5 Ways Colleges Can Boost Graduation Rates
Preview:
Research from The Chronicle of Higher Education shows that graduation rates vary widely across U.S. colleges and that institutions with higher-than-expected success share several common practices that help students persist and finish their degrees. These include cultivating a shared sense of purpose rooted in institutional history and mission, aligning goals and resources around student success, and creating a culture where faculty and staff are actively engaged in improving outcomes. Genuine inclusion of voices across the campus community and adaptive leadership that responds effectively to setbacks also emerged as key factors that distinguish more successful colleges. The piece suggests that boosting graduation rates is not about one isolated program but about building an institutional culture that consistently supports students from enrollment to completion.
Originally published: January 9, 2026
Author: Elizabeth H. Bradley
Position: President
Institution: Vassar College
Published by: The Chronicle of Higher Ed