Retaining Online Students

Low retention rates among first time students plague many higher education institutions and are even worse for those institutions that offer programs completely online. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an online bridge program in improving the retention rates of these first time students as compared to those students who did not complete the program. The study was a formative program evaluation, to evaluate the progress of the current program and to offer suggestions on how to improve the program to better serve future students. This is geared for higher education administrators, faculty, and staff who are looking for interventions that has the potential for improving student retention rates.