There is an old business adage that it’s far easier to keep a customer than to earn a new one. For colleges and universities, the same principle applies.  

It is far easier and more sustainable to keep a current student enrolled than to replace them with a new one. This reality matters even more as higher education enters a time of declining numbers of high school graduates and increased competition. Colleges can no longer rely on recruitment alone to remain stable in the years ahead.  

Data from the National Student Clearinghouse shows that the first semester is one of the strongest indicators of long-term student success. When students feel supported early, they are more likely to persist. When they feel disconnected or overwhelmed, they are more likely to leave. 

Together, these trends show that student retention is a core strategy for institutional sustainability. The following sections outline practical retention strategies colleges can use today. 

Belonging Starts Before the First Day of Class

A sense of belonging begins long before students step into their first college classroom. Maya Demishkevich, Chief Marketing Officer at Carroll Community College, has emphasized how stories, social content, and real examples of student life help students picture themselves on campus.

Stamats’ VP Enrollment Strategies, Lisa Starkey-Wood, says connecting incoming students with current students, and with others in their incoming class, adds another layer of belonging, helping students form relationships and feel part of a community before day one.

Simple personal moments matter, too.

Ryan Trout, Director of Admissions at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), describes how one-on-one conversations, introductions to faculty, and mock classes help students feel noticed. These experiences shape how they enter their first semester.

Related insight:

• Read: Relationship-Driven Admissions: Proven Ways to Engage Students & Meet Enrollment Goals
• Read: Strategies to Enhance Your College’s Visit Experience 

A National Student Clearinghouse report shows that a strong, confident start leads to better persistence. Belonging is not a bonus. It is part of retention. Read the report.

Student Readiness Has Changed. Support Must Follow.

Students often begin college less prepared for academic expectations. Trout has noted that more than 95% of incoming students at his institution require remedial coursework. This challenge affects confidence and increases the risk of dropping out. 

Melissa Greiner, VP of Marketing at CampusESP, a family engagement platform, highlights how students may struggle silently. They often wait until they are overwhelmed before seeking help.  

Colleges can support these students by simplifying instructions, breaking tasks into clear steps, and offering regular check-ins. Early clarity builds confidence, which helps students remain enrolled.  

Starkey-Wood also points to the impact of peer tutors and early academic support, especially when students see help as accessible and student-centered. Just as important, students should be introduced to their academic advisor as soon as they submit an enrollment deposit.  

Knowing who their advisor is, and how to reach them, helps students understand where support lives before they ever arrive on campus. That early connection reinforces the message that help is available and expected from the very beginning.

Well-Organized Systems Keep Students on Track

Confusing processes can push students out of college faster than academic struggles. Leaders across the field often point to outdated workflows, unclear communication, and inconsistent follow-up as common barriers. 

When institutions improve their systems, students receive clearer guidance, make fewer errors, and feel less lost. This also includes using retention and early-alert tools that track student interactions and engagement over time.  

When advisors, mentors, or support teams can see when a student stops attending class, begins to struggle academically, or disengages from key touchpoints, they can step in sooner.  

Early alerts make it possible to intervene before small issues become reasons for a student to leave. When families also receive accurate updates, they help students stay organized and focused. Retention improves when students know exactly what to do, when to do it, and when someone is paying attention.

Students Stay When They Feel Connected

Creating real human connections is one of the most important factors in retention. Trout shares that many students today want face-to-face interaction, not just emails or virtual events.  

When NEIU redesigned campus visits to feel personal and welcoming, student attendance soared. More importantly, student feedback shifted at NEIU. Instead of choosing a school because it was close or affordable, students described how the campus made them feel welcome, comfortable, and included.  

That emotional connection is a strong predictor of whether they stay. 

Families and Counselors Shape Student Persistence

Families and high school counselors often play an ongoing role in student success. Parents want clear information so they can support their students, and that communication should begin early.  

Starkey Wood emphasizes the importance of having a family communication track that starts at acceptance and continues through commencement, not just during the first few weeks. When families understand timelines, expectations, and available resources, they are better equipped to support students through challenges.  

Programs like Family Associations, Family Weekend, and ongoing family engagement initiatives also matter. They help families feel connected to the institution and reinforce the idea that they are part of the full student experience, not just observers on the sidelines. 

Building relationships with high school counselors also improves the transition to college. Counselors who feel informed send better-prepared students and help them navigate early challenges. Retention grows when colleges work with a student’s entire support network. 

Related insight: Read “The Art of Prospect Nurturing: 5 Tips to Turn Inquiries Into Enrollments” 

Technology Helps Only When It Supports People

Technology can strengthen retention when it supports visibility, coordination, and early intervention.  

Retention and early-alert systems that track student interactions help advisors, mentors, and support teams spot problems sooner. When a student stops attending class, struggles academically, or disengages from key touchpoints, those signals matter. Systems that surface this information early make it possible to step in before small issues turn into reasons to leave. 

Just as important is clarity around where students go for information. Many institutions ask students to navigate multiple platforms without clearly explaining which system does what. That confusion creates friction.  

Strong retention support depends on having an integrated, easy-to-find hub for current students and making sure they know how to use it. When key student tools are placed prominently, such as in a top utility menu or dedicated intranet, students use them. Institutions that make these systems easy to locate see higher engagement and fewer missed steps—because students don’t have to search for help when they need it most. 

But technology must be monitored carefully. 

Technology should support human guidance, not replace it. Students still want real people to help them understand their next steps. At the same time, predictive modeling can strengthen that human work by helping institutions identify which students may be at risk based on historical patterns and early behaviors.  

When colleges use that insight to trigger proactive, personalized outreach, support teams can focus their time where it matters most. Institutions that take this approach have seen meaningful gains in retention because they are able to act earlier, with the right kind of support, rather than waiting for students to ask for help. 

Helpful insight: Read: 5 Simple Ways AI in Google Sheets Can Save You Time

Retention Can’t Wait

The drop of graduating high school students and increased competition will continue to shape higher education in the years ahead. But strong retention practices can help colleges remain steady even as the pool of new students shrinks. 

Students stay when they feel welcomed, guided, and supported early in their journey. When every enrollment matters, remember: It’s far easier to keep a student than enroll a new one. 

If your institution is rethinking how it communicates with students during the enrollment cliff, Stamats can help. We work with colleges and universities to simplify messaging, reduce friction, and create clearer, more supportive student experiences. Contact us to start the conversation.