Summer Reading: How colleges are keeping students on track year-round

As colleges and universities around the nation struggle with flat enrollment, dropping state budgets and an increased demand for relevant degree offerings, the emphasis on student outcomes has never been stronger.  In response, institutions are adopting methods to attract, retain and ensure the success of their students, ranging from expanding support services like academic advisement to nudging interventions. The stories below examine these methods in-depth, and their effectiveness in helping students. More than 1 million college students drop out each year, costing higher education institutions billions in lost revenue. And until recently, most colleges have not reached out to their lost students or encouraged them to come back and finish their degrees.  "If you stop out at most universities, that's it," said Anne Kubek, chief operating officer of ReUp Education, a company that specializes in re-enrolling stopped-out students. "You never hear from them again unless they're looking for monies owed.