A February 2025 survey of 740 students uncovers the biggest challenges to persistence—and the campus strategies students say would help most.
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Find Out What’s Hindering Today's Students and What They Say Would Help
Learn what students say is getting in the way of staying enrolled, from financial strain to mental health challenges, and what would make it easier to stay, engage, and graduate. Download the report to discover insights and practical ideas you can utilize to improve student engagement and retention for your campus.
- The top barriers to success that students report—what’s most common and how these barriers show up day-to-day.
- Actionable strategies to improve student engagement, including success coaching, faculty/staff engagement, hybrid access, and expanded mental health support & financial literacy resources.
- How to tailor support for non-traditional and first-gen students without adding friction.
- Risk is real: 53% have considered taking a break; 17% have considered dropping out.
- Top barriers: Financial difficulties (31%) and mental health (53%) lead the list.
- What helps: Students call for more mental health access, financial literacy, hybrid access to resources, and proactive outreach
FAQs
Financial strain and mental health challenges rank highest across survey respondents, followed by academics and belonging.
The report notes several ways to bolster persistence, including success coaching, proactive faculty/staff engagement, hybrid access to resources, expanded mental health support, and financial literacy programs.
Tailor support with flexible scheduling, targeted advising/aid guidance, and 1:1 coaching that fits work/family commitments.
TimelyCare implemented an online survey in February 2025 that collected data from 740 students at U.S. two- and four-year institutions. By analyzing quantitative items and open-ended responses, the research surfaced trends and opportunities from the respondents.
