Retention: Why Some Cougars Never Return to the Den
According to the University System of Georgia Retention Rate Report, out of the 1,008 students that enrolled at Columbus State University in fall 2014, only 771 returned the second semester. College Factual, a website specializing in higher education statistics, puts CSU’s retention rate at only .3 percent lower than the national average of 72 percent. But that still means that hundreds of students are not returning for their sophomore year of school.
Students are willing to start their college career at CSU but fewer are willing to finish it here. Why do students leave CSU and what is the university doing to try to get students to return? There is no one specific reason why students decide to leave CSU. Students can run into financial trouble and no longer be able to attend school, or medical emergencies may arise to put a hold on students’ academic careers.
Some students cannot handle the academic stress of college and may not achieve the grades needed to stay enrolled at the university. Most commonly, according to Sri Sitharaman Ph.D. and Director of Institutional Research, some students “just do not know what they want” when they arrive here at CSU, and realize that what they are looking for is not here. Many also realize that other schools have more to offer not only in the educational department, but in establishing students in a location which allows them easy access to some true college “experiences” as well. Columbus State is aware that college is not just about what happens in the classroom, but also about events outside of the classroom that help shape a student’s college experience.
“Everything a student does in the first year is a part of the first year experience,” said Assistant Director of the Academic Center for Excellence Dustin Worsley, Ph.D. To provide new students with wholesome college experiences, Columbus State instituted the First Year Experience. All freshmen that enter CSU are required to take the first year seminar. The Academic Center of Excellence has also implemented a monitoring system that tracks student academic progress throughout the semester. If student begins to fall behind in their studies, ACE will pair that student with the appropriate tutor.
Getting students the help they need early has kept many of them enrolled here at CSU. ACE also pairs students who feel like they are lost in a hectic college lifestyle with guidance counselors to help keep them grounded. Many variables affect retention, so there is no specific solution. Nevertheless, by implementing a few policies to improve college life here at CSU, retention rates have risen from 65 percent in 2011 to 72 percent in 2016.
