6 Lessons for Student Success

Postsecondary Data Partnership Turns Lessons into Action

Of the 2.3 million students who entered college for the first time in fall 2020, 75% persisted at any U.S. institution by fall 2021 and the nation’s enrollment continues to decline, according to the latest research by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Thus, all colleges and universities are working hard to recruit and retain students. As the Community College Daily reports, Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts relies on six key lessons for student success. The lessons are:

• Understand your institution’s unique retention and completion situation.
• Be collaborative
• Make it easy
• Help solve a common problem
• Check your work (and get your ducks in a row)
• Keep information updated and fresh

Besides these lessons, institutions should look to the Clearinghouse for the latest data via the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) and more to help students succeed. PDP continually adapts to education needs, staying up to date on the metrics you need for the comprehensive evaluation of your student-success interventions.

How PDP Can Help Your Institution

Gain Access to Richer Insights. PDP insights are based on a comprehensive set of student data, including information left out of other data collections. The PDP’s data includes metrics on all new students who enter your institution at any time, not just full-time fall freshmen.

Close Equity Gaps. The PDP’s early momentum indicators enable you to identify students who need help and the policies that are creating barriers to their success, so you can implement solutions.

Tell Your Institution’s Story. PDP tools help you create visually compelling, easily understood reports that communicate trends and outcomes for your entire student body and specific populations within it.

Make Smarter Policy Decisions. The PDP gives you the information you need to achieve the greatest positive impact while optimizing your use of time and resources.

Benchmark Against Peer Institutions. The PDP enables you to compare your institution’s progress and outcomes with those of its peers to help you gauge your work’s success.

To learn more about PDP and the Clearinghouse’s student success efforts, contact your regional representative today!

Additional Resources:

• Tell Your Institution’s Story

• Explore our PDP Course