Taking Adult Learner Retention to the Next Level

John Hall
Chief Executive Officer
Greenwood & Hall
The National Center for Education Statistics predicts that there will be just under 7 million adult learners by 2013. The growth of programs that cater to non-traditional students has been no less than explosive. Despite the vast financial resources that both institutions and the federal government have invested in continuing education programs, graduation rates have remained alarmingly low. As the number of adult learners continues to grow and Washington calls for increased accountability in terms of the outcomes
institutions provide for their students, schools must take a fresh look at creative approaches to improving retention.

Many schools are taking lessons from the private sector and employing high-end customer care strategies that have worked well for the world?s most admired corporations. Institutions are providing students with 24/7 ?Concierge? help lines that can provide one call resolutions to most administrative issues, linking adult learners with on- and off-campus support resources, and even helping with homework. In addition to being able to call a personal concierge day or night, students can seek support via text messaging, webchat, and email.

Schools are also pairing up students with ?Success Counselors.? These counselors develop relationships with their students typically over the phone and email. They coach, monitor student progress, make sure their students are registered for each term, and check-in with each student at least once a term. Furthermore, they work in tandem with traditional Academic Advisors and faculty in creating a proactive ?first alert network.? More importantly, they learn who their students are, their motivations and obstacles that could impede persistence.

Some institutions are beginning to rely on profiling technology that enables Success Counselors, Academic Advisors and faculty to understand individual student personality attributes and needs. By doing so, additional support resources can be targeted to
students that may not be as self-disciplined or lack confidence ? two factors that can typically lead to student attrition.

These strategies can accomplish for schools exactly what they deliver for private enterprise.

First, they establish a personal connection between an institution and a student. As a result, students feel more connected with their school.

Next, these approaches deliver support when a student most needs it via a medium that is most comfortable for each individual student. For many adult learners working during the day, these initiatives provide access to the key student services that are typically only available during normal business hours.

Finally, the aforementioned strategies coupled with innovative academic programs are proactively engaging adult learners in ways they have never been engaged before.

Taking adult learner retention to the next level requires a new way of thinking as well as resources.

Considering institutions that implement these measures can increase retention by 18-26%, however, the return on investment in simple dollar terms can be significant. These bold measures can also improve student satisfaction, increase referrals, enhance institutional reputation, and reduce student loan defaults. Furthermore, they will well-position schools to be able to adhere to almost certain demands from the Department of Education and accreditation agencies to significantly improve student outcomes.

John Hall is pursuing his Doctorate in Education at the University of Southern California. He can be reached via email at jhall@greenwoodhall.com.