Student Success Strategies | 018 | From Access to Completion
Practical, measurable actions that help students succeed.
College educators are always looking for practical, high-impact student success strategies, especially ones that can plug into campus plans, grants, initiatives, and projects.
Over the years, I’ve compiled a set of strategies, KPIs (key performance indicators), and related resources aligned to key junctures in the student journey at open access institutions:
· Access & Enrollment
· Completion of English & Math in the First Year
· Persistence & Retention
· Completion and Transfer
You’ll find strategies that are specific and actionable. I hope this list serves as a useful reference, whether you're planning, presenting, or revisiting your institution’s approach. If you do share or present these strategies, please be sure to provide proper attribution.1
That said, having a list is one thing. Implementing it is another.
What sets my work apart is not just helping colleges design what's next. I help them do it. Whether we like it or not, student success is fiscal viability. Persistence and completion don’t just change lives, they also drive the revenue colleges need to keep going and innovating. With a strong record of results, I bring the execution know-how that turns ideas into impact, and into much needed funding.
It’s that hands-on experience with institutional implementation that allows me to share these resources freely through the Continuous Learning Institute and its complement, Continuous Learner.
Feel free to adapt and modify this content to fit your institution’s context, especially the KPIs and how you choose to address equity. Just remember: equity impact (universal strategies) and equity intentionality (targeted approaches) aren’t opposing forces. They’re complementary and most effective when used together at institutions that serve a high percentage of disproportionately impacted students.
Access & Enrollment Strategies
Goal: Increase access and streamline enrollment processes to set up students for success early in their academic journey.
Resources: Student Success Insights
Topics: Dual Enrollment | First Year Experience | Labor Market Data
Streamline the Application & Onboarding Process
1. Remove unnecessary application hurdles within the institution’s control
KPI: Decrease average time to complete the application by X% and increase the percentage of applicants who convert to registrants by X%.
2. Coordinate application and financial aid completion processes
KPI: X% of new students complete both their application and financial aid steps within two weeks; X% student satisfaction with onboarding process.
3. Ensure students are notified early about the importance of completing Math & English in their first year, with multiple modality options
KPI: X% of first-time students enroll in Math and English within their first year; track enrollment rates across in-person, online, and hybrid sections.
4. Promote early comprehensive ed planning by requiring students to meet with a counselor/advisor during onboarding
KPI: X% of new students complete a counseling/advising session before enrolling in classes; X% report clarity in their comprehensive ed plan on post-session surveys.
Improve Registration Timing & Course Planning
5. Release Summer and Fall class schedules by March 1st
KPI: 100% of schedules published on time; increase early registration among high school and dual enrollment students by X%.
6. Create predictable class schedules to support career and academic planning
KPI: X% of programs publish a 2-year class schedule; X% of students report confidence in long-term planning via annual surveys.
7. Implement dual enrollment structured onboarding and proactive counseling/advising in collaboration with high school partners
KPI: Increase dual enrollment course success rates by X%.
Enhance Outreach & Targeted Marketing
8. Implement Spring/Fall outreach at high schools and adult schools, in collaboration with counseling/advising and marketing
KPI: Host a minimum of X outreach events per semester.
9. Develop targeted outreach strategies for student identified through equity gap data
KPI: Increase enrollment of Y group(s) by X% year-over-year.
10. Promote enrollment opportunities by major/program
KPI: Hold at least ten major-specific info sessions per term; increase program-specific inquiries/applications by X%.
11. Market more robustly with tailored messaging across platforms
KPI: Boost website traffic to admissions and program pages by X%; increase application starts by demographic segment across targeted campaigns.
Orientation & Student Support
12. Implement new student orientations each Fall and Spring
KPI: Achieve X% orientation participation rate among new students; track 1st-term course completion for orientation attendees vs. non-attendees.
13. Regularly review and update program maps to ensure accuracy, clarity, and relevance
KPI: 100% of academic programs have current, student-friendly program maps published online and accessible through advising systems.
Math & English Strategies
Goal: Increase the number of students who successfully complete transfer-level math and English within their first year through proactive support, intentional course design, effective pedagogy, and a fair grading system.
Resources: Student Success Insights
Topics: Placement Models | Math Reform | English Reform
Additional Resource: Math Pedagogy & Grading
Strengthen Instructional Practice & Support
1. Develop and implement faculty-led Communities of Practice focused on just-in-time remediation and alternative assessment practices
KPI: Launch at least 2 discipline-specific CoPs annually; X% of participating faculty adopt one new practice within a semester; track impact on student pass rates.
2. Link transfer-level Math and English classes with support courses and embed tutoring
KPI: Increase enrollment in co-requisite support sections by X%; improve pass rates in linked courses by at least X%.
3. Connect students proactively to tutoring and academic support services
KPI: X% of Math/English students are contacted about tutoring within the first 3 weeks; track usage and correlated GPA improvement for participants.
4. Implement contextualized math courses tied to specific majors or programs
KPI: Develop or scale at least 2 contextualized math pathways (e.g., allied health, business, etc.); increase success rates compared to traditional math tracks.
5. Build and implement a comprehensive Early Alert system
KPI: Early Alert referrals increase by X%; X% of referred students connect with a service (counseling, tutoring, etc.); track improved outcomes for flagged students.
Strengthen K–12 and Transition Support
6. Provide professional development and curriculum alignment with high school partners
KPI: Conduct at least 2 annual PD sessions with high school faculty; improve placement accuracy.
Enhance Enrollment Messaging, Placement, and Advising
7. Ensure students are clearly informed during onboarding that Math and English should be taken in Year 1
KPI: X% of first-time students are advised to enroll in both subjects during their first year; track first-year completion rates.
8. Improve data-informed placement practices to ensure students are appropriately placed
KPI: Placement is in compliance according to state and/or institutional guidelines.
9. Align class schedules to maximize student access (e.g., blocks, evenings, online)
KPI: Offer at least X flexible scheduling options per Math/English course per term; increase enrollment among part-time and working students.
Foster Belonging and Growth Mindset in Foundational Courses
10. Expand faculty PD on culturally responsive teaching and growth mindset practices in Math and English
KPI: X% of foundational course instructors participate annually; improvements in course satisfaction and persistence rates.
11. Highlight stories of success from students who completed Math & English
KPI: Share at least X student success profiles per year.
Persistence & Retention Strategies
Goal: Increase student persistence and retention through proactive outreach, aligned academic planning, and a vibrant campus engagement culture, supported by data and effective pedagogy and grading practices.
Resources: Student Success Insights
Topics: Adult Learner Outcomes | Accessibility | Teaching with KindnessAdditional Resources:
Teaching & Learning
5E Learning Cycle
A.I. Integration in the Classroom
Reimagining Grading
Equitable Pedagogy
Effective Online Teaching
Culturally Affirming & Meaningful Assignments
Supporting Neurodivergent StudentsStudent Services & Support
Six Success Factors
Holistic Student Supports (Student Success Teams)
Teaching & Learning
1. Establish ongoing faculty-led workgroups focused on examining classroom practices, disaggregated course data, and implementing changes to practices
KPI: X% of instructional departments launch at least X workgroups per year. Participating faculty see X% increase in course success and retention rates compared to department baseline.
2. Support faculty in designing assignments that reflect students’ lived experiences, promote relevance, and foster deep engagement across disciplines
KPI: X% of faculty complete training or redesign assignments with culturally affirming elements. Courses using redesigned assignments show a X% higher retention rate than prior terms.
3. Promote use of active learning and inclusive classroom practices across modalities (in-person, hybrid, online)
KPI: X% of faculty implement at least one active learning strategy per term (tracked via self-report or peer observation). Course sections using active learning show a X% reduction in DFW rates.
4. Train faculty to thoughtfully integrate A.I. tools (e.g., for formative feedback, idea generation, and language support)
KPI: X% of faculty complete AI-focused teaching workshops. Students in AI-integrated courses report X% higher satisfaction with learning support. Retention and success rates increase by X% in pilot sections using AI tools compared to non-AI sections.
Proactive Student In-Reach & Communication
5. Implement a touchpoint campaign to contact every student at least twice per semester
KPI: X% of enrolled students receive two personalized outreach messages per term; X% update their comprehensive ed plan or meet with a counselor/advisor.
6. Use term-to-term data to identify students at risk of not persisting from fall to spring or spring to fall
KPI: Identify students by week 5 each term; X% of flagged students are contacted, and X% engage with at least one support service.
7. Ensure faculty use an early alert system consistently
KPI: X% of instructional faculty submit at least one early alert progress survey each semester; referrals increase follow-up appointments by X%.
8. Improve faculty training and access to tools that support connection with students
KPI: X% of faculty trained annually on an early alert system, LMS communication, or equivalent tools; positive shifts in student-faculty interaction survey results.
Academic Planning, Mapping, & Scheduling
9. Ensure every student has a clear program map aligned with degree/career goals
KPI: X% of first-year students are physically given a program map
10. Offer clear and predictable course scheduling with defined program pathways
KPI: X% of programs have published two-year course rotations; increase in on-time degree completion rates.
11. Require mandatory orientation for students taking online classes
KPI: 100% of online-only students complete an orientation module; reduction in DFW rates in online courses by X%.
Supportive, Cohort-Based Student Experiences
12. Increase enrollment in student support programs and structured academic programs to maximize cohort support (e.g., EOPS, MESA, Honors)
KPI: X% increase in first-year student participation in at least one cohort-based program; increased retention rates for cohort participants.
13. Contextualize student success courses by Career and Academic Pathway (i.e., division or meta-major)
KPI: At least one contextualized student success course offered per community; pass rates increase by X% compared to generic student success courses.
14. Explore momentum programs (e.g., tuition-free winter/summer if 12+ units completed in fall/spring)
KPI: Track student participation and measure persistence increases of at least X% year-over-year.
Career Exploration & Engagement
15. Increase internship and work-based learning opportunities
KPI: X% increase in internship placements annually; students who complete internships retain at a rate X% higher than the general population.
16. Increase student awareness and participation in ASG, clubs, and campus events
KPI: X% of students attend at least one student life activity per term; track positive correlation between engagement and retention.
Belonging & Connection on Campus
17. Develop a student engagement hub
KPI: Track foot traffic and service usage; increase student survey ratings of campus belonging by X% over two years.
18. Host mid-semester community engagement activities to maintain momentum and connection
KPI: Host at least one mid-semester engagement event per major term; attendees show higher rates of re-enrollment.
19. Increase visibility and marketing of academic and student support services
KPI: Boost website visits and service requests (tutoring, counseling, etc.) by X%; increase awareness through student surveys.
Completion & Transfer Strategies
Goal: Increase the number of students completing their degrees and successfully transferring to four-year institutions by strengthening academic pathways, boosting student confidence, improving transitions, and creating a culture that celebrates and supports transfer success.
Resource: Student Success Insights
Topics: Labor Market Data | Adult Learner Outcomes | Black Student Success | STEM PathwaysAdditional Resource: Guided Pathways
University & Career Exploration
1. Increase tours to four-year universities
KPI: Host a minimum of X university campus tours per year with targeted outreach to underrepresented student populations; X% of attendees report increased transfer confidence and knowledge.
2. Increase business & industry tours to promote career relevance and applied pathways
KPI: Host at least X industry tours per year aligned with high-demand career pathways; track student enrollment in related programs pre/post tour.
Transfer Support & Planning
4. Update and publicize transfer agreements regularly
KPI: 100% of current agreements reviewed and updated annually; increase student awareness and usage of agreements through counseling visits and digital engagement.
5. Provide transfer-specific scholarships and transitional resources for students in the summer before university transfer
KPI: Launch or expand at least one summer bridge-to-transfer resource; increase use of transfer center by X%; track 1st semester university enrollment of participating students.
6. Collaborate between special programs (e.g., EOPS, MESA, PUENTE) and university special programs to ensure smooth transitions
KPI: Establish formal partnerships with special programs at transfer institutions; track number of students referred and supported through joint programming and/or collaboration.
7. Develop a centralized Transfer Center communication campaign with deadlines, workshops, and success stories
KPI: Monthly outreach to all transfer-ready students; increase transfer application submissions by X% annually.
Degree Completion Acceleration
8. Proactively audit student progress and initiate completion campaigns for students who are close to graduating
KPI: Contact 100% of students within 15 units of degree completion; increase degree applications by X%.
9. Expand use of auto-award for degrees and certificates when all requirements are met
KPI: Implement system for automatic awarding; track increase in completions for students who did not submit petitions.
10. Promote part-time to full-time incentives (e.g., 15-to-Finish, 30-in-a-Year messaging)
KPI: X% increase in students completing 30+ units per academic year; track correlation to on-time degree completion.
Transfer Culture & Recognition
11. Publicly acknowledge high-achieving students (GPA 3.0+) and those set to transfer via website, campus TVs, and social media
KPI: Post updated recognition lists each semester; increase student engagement with featured content by X%.
12. Host annual Transfer & Completion Celebration events
KPI: X students participate annually; X% report feeling more confident about transfer or next steps.
13. Create a “Transfer Wall of Fame” or digital board showcasing successful transfers by major and destination
KPI: Add X student stories annually; track increased engagement with transfer center resources following campaigns.
Final Words
Campuses rarely have the capacity to implement every strategy at once. Each year, choose one or two high-impact actions per goal and commit to executing them well.
Depth beats breadth when it comes to meaningful change.
Let’s connect on LinkedIn.
Onward…
Dr. Al Solano
Founder, Continuous Learning Institute | About
Host, Student Success Podcast
A meaningful test of success is how helpful we are in contributing to our fellow human being’s happiness.