Student Success Impact Report 2025
Key Findings from 2024—and Trends Emerging Across Three Years of Student Success Data
Download the report as a PDF >>
Table of Contents
I
II
Executive Summary:
A Glimpse into the 2025 Report
III
IV
V
VI
Conclusion:
The Path Forward
Introduction
Why Intention
Isn’t Enough
Student success initiatives are built with the best intentions—to help students not just succeed, but thrive and leave campus ready for what’s next. But good intentions aren’t enough. As higher education rapidly evolves, institutions must get sharper, more strategic, and more evidence-driven in choosing the mix of initiatives that truly make a difference for their students.
Decisions about which programs to implement or refine should be grounded
in data and insights specific to your institution and student needs, rather
than relying solely on general best practices. The impact of student success efforts can vary across different populations, making it essential to tailor strategies accordingly.
From Good Intentions to Measurable Impact
That’s why, each year, Civitas Learning analyzes data from its partner community to help higher education leaders elevate their student success strategies. Our latest report examines the effectiveness of programs over the past three years, highlighting both long-term trends and recent developments within the Civitas Learning partner community. This report is a critical tool for planning, implementing, and maintaining initiatives that enhance student outcomes. However, institutions should develop strategies tailored to the unique needs of their students to make a significant impact.
As student demographics evolve and the focus shifts from retention to overall well-being and long-term success, institutions need clarity on which initiatives truly move the needle. Notably, only 40-60% of initiatives have a statistically significant impact on key outcomes, leading to a disconnect between efforts and outcomes—a challenge we call the Student Success Impact Gap.
Closing this gap requires moving beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and surface-level metrics. Instead, targeted, actionable insights help institutions:
Connect students to the right support based on what works for their unique needs
Guide strategic planning and resource allocation toward the highest-impact areas
Align leadership around a shared, data-driven view of what drives student success
Executive Summary
A Glimpse into
the 2025 Report
In today’s landscape, institutions are working to improve retention and completion, attract top talent, and strengthen their reputation. Achieving sustainable outcomes isn’t just about getting students to graduation—it’s about shaping a positive, supportive experience at every stage of their journey.
The 2025 Student Success Impact Report highlights the programs and initiatives that help make that vision a reality. Based on initiatives evaluated by our partner institutions in 2024, the report also includes longitudinal trends from 2021 to 2024, offering both real-time insights and a long-term perspective on what’s truly driving impact.
This year’s report revealed that students want to feel supported and connected beyond the classroom. That means things like:
1
Knowing where to go for academic help when they need it
2
Easily understanding which courses to take—and which to avoid—to stay
on track to graduate
3
Having the financial support to fully engage in the student experience
beyond the classroom
The Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform helps institutions turn these insights into action, surfacing real-time, data-informed guidance to close the gap between effort and impact. With regular evaluation, institutions can refine strategies, reallocate resources, and invest in what works—delivering measurable results for students.
Use the insights within this report as a starting point to guide your institution’s ongoing evaluation of student success efforts and ensure every initiative contributes meaningfully to the student experience.
Report Scope & Methodology: What Data is Considered?
This report examines a wide range of initiatives, including orientation programs, accessibility accommodations, and financial aid support, among others. It’s important to note that this year’s trends reflect the initiatives our partners chose to analyze and demonstrate the greatest impact, not an exhaustive list of all possible approaches.
Student Success Impact Report - December 2024
Timeline
Institutions
Students
Initiatives
Student Success Impact Report
January - December 2024
29 unique institutions,
16 4-year and 13 2-year
691,464 students
144 initiatives
Multi-Year Analysis*
June 2021 - December 2024
58 unique institutions,
17 2-year and 41 4-year
5,718,511 students
852 initiatives
Methodology
We use Prediction-Based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM) to evaluate outcomes by combining real-time initiative data with persistence likelihood. For more detailed information on our methodology, please refer to the Appendix.
* This longitudinal study shows benchmarking across tried and tested practices that partners consistently assess and invest in.
Three-Year Trends:
What’s Working Long-Term
To identify which initiatives drive meaningful, long-term outcomes, Civitas Learning conducted a three-year longitudinal analysis of student behavior and trends from Summer 2021 through December 2024. By starting in Summer 2021, after the most disruptive period of the pandemic, we aimed to reduce anomalies and establish a more stable baseline.
This research now serves as a benchmark for institutions looking to invest in strategies that consistently deliver measurable, lasting impact.
Scope of the Analysis
58 institutions (41 four-year, 17 two-year)
852 initiatives evaluated
5.7 M+ students analyzed
Expanding the Focus Beyond Traditional Interventions
Historically, institutions have prioritized academic support strategies such as tutoring and advising, and these continue to be effective. However, the data reveals a significant opportunity to broaden the scope of interventions to include programs that influence the entire student experience.
A more holistic approach—one that includes safe, welcoming spaces; accessible campus resources; faculty trained in student-centered practices; and financial support—plays a critical role in fostering persistence and progress toward graduation. Institutions that expand their focus are uncovering innovative, high-impact strategies for improving outcomes.
Academic Planning
9.5 PP
In-Person Library Resources
7.4 PP
Advising Appointments
7.3 PP
Advising Notes
6.8 PP
Nudge Campaigns
6.6 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder
6.5 PP
Email Outreach
6.3 PP
Academic Mentoring/Coaching
5.8 PP
Scholarships
5.78 PP
Online Tutoring
5.24 PP
Customer Spotlight: Greenville Technical College (GTC)
How Initiative Analysis Transformed
Outreach and Boosted Persistence at GTC
Greenville Technical College (GTC) is ranked among the top three technical colleges in South Carolina, serving between 10,000 and 12,000 students each term. Their mission is student-centered, prioritizing the impact on students’ lives by preparing them for successful careers and enriching the surrounding community.
As part of their ongoing efforts to improve retention, GTC set out to identify which student success initiatives were driving the greatest impact and where there was room to improve. One area of focus: understanding how targeted advising could help students shift from a low to high likelihood of persisting.
Although GTC’s Institutional Research (IR) team doesn’t interact directly with students, they play a pivotal role in transforming insights into action.
Leveraging the Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform, the IR team piloted outreach based on shifts in student persistence predictions, with a simple and authentic message:
“We're part of an outreach team just checking in on some of our students to see how things are going. We'd love to hear about any successes or challenges you’re facing. If I don’t hear from you by Friday, I’ll give you a call on Monday.”
The pilot far exceeded expectations, more than doubling the original outreach target. Once the model proved effective, the advising team adopted it at scale, and the IR team continued to monitor and measure its impact. This created a feedback loop that allowed GTC to refine messaging and improve outcomes over time.
Rather than getting lost in inboxes, the messages stood out and sparked real human connection. When students responded, they were quickly directed to the right resource, whether that meant connecting with a counselor, meeting with financial aid, or scheduling time with the registrar.
From Insights to Action
With Civitas Learning, institutions move from a one-size-fits-all model to a data-informed approach that groups students based on their likelihood to persist. This allowed advisors to:
Identify and prioritize students needing individual support
Target broader outreach when appropriate for specific student groups
Optimize advisor time with group emails tailored to persistence categories
Students with very low or low persistence predictions receive more urgent, hands-on outreach, while those with moderate to high predictions benefit from light, encouraging check-ins.
Notable Results
Advising produced a 25 percentage point (PP)* lift in persistence prediction vs. no intervention
Just one advising appointment resulted in a 10 PP increase in persistence
Virtual and in-person advising were equally effective in
improving outcomes
*Note: These results are based on a localized analysis conducted by Greenville Technical College using the Civitas Learning platform. While the sample size was limited, the institution used this significant lift as a signal to prioritize and expand advising interventions.
Five Proven Drivers of Student Success
From the 2025 Student Success Impact Report
In addition to long-term trends, our analysis narrows in on initiatives performed by our partner institutions throughout 2024. These efforts reflect what each institution prioritized, shaped by both internal goals and broader shifts across the higher education landscape.
From this analysis, five key themes emerged. While the categories remain largely consistent with previous years, each includes new, unique insights that reveal opportunities for impact in the year ahead. One clear takeaway
stands out: students thrive when they feel supported and connected
to their institution.
Use these insights as a starting point to identify which strategies your institution should regularly evaluate or refine to strengthen student success.
The 2024 analysis included results from the following initiatives:
- Academic Mentoring/Coaching
- Academic Planning (Student)
- Academic Standing Outreach
- Access Program
- Accommodations
- Admission Requirements
- Advising Appointments
- Advising Notes
- Advising Outreach
- Advising Outreach (NEG)
- AI Chatbots
- Career Engagement
- Co-Curricular Engagement
- Course Analysis
- Course Comparison
- Decentralized Advising
- DegreeMap Usage
- Early Alerts
- Email Outreach
- Faculty Advising
- Financial Aid
- Grant
- Greek Life
- Holds
- Learning Commons
- Library Resources (Online/In-Person)
- Mental Health Resource
- Mobile App Usage
- Nudge Campaigns
- Orientation Events
- Phone Outreach
- Professional Advising
- Recreation
- Resource
- Scholarships
- Sense of Belonging Engagement
- SI (Supplemental Instruction)
- SMS Outreach
- Student Employment / Work Study
- Student Engagement With All Civitas Tools
- Student Organizations
- Support Programs & Centers
- Supplemental Instruction
- Transfer Resources
- Tutoring (Online/In-Person)
- Writing Center
- Effective Advising Starts with a Complete
View of the Student
Advising Appointments
6.8 PP
Advising Outreach
6.4 PP
Advising continues to be one of the most powerful levers for student success, showing a 6.8 percentage point lift in persistence from appointments and a 6.4 point lift from proactive outreach. But effective advising doesn’t stop at the advisor’s office.
Faculty, career advisors, registrars, and even research analysts all play a role in guiding students. When these teams work together, students benefit from a comprehensive support system—from academic planning and mentorship to timely outreach that keeps them on track.
But staying on top of every student’s progress isn’t easy. With information scattered across multiple systems, it’s hard to see the full picture of what a student is experiencing and what they may need next. Within the Civitas Learning partner community, institutions use real-time behavioral and engagement data to flag concerns early and step in with support before challenges escalate.
With a data-informed strategy, institutions can deliver personalized student support without increasing workload or headcount. Instead of relying on outdated reports, teams can act on just-in-time insights, enabling outreach that’s based on real need, not just demand. The result: better support, faster impact, and more confident advising at scale.
- Build Holistic Support Through Academic Services
Academic Mentoring & Coaching
8.9 PP
Academic Support Programs & Centers
5.7 PP
Library Resources
5.3 PP
An expanded view of student success is reshaping how institutions measure performance—shifting focus from academics alone to the full spectrum of support students need to thrive.
A strong student success model includes more than tutoring and advising. Access to library resources, study spaces, collaborative areas, reliable Wi-Fi, and academic support centers creates an environment where students can focus, connect, and succeed. These non-instructional services play a powerful role in persistence—and the data proves it.
But not all resources have the same impact on every student. For some campuses, Wi-Fi and quiet study space are important. At others, mentoring and coaching provide essential guidance for first-gen students or those preparing for life after graduation.
Academic services like mentoring, coaching, tutoring, SI, and writing centers aren’t just “extras”—they’re proven drivers of student success across a wide range of student populations.
- Streamlined Registration and Collaborative Tools
Help Keep Students on Track
Academic Planning
11.3 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder
6.5 PP
Engagement with Civitas Learning Software
4.1 PP
When students are forced to navigate multiple logins and platforms just to register for classes, the frustration can lead to delays or, worse, abandoning the process entirely. A fragmented registration experience is a barrier
to persistence.
Civitas Learning simplifies this journey. Our registration tools bring academic planning, scheduling, and registration into one seamless platform. By empowering students with clear degree maps and allowing them to easily build class schedules that fit their lives, institutions can ensure they enroll in the right courses, on time, and within budget.
Even better? Students and advisors can collaborate in real time. The platform acts as a shared academic planning space, enabling communication,
note-sharing, and aligned decision-making that keeps students moving toward their goals.
- Personalized, Timely Communication Drives Engagement
AI Chatbots
4.1 PP
AI Chatbots
4.1 PP
AI Chatbots
-6.8 PP
Advising Outreach
6.4 PP
General Nudge Campaigns
5.9 PP
It’s well established that connecting with an advisor significantly improves a student’s experience and outcomes. But with limited time and high caseloads, one-on-one meetings for every student just aren’t realistic.
The good news: advising doesn’t have to be in person to be effective. Many students prefer communication via email or text. Even before the pandemic, students expressed that not every interaction needed to be
a sit-down meeting.
What matters most is personalization. Students want to feel known and understood. Generic messages don’t move the needle—timely, targeted outreach based on their needs does.
Institutions that tailor communication by persistence likelihood are better equipped to evaluate what works and refine their outreach. But not all tech-driven solutions deliver value. For example, our analysis showed that AI chatbot initiatives were associated with a 6.8 percentage point drop in persistence, highlighting the importance of context and follow-through. Automated or passive communication methods—like early alerts with no follow-up—can leave students feeling disconnected or ignored.
Thoughtful, data-informed outreach drives engagement, and when done well, it scales impact without sacrificing the student experience.
- Financial Support that Covers the Complete
Student Experience
Financial Aid
5.7 PP
Funding higher education isn’t just about paying for classes—it’s about investing in the complete student experience. To truly support students, financial aid must go beyond tuition to include access to hands-on learning, internships, on-campus living, and meaningful campus engagement.
Opportunities like living on campus or participating in student activities are proven to boost outcomes, yet they’re often left out of scholarship and aid packages. If institutions want to drive long-term, sustainable success, they must support both academics and initiatives that promote belonging, connection, and real-world readiness.
A key part of this equation is flexible, on-campus work opportunities.
When designed around academic schedules, these roles can:
Support students’ financial well-being and professional growth
Help students build relationships with faculty and staff
Strengthen their connection to campus and sense of belonging
Develop both institutional knowledge and real-world skills
Provide income without compromising academic priorities
When financial support is structured to meet the full range of student needs, it creates an environment where more students can thrive and feel prepared for life after college.
Findings By Student Population
How Segmentation Drives Smarter Decisions
When institutional leaders can assess the effectiveness of programs, policies, and initiatives across specific student groups, they’re better equipped to make strategic, data-informed decisions.
The Civitas Learning Student Success Impact Platform makes this possible by enabling institutions to segment and analyze data in flexible, impactful ways. This approach helps teams move beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and instead deliver targeted, personalized support, improving how institutions support students across their academic journey.
Our 2024 analysis breaks out student impact findings by four key categories:
Persistence Likelihood
Student Type
Course Modality
Enrollment Status
Persistence Likelihood:
Lowest Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 12 PP
Academic Advising 11 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 9 PP
Tutoring 9 PP
Engagement with Civitas Learning Tools 8 PP
Low Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 19 PP
Advising Outreach 10 PP
Academic Planning 9 PP
Advising Appointments 7 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 9 PP
Moderate Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 10 PP
Library Resources 8 PP
Tutoring 6 PP
Advising Appointments 6 PP
Advising Notes 6 PP
Highest Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 11 PP
Advising Outreach 8 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 5 PP
Support Programs & Centers 4 PP
Academic Planning 4 PP
Student Type:
FTIC (First Time in College):
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 8 PP
SMS Outreach 9 PP
Advising Outreach 7 PP
Advising Appointment 4 PP
Financial Aid 4 PP
Transfer:
Academic Planning 9 PP
Financial Aid 8 PP
Advising Appointment 8 PP
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 7 PP
Student Engagement with Civitas Learning Tools 6 PP
Re-admitted:
Email Outreach 17 PP
Advising Notes 12 PP
Advising Appointments 10 PP
Tutoring 8 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 8 PP
Graduate:
Advising Appointment 12 PP
Tutoring 10 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 8 PP
Advising Notes 7 PP
Supplemental Instruction 4 PP
Course Modality
Online:
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 14 PP
Tutoring 13 PP
Nudge Campaigns 9 PP
Advising Appointments 9 PP
Student Employment or Work Study 4 PP
On-Ground:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 13 PP
Academic Planning 12 PP
Email Outreach 10 PP
Library Resources 8 PP
Mental Health Resources 7 PP
Enrollment Status
Full Time:
SMS Outreach 8 PP
Support Programs & Centers 7 PP
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 6 PP
Library Resources 5 PP
Advising Appointments 5 PP
Part Time:
Tutoring 11 PP
Email Outreach 11 PP
Advising Appointments 7 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 7 PP
Student Employment or Work Study 5 PP
Note: These findings reflect the data tracked by participating institutions and may include smaller sample sizes in certain categories. As a result, the insights should be viewed as directional rather than definitive.
Customer Spotlight:
Slippery Rock University
How Segmenting Students Drove a 20-Year Retention High at Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University (SRU) — a regional four-year institution in rural Pennsylvania serving over 8,000 students—recognized that increasing enrollment was just one piece of the puzzle. To ensure students stayed engaged and on track to graduation, they needed a clearer picture of which programs were truly making an impact.
By partnering with Civitas Learning, SRU gained real-time insights into the effectiveness of its student success initiatives. This allowed them to evaluate the effectiveness of student success initiatives as they happened and adjust strategies accordingly. One finding rose to the top: students who participated in student organizations and on-campus housing were significantly more likely to persist.
With that insight, SRU reimagined its approach to orientation. The focus shifted from simply delivering information to creating meaningful connections. Today, students and their families hear how early involvement and a strong sense of belonging are key to long-term success.
This has resulted in a smarter, data-informed approach that empowers both students and staff to make better decisions, allocate resources more effectively, and ultimately deliver stronger outcomes across campus.
From Insights to Action
With access to real-time, personalized data, SRU has shifted from one-size-fits-all programming to highly targeted support. That includes:
Proactively engaging first-year students with resources proven to
increase persistence
Shifting from end-of-term evaluations to ongoing assessments of program effectiveness
Making smarter use of staff time and institutional resources
by focusing on what works.
Notable Results
Through consistent evaluation of programs during the term, not just after, SRU uncovered strategies that truly make a difference. These insights contributed to SRU achieving its highest retention rate since 2004.
Key findings include:
Living on campus was linked to a 1.8% increase in retention from Spring 2019 to Spring 2022
Participation in student organizations led to a 1.9% increase in persistence from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022
By focusing on what works and acting on it in real time, SRU is building a student success strategy that’s sustainable long-term and adapts as their needs evolve.
Conclusion
The Path Forward
The 2025 Student Success Impact Report highlights what today’s students truly need to thrive—clear guidance, meaningful connection, and access to the full college experience.
By regularly evaluating the impact of student success initiatives and leveraging data-informed insights, institutions can make smarter, more targeted decisions that lead to measurable outcomes. As higher education continues to evolve, these insights offer a clear path forward: invest in what works, adapt where needed, and keep the student experience at the center of every strategy.
Do you know what combination of initiatives is impacting student outcomes at your institution? Get in touch to learn how to apply your data to improve the student outcomes that matter most. Regular assessment of student success and retention strategies enables leaders to understand the true impact of each student success initiative and invest in the right combination of strategies most beneficial for their particular students.
Civitas Learning helps colleges and universities apply their data to improve the student outcomes that matter most. Our flexible, all-in-one platform creates actionable insights surfaced in connected workflows so your team can pinpoint students at risk of missing important milestones, explain why, take action, and evaluate which policies and programs are making a difference. With adaptable analytics based on models built for your institution and higher education expertise, we empower your team to turn insights into action to support students in reaching their full potential.
APPENDIX
Methodology | A Data-Driven Approach to
Measuring Impact
To evaluate the impact of academic and non-academic activities, we use Prediction-Based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM), which combines:
Real-time data on student participation in programs and activities
Likelihood of persistence to determine effectiveness
The Civitas Learning PPSM approach meets the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse standards for quasi-experimental design, enabling institutions to achieve the benefits of randomized control trials while leveraging existing student data.
Driving Actionable Change with Real-Time Insights
Our platform integrates institutional and student data to calculate the impact of different programs on persistence, empowering institutions to:
Identify high-impact interventions—pinpointing which programs are driving student success and who benefits the most
Adapt and refine strategies—shifting focus to the most effective programs based on data-driven insights
Maximize student success investments—ensuring resources are allocated to the initiatives that yield the greatest impact
By leveraging real-time student success insights, institutions can make informed, proactive decisions that improve persistence, engagement,
and long-term student outcomes.
Student Success Impact Report 2025
Key Findings from 2024—and Trends Emerging Across Three Years of Student Success Data
Download a PDF version of the report >>
Table of Contents
I
Introduction:
Why Intention Isn’t Enough
II
Executive Summary:
A Glimpse into the 2025 Report
III
Three-Year Trends:
What’s Working Long Term
IV
Five Insights for 2025:
Success Starts with
Feeling Supported
V
Impact by Student Population: How Segmentation Drives Smarter Decisions
VI
Conclusion:
The Path Forward
Introduction
Why Intention
Isn’t Enough
Student success initiatives are built with the best intentions—to help students not just succeed, but thrive and leave campus ready for what’s next. But good intentions aren’t enough. As higher education rapidly evolves, institutions must get sharper, more strategic, and more evidence-driven in choosing the mix of initiatives that truly make a difference for their students.
Decisions about which programs to implement or refine should be grounded in data and insights specific to your institution and student needs, rather than relying solely on general best practices. The impact of student success efforts can vary across different populations, making it essential to tailor strategies accordingly.
From Good Intentions to Measurable Impact
That’s why, each year, Civitas Learning analyzes data from its partner community to help higher education leaders elevate their student success strategies. Our latest report examines the effectiveness of programs over the past three years, highlighting both long-term trends and recent developments within the Civitas Learning partner community. This report is a critical tool for planning, implementing, and maintaining initiatives that enhance student outcomes. However, institutions should develop strategies tailored to the unique needs of their students to make a significant impact.
As student demographics evolve and the focus shifts from retention to overall well-being and long-term success, institutions need clarity on which initiatives truly move the needle. Notably, only 40-60% of initiatives have a statistically significant impact on key outcomes, leading to a disconnect between efforts and outcomes—a challenge we call the Student Success Impact Gap.
Closing this gap requires moving beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and surface-level metrics. Instead, targeted, actionable insights help institutions:
Connect students to the right support based on what works for their unique needs
Guide strategic planning and resource allocation toward the highest-impact areas
Align leadership around a shared, data-driven view of what drives student success
Executive Summary
A Glimpse into
the 2025 Report
In today’s landscape, institutions are working to improve retention and completion, attract top talent, and strengthen their reputation. Achieving sustainable outcomes isn’t just about getting students to graduation—it’s about shaping a positive, supportive experience at every stage of their journey.
The 2025 Student Success Impact Report highlights the programs and initiatives that help make that vision a reality. Based on initiatives evaluated by our partner institutions in 2024, the report also includes longitudinal trends from 2021 to 2024, offering both real-time insights and a long-term perspective on what’s truly driving impact.
This year’s report revealed that students want to feel supported and connected beyond the classroom. That means things like:
1
Knowing where to go for academic help when they need it
2
Easily understanding which courses to take—and which to avoid—to stay on track to graduate
3
Having the financial support to fully engage in the student experience beyond the classroom
The Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform helps institutions turn these insights into action, surfacing real-time, data-informed guidance to close the gap between effort and impact. With regular evaluation, institutions can refine strategies, reallocate resources, and invest in what works—delivering measurable results for students.
Use the insights within this report as a starting point to guide your institution’s ongoing evaluation of student success efforts and ensure every initiative contributes meaningfully to the student experience.
Report Scope & Methodology: What Data is Considered?
This report examines a wide range of initiatives, including orientation programs, accessibility accommodations, and financial aid support, among others. It’s important to note that this year’s trends reflect the initiatives our partners chose to analyze and demonstrate the greatest impact, not an exhaustive list of all possible approaches.
Student Success Impact Report - December 2024
Timeline
Institutions
Students
Initiatives
Student Success Impact Report
January - December 2024
29 unique institutions,
16 4-year and 13 2-year
691,464 students
144 initiatives
Multi-Year Analysis*
June 2021 - December 2024
58 unique institutions,
17 2-year and 41 4-year
5,718,511 students
852 initiatives
Methodology
We use Prediction-Based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM) to evaluate outcomes by combining real-time initiative data with persistence likelihood. For more detailed information on our methodology, please refer to the Appendix.
* This longitudinal study shows benchmarking across tried and tested practices that partners consistently assess and invest in.
Three-Year Trends:
What’s Working Long-Term
To identify which initiatives drive meaningful, long-term outcomes, Civitas Learning conducted a three-year longitudinal analysis of student behavior and trends from Summer 2021 through December 2024. By starting in Summer 2021, after the most disruptive period of the pandemic, we aimed to reduce anomalies and establish a more stable baseline.
This research now serves as a benchmark for institutions looking to invest in strategies that consistently deliver measurable, lasting impact.
Scope of the Analysis
58 institutions (41 four-year, 17 two-year)
852 initiatives evaluated
5.7 M+ students analyzed
Expanding the Focus Beyond Traditional Interventions
Historically, institutions have prioritized academic support strategies such as tutoring and advising, and these continue to be effective. However, the data reveals a significant opportunity to broaden the scope of interventions to include programs that influence the entire student experience.
A more holistic approach—one that includes safe, welcoming spaces; accessible campus resources; faculty trained in student-centered practices; and financial support—plays a critical role in fostering persistence and progress toward graduation. Institutions that expand their focus are uncovering innovative, high-impact strategies for improving outcomes.
Academic Planning
9.5 PP
In-Person Library Resources
7.4 PP
Advising Appointments
7.3 PP
Advising Notes
6.8 PP
Nudge Campaigns
6.6 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder
6.5 PP
Email Outreach
6.3 PP
Academic Mentoring/Coaching
5.8 PP
Scholarships
5.78 PP
Online Tutoring
5.24 PP
These findings highlight the value of investing in a diverse set of initiatives—from academic planning tools to proactive communication strategies—that support students both inside and outside the classroom.
Customer Spotlight: Greenville Technical College (GTC)
How Initiative Analysis Transformed
Outreach and Boosted Persistence at GTC
Greenville Technical College (GTC) is ranked among the top three
technical colleges in South Carolina, serving between 10,000 and
12,000 students each term. Their mission is student-centered,
prioritizing the impact on students’ lives by preparing them for
successful careers and enriching the surrounding community.
As part of their ongoing efforts to improve retention, GTC set out to
identify which student success initiatives were driving the greatest
impact and where there was room to improve. One area of focus:
understanding how targeted advising could help students shift
from a low to high likelihood of persisting.
Although GTC’s Institutional Research (IR) team doesn’t interact
directly with students, they play a pivotal role in transforming insights
into action.
Leveraging the Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform, the IR team
piloted outreach based on shifts in student persistence predictions,
with a simple and authentic message:
“We're part of an outreach team just checking in on some of our students to see how things are going. We'd love to hear about any successes or challenges you’re facing. If I don’t hear from you by Friday, I’ll give you a call on Monday.”
The pilot far exceeded expectations, more than doubling the original outreach target. Once the model proved effective, the advising team adopted it at scale, and the IR team continued to monitor and measure its impact. This created a feedback loop that allowed GTC to refine messaging and improve outcomes over time.
Rather than getting lost in inboxes, the messages stood out and sparked real human connection. When students responded, they were quickly directed to the right resource, whether that meant connecting with a counselor, meeting with financial aid, or scheduling time with the registrar.
From Insights to Action
With Civitas Learning, institutions move from a one-size-fits-all model to a data-informed approach that groups students based on their likelihood to persist. This allowed advisors to:
Identify and prioritize students needing individual support
Target broader outreach when appropriate for specific student groups
Optimize advisor time with group emails tailored to persistence
categories
Students with very low or low persistence predictions receive more urgent, hands-on outreach, while those with moderate to high predictions benefit from light, encouraging check-ins.
Notable Results
Advising produced a 25 percentage point (PP)* lift in persistence prediction vs. no intervention
Just one advising appointment resulted in a 10 PP increase in persistence
Virtual and in-person advising were equally effective in
improving outcomes
*Note: These results are based on a localized analysis conducted by Greenville Technical College using the Civitas Learning platform. While the sample size was limited, the institution used this significant lift as a signal to prioritize and expand advising interventions.
Five Proven Drivers of Student Success
From the 2025 Student Success Impact Report
In addition to long-term trends, our analysis narrows in on initiatives performed by our partner institutions throughout 2024. These efforts reflect what each institution prioritized, shaped by both internal goals and broader shifts across the higher education landscape.
From this analysis, five key themes emerged. While the categories remain largely consistent with previous years, each includes new, unique insights that reveal opportunities for impact in the year ahead. One clear takeaway
stands out: students thrive when they feel supported and connected
to their institution.
Use these insights as a starting point to identify which strategies your institution should regularly evaluate or refine to strengthen student success.
The 2024 analysis included results from the following initiatives:
- Academic Mentoring/Coaching
- Academic Planning (Student)
- Academic Standing Outreach
- Access Program
- Accommodations
- Admission Requirements
- Advising Appointments
- Advising Notes
- Advising Outreach
- Advising Outreach (NEG)
- AI Chatbots
- Career Engagement
- Co-Curricular Engagement
- Course Analysis
- Course Comparison
- Decentralized Advising
- DegreeMap Usage
- Early Alerts
- Email Outreach
- Faculty Advising
- Financial Aid
- Grant
- Greek Life
- Holds
- Learning Commons
- Library Resources (Online/In-Person)
- Mental Health Resource
- Mobile App Usage
- Nudge Campaigns
- Orientation Events
- Phone Outreach
- Professional Advising
- Recreation
- Resource
- Scholarships
- Sense of Belonging Engagement
- SI (Supplemental Instruction)
- SMS Outreach
- Student Employment / Work Study
- Student Engagement With All Civitas Tools
- Student Organizations
- Support Programs & Centers
- Supplemental Instruction
- Transfer Resources
- Tutoring (Online/In-Person)
- Writing Center
- Effective Advising Starts with a Complete
View of the Student
Advising Appointments
6.8 PP
Advising Outreach
6.4 PP
Advising continues to be one of the most powerful levers for student success, showing a 6.8 percentage point lift in persistence from appointments and a 6.4 point lift from proactive outreach. But effective advising doesn’t stop at the advisor’s office.
Faculty, career advisors, registrars, and even research analysts all play a role in guiding students. When these teams work together, students benefit from a comprehensive support system—from academic planning and mentorship to timely outreach that keeps them on track.
But staying on top of every student’s progress isn’t easy. With information scattered across multiple systems, it’s hard to see the full picture of what a student is experiencing and what they may need next. Within the Civitas Learning partner community, institutions use real-time behavioral and engagement data to flag concerns early and step in with support before challenges escalate.
With a data-informed strategy, institutions can deliver personalized student support without increasing workload or headcount. Instead of relying on outdated reports, teams can act on just-in-time insights, enabling outreach that’s based on real need, not just demand. The result: better support, faster impact, and more confident advising at scale.
- Build Holistic Support Through Academic Services
Academic Mentoring & Coaching
8.9 PP
Academic Support Programs & Centers
5.7 PP
Library Resources
5.3 PP
An expanded view of student success is reshaping how institutions measure performance—shifting focus from academics alone to the full spectrum of support students need to thrive.
A strong student success model includes more than tutoring and advising. Access to library resources, study spaces, collaborative areas, reliable Wi-Fi, and academic support centers creates an environment where students can focus, connect, and succeed. These non-instructional services play a powerful role in persistence—and the data proves it.
But not all resources have the same impact on every student. For some campuses, Wi-Fi and quiet study space are important. At others, mentoring and coaching provide essential guidance for first-gen students or those preparing for life after graduation.
Academic services like mentoring, coaching, tutoring, SI, and writing centers aren’t just “extras”—they’re proven drivers of student success across a wide range of student populations.
- Streamlined Registration and Collaborative Tools
Help Keep Students on Track
Academic Planning
11.3 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder
6.5 PP
Engagement with Civitas Learning Software
4.1 PP
When students are forced to navigate multiple logins and platforms just to register for classes, the frustration can lead to delays or, worse, abandoning the process entirely. A fragmented registration experience is a barrier
to persistence.
Civitas Learning simplifies this journey. Our registration tools bring academic planning, scheduling, and registration into one seamless platform. By empowering students with clear degree maps and allowing them to easily build class schedules that fit their lives, institutions can ensure they enroll in the right courses, on time, and within budget.
Even better? Students and advisors can collaborate in real time. The platform acts as a shared academic planning space, enabling communication,
note-sharing, and aligned decision-making that keeps students moving toward their goals.
- Personalized, Timely Communication Drives Engagement
AI Chatbots
4.1 PP
AI Chatbots
4.1 PP
AI Chatbots
-6.8 PP
Advising Outreach
6.4 PP
General Nudge Campaigns
5.9 PP
It’s well established that connecting with an advisor significantly improves a student’s experience and outcomes. But with limited time and high caseloads, one-on-one meetings for every student just aren’t realistic.
The good news: advising doesn’t have to be in person to be effective. Many students prefer communication via email or text. Even before the pandemic, students expressed that not every interaction needed to be
a sit-down meeting.
What matters most is personalization. Students want to feel known and understood. Generic messages don’t move the needle—timely, targeted outreach based on their needs does.
Institutions that tailor communication by persistence likelihood are better equipped to evaluate what works and refine their outreach. But not all tech-driven solutions deliver value. For example, our analysis showed that AI chatbot initiatives were associated with a 6.8 percentage point drop in persistence, highlighting the importance of context and follow-through. Automated or passive communication methods—like early alerts with no follow-up—can leave students feeling disconnected or ignored.
Thoughtful, data-informed outreach drives engagement, and when done well, it scales impact without sacrificing the student experience.
- Financial Support that Covers the Complete
Student Experience
Financial Aid
5.7 PP
Funding higher education isn’t just about paying for classes—it’s about investing in the complete student experience. To truly support students, financial aid must go beyond tuition to include access to hands-on learning, internships, on-campus living, and meaningful campus engagement.
Opportunities like living on campus or participating in student activities are proven to boost outcomes, yet they’re often left out of scholarship and aid packages. If institutions want to drive long-term, sustainable success, they must support both academics and initiatives that promote belonging, connection, and real-world readiness.
A key part of this equation is flexible, on-campus work opportunities.
When designed around academic schedules, these roles can:
Support students’ financial well-being and professional growth
Help students build relationships with faculty and staff
Strengthen their connection to campus and sense of belonging
Develop both institutional knowledge and real-world skills
Provide income without compromising academic priorities
When financial support is structured to meet the full range of student needs, it creates an environment where more students can thrive and feel prepared for life after college.
Findings By Student Population
How Segmentation Drives Smarter Decisions
When institutional leaders can assess the effectiveness of programs, policies, and initiatives across specific student groups, they’re better equipped to make strategic, data-informed decisions.
The Civitas Learning Student Success Impact Platform makes this possible by enabling institutions to segment and analyze data in flexible, impactful ways. This approach helps teams move beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and instead deliver targeted, personalized support, improving how institutions support students across their academic journey.
Our 2024 analysis breaks out student impact findings by four key categories:
Persistence Likelihood
Student Type
Course Modality
Enrollment Status
Persistence Likelihood:
Lowest Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 12 PP
Academic Advising 11 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 9 PP
Tutoring 9 PP
Engagement with Civitas Learning Tools 8 PP
Low Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 19 PP
Advising Outreach 10 PP
Academic Planning 9 PP
Advising Appointments 7 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 9 PP
Moderate Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 10 PP
Library Resources 8 PP
Tutoring 6 PP
Advising Appointments 6 PP
Advising Notes 6 PP
Highest Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 11 PP
Advising Outreach 8 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 5 PP
Support Programs & Centers 4 PP
Academic Planning 4 PP
Student Type:
FTIC (First Time in College):
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 8 PP
SMS Outreach 9 PP
Advising Outreach 7 PP
Advising Appointment 4 PP
Financial Aid 4 PP
Transfer:
Academic Planning 9 PP
Financial Aid 8 PP
Advising Appointment 8 PP
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 7 PP
Student Engagement with Civitas Learning Tools 6 PP
Re-admitted:
Email Outreach 17 PP
Advising Notes 12 PP
Advising Appointments 10 PP
Tutoring 8 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 8 PP
Graduate:
Advising Appointment 12 PP
Tutoring 10 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 8 PP
Advising Notes 7 PP
Supplemental Instruction 4 PP
Course Modality
Online:
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 14 PP
Tutoring 13 PP
Nudge Campaigns 9 PP
Advising Appointments 9 PP
Student Employment or Work Study 4 PP
On-Ground:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 13 PP
Academic Planning 12 PP
Email Outreach 10 PP
Library Resources 8 PP
Mental Health Resources 7 PP
Enrollment Status
Full Time:
SMS Outreach 8 PP
Support Programs & Centers 7 PP
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 6 PP
Library Resources 5 PP
Advising Appointments 5 PP
Part Time:
Tutoring 11 PP
Email Outreach 11 PP
Advising Appointments 7 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 7 PP
Student Employment or Work Study 5 PP
Note: These findings reflect the data tracked by participating institutions and may include smaller sample sizes in certain categories. As a result, the insights should be viewed as directional rather than definitive.
Customer Spotlight:
Slippery Rock University
How Segmenting Students Drove a 20-Year Retention High at Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University (SRU) — a regional four-year institution in rural Pennsylvania serving over 8,000 students—recognized that increasing enrollment was just one piece of the puzzle. To ensure students stayed engaged and on track to graduation, they needed a clearer picture of which programs were truly making an impact.
By partnering with Civitas Learning, SRU gained real-time insights into the effectiveness of its student success initiatives. This allowed them to evaluate the effectiveness of student success initiatives as they happened and adjust strategies accordingly. One finding rose to the top: students who participated in student organizations and on-campus housing were significantly more likely to persist.
With that insight, SRU reimagined its approach to orientation. The focus shifted from simply delivering information to creating meaningful connections. Today, students and their families hear how early involvement and a strong sense of belonging are key to long-term success.
This has resulted in a smarter, data-informed approach that empowers both students and staff to make better decisions, allocate resources more effectively, and ultimately deliver stronger outcomes across campus.
From Insights to Action
With access to real-time, personalized data, SRU has shifted from one-size-fits-all programming to highly targeted support. That includes:
Proactively engaging first-year students with resources proven to
increase persistence
Shifting from end-of-term evaluations to ongoing assessments of program effectiveness
Making smarter use of staff time and institutional resources
by focusing on what works.
Notable Results
Through consistent evaluation of programs during the term, not just after, SRU uncovered strategies that truly make a difference. These insights contributed to SRU achieving its highest retention rate since 2004.
Key findings include:
Living on campus was linked to a 1.8% increase in retention from Spring 2019 to Spring 2022
Participation in student organizations led to a 1.9% increase in persistence from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022
By focusing on what works and acting on it in real time, SRU is building a student success strategy that’s sustainable long-term and adapts as their needs evolve.
Conclusion
The Path Forward
The 2025 Student Success Impact Report highlights what today’s students truly need to thrive—clear guidance, meaningful connection, and access to the full college experience.
By regularly evaluating the impact of student success initiatives and leveraging data-informed insights, institutions can make smarter, more targeted decisions that lead to measurable outcomes. As higher education continues to evolve, these insights offer a clear path forward: invest in what works, adapt where needed, and keep the student experience at the center of every strategy.
Do you know what combination of initiatives is impacting student outcomes at your institution? Get in touch to learn how to apply your data to improve the student outcomes that matter most. Regular assessment of student success and retention strategies enables leaders to understand the true impact of each student success initiative and invest in the right combination of strategies most beneficial for their particular students.
Civitas Learning helps colleges and universities apply their data to improve the student outcomes that matter most. Our flexible, all-in-one platform creates actionable insights surfaced in connected workflows so your team can pinpoint students at risk of missing important milestones, explain why, take action, and evaluate which policies and programs are making a difference. With adaptable analytics based on models built for your institution and higher education expertise, we empower your team to turn insights into action to support students in reaching their full potential.
APPENDIX
Methodology | A Data-Driven Approach to
Measuring Impact
To evaluate the impact of academic and non-academic activities, we use Prediction-Based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM), which combines:
Real-time data on student participation in programs and activities
Likelihood of persistence to determine effectiveness
The Civitas Learning PPSM approach meets the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse standards for quasi-experimental design, enabling institutions to achieve the benefits of randomized control trials while leveraging existing student data.
Driving Actionable Change with Real-Time Insights
Our platform integrates institutional and student data to calculate the impact of different programs on persistence, empowering institutions to:
Identify high-impact interventions—pinpointing which programs are driving student success and who benefits the most
Adapt and refine strategies—shifting focus to the most effective programs based on data-driven insights
Maximize student success investments—ensuring resources are allocated to the initiatives that yield the greatest impact
By leveraging real-time student success insights, institutions can make informed, proactive decisions that improve persistence, engagement,
and long-term student outcomes.
Student Success Impact Report 2025
Key Findings from 2024—and Trends Emerging Across Three Years of Student Success Data
Download the report as a PDF >>
Table of Contents
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
Conclusion:
The Path Forward
Introduction
Why Intention
Isn’t Enough
Student success initiatives are built with the best intentions—to help students not just succeed, but thrive and leave campus ready for what’s next. But good intentions aren’t enough. As higher education rapidly evolves, institutions must get sharper, more strategic, and more evidence-driven in choosing the mix of initiatives that truly make a difference for their students.
Decisions about which programs to implement or refine should be grounded
in data and insights specific to your institution and student needs, rather
than relying solely on general best practices. The impact of student success efforts can vary across different populations, making it essential to tailor strategies accordingly.
From Good Intentions to Measurable Impact
That’s why, each year, Civitas Learning analyzes data from its partner community to help higher education leaders elevate their student success strategies. Our latest report examines the effectiveness of programs over the past three years, highlighting both long-term trends and recent developments within the Civitas Learning partner community. This report is a critical tool for planning, implementing, and maintaining initiatives that enhance student outcomes. However, institutions should develop strategies tailored to the unique needs of their students to make a significant impact.
As student demographics evolve and the focus shifts from retention to overall well-being and long-term success, institutions need clarity on which initiatives truly move the needle. Notably, only 40-60% of initiatives have a statistically significant impact on key outcomes, leading to a disconnect between efforts and outcomes—a challenge we call the Student Success Impact Gap.
Closing this gap requires moving beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and surface-level metrics. Instead, targeted, actionable insights help institutions:
Connect students to the right support based on what works for their unique needs
Guide strategic planning and resource allocation toward the highest-impact areas
Align leadership around a shared, data-driven view of what drives student success
Executive Summary
A Glimpse into
the 2025 Report
In today’s landscape, institutions are working to improve retention and completion, attract top talent, and strengthen their reputation. Achieving sustainable outcomes isn’t just about getting students to graduation—it’s about shaping a positive, supportive experience at every stage of their journey.
The 2025 Student Success Impact Report highlights the programs and initiatives that help make that vision a reality. Based on initiatives evaluated by our partner institutions in 2024, the report also includes longitudinal trends from 2021 to 2024, offering both real-time insights and a long-term perspective on what’s truly driving impact.
This year’s report revealed that students want to feel supported and connected beyond the classroom. That means things like:
1
Knowing where to go for academic help when they need it
2
Easily understanding which courses to take—and which to avoid—to stay
on track to graduate
3
Having the financial support to fully engage in the student experience
beyond the classroom
The Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform helps institutions turn these insights into action, surfacing real-time, data-informed guidance to close the gap between effort and impact. With regular evaluation, institutions can refine strategies, reallocate resources, and invest in what works—delivering measurable results for students.
Use the insights within this report as a starting point to guide your institution’s ongoing evaluation of student success efforts and ensure every initiative contributes meaningfully to the student experience.
Report Scope & Methodology: What Data is Considered?
This report examines a wide range of initiatives, including orientation programs, accessibility accommodations, and financial aid support, among others. It’s important to note that this year’s trends reflect the initiatives our partners chose to analyze and demonstrate the greatest impact, not an exhaustive list of all possible approaches.
Student Success Impact Report - December 2024
Timeline
Institutions
Students
Initiatives
Student Success Impact Report
January - December 2024
29 unique institutions,
16 4-year and 13 2-year
691,464 students
144 initiatives
Multi-Year Analysis*
June 2021 - December 2024
58 unique institutions,
17 2-year and 41 4-year
5,718,511 students
852 initiatives
Methodology
We use Prediction-Based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM) to evaluate outcomes by combining real-time initiative data with persistence likelihood. For more detailed information on our methodology, please refer to the Appendix.
* This longitudinal study shows benchmarking across tried and tested practices that partners consistently assess and invest in.
Three-Year Trends:
What’s Working Long-Term
To identify which initiatives drive meaningful, long-term outcomes, Civitas Learning conducted a three-year longitudinal analysis of student behavior and trends from Summer 2021 through December 2024. By starting in Summer 2021, after the most disruptive period of the pandemic, we aimed to reduce anomalies and establish a more stable baseline.
This research now serves as a benchmark for institutions looking to invest in strategies that consistently deliver measurable, lasting impact.
Scope of the Analysis
58 institutions (41 four-year, 17 two-year)
852 initiatives evaluated
5.7 M+ students analyzed
Expanding the Focus Beyond Traditional Interventions
Historically, institutions have prioritized academic support strategies such as tutoring and advising, and these continue to be effective. However, the data reveals a significant opportunity to broaden the scope of interventions to include programs that influence the entire student experience.
A more holistic approach—one that includes safe, welcoming spaces; accessible campus resources; faculty trained in student-centered practices; and financial support—plays a critical role in fostering persistence and progress toward graduation. Institutions that expand their focus are uncovering innovative, high-impact strategies for improving outcomes.
Academic Planning
9.5 PP
In-Person Library Resources
7.4 PP
Advising Appointments
7.3 PP
Advising Notes
6.8 PP
Nudge Campaigns
6.6 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder
6.5 PP
Email Outreach
6.3 PP
Academic Mentoring/Coaching
5.8 PP
Scholarships
5.78 PP
Online Tutoring
5.24 PP
Customer Spotlight: Greenville Technical College (GTC)
How Initiative Analysis Transformed
Outreach and Boosted Persistence at GTC
Greenville Technical College (GTC) is ranked among the top three technical colleges in South Carolina, serving between 10,000 and 12,000 students each term. Their mission is student-centered, prioritizing the impact on students’ lives by preparing them for successful careers and enriching the surrounding community.
As part of their ongoing efforts to improve retention, GTC set out to identify which student success initiatives were driving the greatest impact and where there was room to improve. One area of focus: understanding how targeted advising could help students shift from a low to high likelihood of persisting.
Although GTC’s Institutional Research (IR) team doesn’t interact directly with students, they play a pivotal role in transforming insights into action.
Leveraging the Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform, the IR team piloted outreach based on shifts in student persistence predictions, with a simple and authentic message:
“We're part of an outreach team just checking in on some of our students to see how things are going. We'd love to hear about any successes or challenges you’re facing. If I don’t hear from you by Friday, I’ll give you a call on Monday.”
The pilot far exceeded expectations, more than doubling the original outreach target. Once the model proved effective, the advising team adopted it at scale, and the IR team continued to monitor and measure its impact. This created a feedback loop that allowed GTC to refine messaging and improve outcomes over time.
Rather than getting lost in inboxes, the messages stood out and sparked real human connection. When students responded, they were quickly directed to the right resource, whether that meant connecting with a counselor, meeting with financial aid, or scheduling time with the registrar.
From Insights to Action
With Civitas Learning, institutions move from a one-size-fits-all model to a data-informed approach that groups students based on their likelihood to persist. This allowed advisors to:
Identify and prioritize students needing individual support
Target broader outreach when appropriate for specific student groups
Optimize advisor time with group emails tailored to persistence categories
Students with very low or low persistence predictions receive more urgent, hands-on outreach, while those with moderate to high predictions benefit from light, encouraging check-ins.
Notable Results
Advising produced a 25 percentage point (PP)* lift in persistence prediction vs. no intervention
Just one advising appointment resulted in a 10 PP increase in persistence
Virtual and in-person advising were equally effective in
improving outcomes
*Note: These results are based on a localized analysis conducted by Greenville Technical College using the Civitas Learning platform. While the sample size was limited, the institution used this significant lift as a signal to prioritize and expand advising interventions.
Five Proven Drivers of Student Success
From the 2025 Student Success Impact Report
In addition to long-term trends, our analysis narrows in on initiatives performed by our partner institutions throughout 2024. These efforts reflect what each institution prioritized, shaped by both internal goals and broader shifts across the higher education landscape.
From this analysis, five key themes emerged. While the categories remain largely consistent with previous years, each includes new, unique insights that reveal opportunities for impact in the year ahead. One clear takeaway
stands out: students thrive when they feel supported and connected
to their institution.
Use these insights as a starting point to identify which strategies your institution should regularly evaluate or refine to strengthen student success.
The 2024 analysis included results from the following initiatives:
- Academic Mentoring/Coaching
- Academic Planning (Student)
- Academic Standing Outreach
- Access Program
- Accommodations
- Admission Requirements
- Advising Appointments
- Advising Notes
- Advising Outreach
- Advising Outreach (NEG)
- AI Chatbots
- Career Engagement
- Co-Curricular Engagement
- Course Analysis
- Course Comparison
- Decentralized Advising
- DegreeMap Usage
- Early Alerts
- Email Outreach
- Faculty Advising
- Financial Aid
- Grant
- Greek Life
- Holds
- Learning Commons
- Library Resources (Online/In-Person)
- Mental Health Resource
- Mobile App Usage
- Nudge Campaigns
- Orientation Events
- Phone Outreach
- Professional Advising
- Recreation
- Resource
- Scholarships
- Sense of Belonging Engagement
- SI (Supplemental Instruction)
- SMS Outreach
- Student Employment / Work Study
- Student Engagement With All Civitas Tools
- Student Organizations
- Support Programs & Centers
- Supplemental Instruction
- Transfer Resources
- Tutoring (Online/In-Person)
- Writing Center
- Effective Advising Starts with a Complete
View of the Student
Advising Appointments
6.8 PP
Advising Outreach
6.4 PP
Advising continues to be one of the most powerful levers for student success, showing a 6.8 percentage point lift in persistence from appointments and a 6.4 point lift from proactive outreach. But effective advising doesn’t stop at the advisor’s office.
Faculty, career advisors, registrars, and even research analysts all play a role in guiding students. When these teams work together, students benefit from a comprehensive support system—from academic planning and mentorship to timely outreach that keeps them on track.
But staying on top of every student’s progress isn’t easy. With information scattered across multiple systems, it’s hard to see the full picture of what a student is experiencing and what they may need next. Within the Civitas Learning partner community, institutions use real-time behavioral and engagement data to flag concerns early and step in with support before challenges escalate.
With a data-informed strategy, institutions can deliver personalized student support without increasing workload or headcount. Instead of relying on outdated reports, teams can act on just-in-time insights, enabling outreach that’s based on real need, not just demand. The result: better support, faster impact, and more confident advising at scale.
- Build Holistic Support Through Academic Services
Academic Mentoring & Coaching
8.9 PP
Academic Support Programs & Centers
5.7 PP
Library Resources
5.3 PP
An expanded view of student success is reshaping how institutions measure performance—shifting focus from academics alone to the full spectrum of support students need to thrive.
A strong student success model includes more than tutoring and advising. Access to library resources, study spaces, collaborative areas, reliable Wi-Fi, and academic support centers creates an environment where students can focus, connect, and succeed. These non-instructional services play a powerful role in persistence—and the data proves it.
But not all resources have the same impact on every student. For some campuses, Wi-Fi and quiet study space are important. At others, mentoring and coaching provide essential guidance for first-gen students or those preparing for life after graduation.
Academic services like mentoring, coaching, tutoring, SI, and writing centers aren’t just “extras”—they’re proven drivers of student success across a wide range of student populations.
- Streamlined Registration and Collaborative Tools
Help Keep Students on Track
Academic Planning
11.3 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder
6.5 PP
Engagement with Civitas Learning Software
4.1 PP
When students are forced to navigate multiple logins and platforms just to register for classes, the frustration can lead to delays or, worse, abandoning the process entirely. A fragmented registration experience is a barrier
to persistence.
Civitas Learning simplifies this journey. Our registration tools bring academic planning, scheduling, and registration into one seamless platform. By empowering students with clear degree maps and allowing them to easily build class schedules that fit their lives, institutions can ensure they enroll in the right courses, on time, and within budget.
Even better? Students and advisors can collaborate in real time. The platform acts as a shared academic planning space, enabling communication,
note-sharing, and aligned decision-making that keeps students moving toward their goals.
- Personalized, Timely Communication Drives Engagement
AI Chatbots
4.1 PP
AI Chatbots
4.1 PP
AI Chatbots
-6.8 PP
Advising Outreach
6.4 PP
General Nudge Campaigns
5.9 PP
It’s well established that connecting with an advisor significantly improves a student’s experience and outcomes. But with limited time and high caseloads, one-on-one meetings for every student just aren’t realistic.
The good news: advising doesn’t have to be in person to be effective. Many students prefer communication via email or text. Even before the pandemic, students expressed that not every interaction needed to be
a sit-down meeting.
What matters most is personalization. Students want to feel known and understood. Generic messages don’t move the needle—timely, targeted outreach based on their needs does.
Institutions that tailor communication by persistence likelihood are better equipped to evaluate what works and refine their outreach. But not all tech-driven solutions deliver value. For example, our analysis showed that AI chatbot initiatives were associated with a 6.8 percentage point drop in persistence, highlighting the importance of context and follow-through. Automated or passive communication methods—like early alerts with no follow-up—can leave students feeling disconnected or ignored.
Thoughtful, data-informed outreach drives engagement, and when done well, it scales impact without sacrificing the student experience.
- Financial Support that Covers the Complete
Student Experience
Financial Aid
5.7 PP
Funding higher education isn’t just about paying for classes—it’s about investing in the complete student experience. To truly support students, financial aid must go beyond tuition to include access to hands-on learning, internships, on-campus living, and meaningful campus engagement.
Opportunities like living on campus or participating in student activities are proven to boost outcomes, yet they’re often left out of scholarship and aid packages. If institutions want to drive long-term, sustainable success, they must support both academics and initiatives that promote belonging, connection, and real-world readiness.
A key part of this equation is flexible, on-campus work opportunities.
When designed around academic schedules, these roles can:
Support students’ financial well-being and professional growth
Help students build relationships with faculty and staff
Strengthen their connection to campus and sense of belonging
Develop both institutional knowledge and real-world skills
Provide income without compromising academic priorities
When financial support is structured to meet the full range of student needs, it creates an environment where more students can thrive and feel prepared for life after college.
Findings By Student Population
How Segmentation Drives Smarter Decisions
When institutional leaders can assess the effectiveness of programs, policies, and initiatives across specific student groups, they’re better equipped to make strategic, data-informed decisions.
The Civitas Learning Student Success Impact Platform makes this possible by enabling institutions to segment and analyze data in flexible, impactful ways. This approach helps teams move beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and instead deliver targeted, personalized support, improving how institutions support students across their academic journey.
Our 2024 analysis breaks out student impact findings by four key categories:
Persistence Likelihood
Student Type
Course Modality
Enrollment Status
Persistence Likelihood:
Lowest Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 12 PP
Academic Advising 11 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 9 PP
Tutoring 9 PP
Engagement with Civitas Learning Tools 8 PP
Low Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 19 PP
Advising Outreach 10 PP
Academic Planning 9 PP
Advising Appointments 7 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 9 PP
Moderate Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 10 PP
Library Resources 8 PP
Tutoring 6 PP
Advising Appointments 6 PP
Advising Notes 6 PP
Highest Likelihood to Persist:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 11 PP
Advising Outreach 8 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 5 PP
Support Programs & Centers 4 PP
Academic Planning 4 PP
Student Type:
FTIC (First Time in College):
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 8 PP
SMS Outreach 9 PP
Advising Outreach 7 PP
Advising Appointment 4 PP
Financial Aid 4 PP
Transfer:
Academic Planning 9 PP
Financial Aid 8 PP
Advising Appointment 8 PP
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 7 PP
Student Engagement with Civitas Learning Tools 6 PP
Re-admitted:
Email Outreach 17 PP
Advising Notes 12 PP
Advising Appointments 10 PP
Tutoring 8 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 8 PP
Graduate:
Advising Appointment 12 PP
Tutoring 10 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 8 PP
Advising Notes 7 PP
Supplemental Instruction 4 PP
Course Modality
Online:
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 14 PP
Tutoring 13 PP
Nudge Campaigns 9 PP
Advising Appointments 9 PP
Student Employment or Work Study 4 PP
On-Ground:
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 13 PP
Academic Planning 12 PP
Email Outreach 10 PP
Library Resources 8 PP
Mental Health Resources 7 PP
Enrollment Status
Full Time:
SMS Outreach 8 PP
Support Programs & Centers 7 PP
Academic Mentoring & Coaching 6 PP
Library Resources 5 PP
Advising Appointments 5 PP
Part Time:
Tutoring 11 PP
Email Outreach 11 PP
Advising Appointments 7 PP
Civitas Learning Schedule Builder 7 PP
Student Employment or Work Study 5 PP
Note: These findings reflect the data tracked by participating institutions and may include smaller sample sizes in certain categories. As a result, the insights should be viewed as directional rather than definitive.
Customer Spotlight:
Slippery Rock University
How Segmenting Students Drove a 20-Year Retention High at Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University (SRU) — a regional four-year institution in rural Pennsylvania serving over 8,000 students—recognized that increasing enrollment was just one piece of the puzzle. To ensure students stayed engaged and on track to graduation, they needed a clearer picture of which programs were truly making an impact.
By partnering with Civitas Learning, SRU gained real-time insights into the effectiveness of its student success initiatives. This allowed them to evaluate the effectiveness of student success initiatives as they happened and adjust strategies accordingly. One finding rose to the top: students who participated in student organizations and on-campus housing were significantly more likely to persist.
With that insight, SRU reimagined its approach to orientation. The focus shifted from simply delivering information to creating meaningful connections. Today, students and their families hear how early involvement and a strong sense of belonging are key to long-term success.
This has resulted in a smarter, data-informed approach that empowers both students and staff to make better decisions, allocate resources more effectively, and ultimately deliver stronger outcomes across campus.
From Insights to Action
With access to real-time, personalized data, SRU has shifted from one-size-fits-all programming to highly targeted support. That includes:
Proactively engaging first-year students with resources proven to
increase persistence
Shifting from end-of-term evaluations to ongoing assessments of program effectiveness
Making smarter use of staff time and institutional resources
by focusing on what works.
Notable Results
Through consistent evaluation of programs during the term, not just after, SRU uncovered strategies that truly make a difference. These insights contributed to SRU achieving its highest retention rate since 2004.
Key findings include:
Living on campus was linked to a 1.8% increase in retention from Spring 2019 to Spring 2022
Participation in student organizations led to a 1.9% increase in persistence from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022
By focusing on what works and acting on it in real time, SRU is building a student success strategy that’s sustainable long-term and adapts as their needs evolve.
Conclusion
The Path Forward
The 2025 Student Success Impact Report highlights what today’s students truly need to thrive—clear guidance, meaningful connection, and access to the full college experience.
By regularly evaluating the impact of student success initiatives and leveraging data-informed insights, institutions can make smarter, more targeted decisions that lead to measurable outcomes. As higher education continues to evolve, these insights offer a clear path forward: invest in what works, adapt where needed, and keep the student experience at the center of every strategy.
Do you know what combination of initiatives is impacting student outcomes at your institution? Get in touch to learn how to apply your data to improve the student outcomes that matter most. Regular assessment of student success and retention strategies enables leaders to understand the true impact of each student success initiative and invest in the right combination of strategies most beneficial for their particular students.
Civitas Learning helps colleges and universities apply their data to improve the student outcomes that matter most. Our flexible, all-in-one platform creates actionable insights surfaced in connected workflows so your team can pinpoint students at risk of missing important milestones, explain why, take action, and evaluate which policies and programs are making a difference. With adaptable analytics based on models built for your institution and higher education expertise, we empower your team to turn insights into action to support students in reaching their full potential.
APPENDIX
Methodology | A Data-Driven Approach to
Measuring Impact
To evaluate the impact of academic and non-academic activities, we use Prediction-Based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM), which combines:
Real-time data on student participation in programs and activities
Likelihood of persistence to determine effectiveness
The Civitas Learning PPSM approach meets the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse standards for quasi-experimental design, enabling institutions to achieve the benefits of randomized control trials while leveraging existing student data.
Driving Actionable Change with Real-Time Insights
Our platform integrates institutional and student data to calculate the impact of different programs on persistence, empowering institutions to:
Identify high-impact interventions—pinpointing which programs are driving student success and who benefits the most
Adapt and refine strategies—shifting focus to the most effective programs based on data-driven insights
Maximize student success investments—ensuring resources are allocated to the initiatives that yield the greatest impact
By leveraging real-time student success insights, institutions can make informed, proactive decisions that improve persistence, engagement,
and long-term student outcomes.