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wikiHow to Retain First Year Students in University or College

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Universities and colleges are funded on a retention based funding; the purpose of this is to make the institutions more responsive to students' needs. Any loss of students therefore results in a loss of income for the institution. Many higher education institutions are still grappling with various strategies to improve their retention.Here's how you can retain first year students in your academic institution


  1. 1
    Provide access to funding for students. Most students can not afford university education and need financial assistance. Provide bursaries, scholarships and even educational loans.
  2. 2
    Introduce pre-university programs such bridging courses, foundation year etc. These help prepare the student for university. Many students simply can not cope with the academic challenges that university education entails; grades fall as much as 15% and they realize that they will not make it at the end of the year. Others still are accustomed to the support they received from their teachers so when they come to the university and discover that that support is not forthcoming these learners would rather not face academic failure again.Thus they decide to opt out.
  3. 3
    Reduce University Administration Red Tape.Thousands more students are frustrated by the way the university administration handles or deals with learners. Imagine a student who has requested a change of course but 8 weeks later he/she has received no reply and hence is uncertain as to his/her status. The students are accustomed to their own little school and then to be suddenly confronted with the campus gigantic administration system they feel so intimidated that they would rather opt out.
  4. 4
    Provide effective and responsive Career Guidance and Counseling Facilities.There are universities with poor orientation programmes which leave students with no clear direction as to what their studies entail; furthermore, there is little or no counseling and students feel unwanted. It is natural for a student to feel lost but there must be somebody to lead him/her back on course. Students also have baggage from home which needs an ear and require some comforting words. Should a student not find a channel to have his/her voice heard or someone to patiently listen to their whining the take the shortest way out of the university gates.
  5. 5
    Introduce Social Life at the university.A student is a social animal and needs to have a clear sense of belonging, of being rooted into the system. He/she can only do this by belonging to a club and social institution of the university. The absence of a suitable bonding leaves a student with the easy way out-drop out.

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