A new Association of Public and Land-grant Universities report identifies six promising approaches:

Strengthening coordination across campus units
Expanding data-informed advising
Clarifying academic pathways
Removing financial barriers near graduation
Reengaging students who had stopped out
Integrating academic and personal support services more holistically.

The "A Decade of Success" report analyzed 154 innovations implemented by 90 institutions in 41 states between 2015 and 2024. It traces three phases of evolution:

A heavy focus on first-year retention started the shift toward summer bridge programs, peer mentoring, learning communities and early advising outreach.
Institutions built degree pathways by mapping recommended course sequences and critical milestones. Analytics helped advisors identify students at risk of falling behind.
Universities aligned advising, financial aid, mental health services and academic support. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this development, with institutions expanding mental health resources and reengagement strategies.

Removing the final obstacles

To fuel the transformation, institutions also began awarding financial aid to students whose short-term financial problems prevented them from earning the final credits needed to graduate. Many schools found that these "completion grants" helped students cross the finish line to a degree, the report notes.

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