Whether a program runs 14 weeks or four years, students face many of the same pressures outside the classroom. Shortening the runway to a credential doesn't shorten the list of things standing between a student and the finish line.

If colleges continue to start from nearly the same aspirations, students comparing similar institutions will continue to fall back on the differences they can see most easily.

Institutions can make support easy to explore without requiring students to admit they're struggling. Colleges should also frame outreach around everyday problems like stress, sleep and focus.

Colleges need workforce signals that connect staffing, retention, and budgets to decisions leaders make every day.