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Strategic interventions generate rapid persistence gains at Middle Tennessee State University

  • About: Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is a public research university with a total enrollment of 22,729 and a six-year graduation rate of 52%.
  • Challenge: In response to state-wide pressure to improve outcomes, MTSU created the “Quest for Student Success” plan, but needed a way to track and move the dial on metrics across the institution. MTSU’s advising units were also severely understaffed and under-resourced to serve a challenging student population on the ground.
  • Solution: MTSU set out to drive rapid gains through changes informed by data and best practices. Joining SSC in spring 2014 allowed MTSU to empower staff with data and execute a campus-wide strategy focused on persistence.
  • Impact: Through its partnership with SSC, MTSU was able to increase overall persistence by 1.5 percentage points, retaining an additional 390 students for $1.5M in spring tuition revenue.

Is your campus ready for a new student success strategy? Find out more with our diagnostic


SSC Support During Launch Ensured High Engagement, Quick Wins


Building a Coordinated Network of Persistence Campaigns


Immediate Impact: Seeing Impressive Gains Beyond First-Year Retention


Ready to tackle student retention?

We’re ready to help. Request to speak to an expert from our Student Success Collaborative team to learn more about how we can be part of your solution. And don’t forget to download the case study to share with your team.

DOWNLOAD THE CASE STUDY