 100 to get a percentage.

Retention Rate = (Number of students at the start ⁄ Number of students who stayed​) × 100

For example, if 800 students out of 1,000 who enrolled in the first year return for the second year, the retention rate would be:

Retention Rate = (800 / 1,000) x 100 = 80%

Retention data helps institutions see how effective their current student retention strategy is. If the retention rate is high, it’s a sign that students are satisfied and supported. 

If the rate is low, it indicates there are issues like academic challenges, financial difficulties, or lack of student engagement and you need to implement better student retention strategies.

How can Formaloo help?

As the needs of students evolve, so must our student retention strategies for helping them succeed. 

Implementation of the right strategies creates a supportive environment where students feel engaged, valued, and motivated to complete their studies. 

If you're looking for an all-in-one solution to improve student retention efforts, Formaloo for education has you covered. 

With Formaloo, you can build powerful quizzes, dashboards, and more for your students, teachers, and parents. 

You can build your own student management system to keep track of all student activities, ask the right questions through dedicated surveys, gather valuable data, and shape the future of education.

Get started with Formaloo for free today!