Student Retention

Preventing student attrition

Education is a long and sometimes challenging journey. Many learners will face hurdles along the way. But our student services team is here to provide support and prevent them from dropping out. We’ll help them stay on track as they first add courses until they graduate. 

How do we do it? With the Online Learning Advising Model (OLAM). It brings together four different areas of theory and research to create a new approach to supporting online students. These areas include:

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  Appreciative advising

  This stems from the psychological principles of positive reinforcement. Early in the relationship, our advisors help learners understand their strengths and use them to overcome obstacles.

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  Proactive advising

  This is a great way to reach “at–risk” students who are less likely to ask for help on their own. By building supportive relationships with students, our advisors can help dismantle self-doubt. Instead, they build up learners’ self-confidence and help them achieve their learning goals.

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  Shame resilience theory

  Shame is the primary emotion contributing to disengagement. It’s often linked to depression, anxiety, and anger. To combat that, our advisors create a safe, judgment-free environment so students can talk about and recognize these issues. This environment allows learners to feel protected, empowered, and reconnected with their education goals.

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  Cognitive behavioral theory

  Distorted perceptions are the biggest trigger of difficult emotions and behavior. Following a gentle questioning process, our advisors help students identify and re-evaluate their perceptions. This realigns their thinking to match reality. In turn, this relieves stress and refocuses them on what’s important.

How we support students in practice

When we use OLAM, learners feel supported to persist through graduation. So, how do we do it? With what we call the five C’s.

The steps below may seem simple, but they’re vital to keeping students positive, engaged, and focused, especially in an online environment.

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  Connect

  First, we stay connected. We check in regularly and really listen to learners’ concerns when they arise.

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  Create

  If a student is facing a problem, we help them envision a positive outcome to each of their problems. We remind them of and play to their strengths and motivations, helping them recall why they started their education in the first place.

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  Challenge

  Next, we challenge misperceptions and tackle defeatist attitudes head–on, offering a safe space for students to explore alternative views and solutions.

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  Collaborate

  Then we work together to make a plan. We brainstorm strategic and achievable milestones and break down obstacles into manageable steps.

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  Commit

  Once everything is in place, we encourage students to commit to the plan we’ve created and remind them we’ll support them every step of the way. Once they’re on track, we hold them accountable and gently encourage them with regular check–ins.

The 5 Cs in practice

24/7 technical support for learners

Tech problems are always distressing, but in remote environments, they can cause serious trouble. That’s why we’re available 24/7 to alleviate potential challenges with the learning platform. Anytime. Anywhere.

Our 24/7 technical support staff is also equipped to direct learners to financial aid resources and student services as needed.

* Graduation and retention rates at comparable universities weighted based on student counts reported by College Scorecard.