Create easy access to faculty. Students who remain in college tend to develop relationships with faculty either directly or indirectly. Even if students do not meet personally with the teacher, knowing that they can do so impacts retention positively. Faculty should inform students of and keep regular office hours.
Train faculty in adult education. Adult learners have a broader base of experience from which to draw, tend to learn more slowly than children and are motivated by internal factors, such as increased self-esteem. Adult learners also value time and want learning to be applicable to their current situations. Taking these characteristics into account will improve the educational experience of adult learners.
Redefine college success. Not all adult learners plan to earn a degree. Some may enter college intending to take only two or three classes. Once they have done this, they stop attending. Often this type of situation would be considered a retention problem. In reality, the student successfully completed what he intended to do at college. For the adult learner, success is not necessarily measured by earning a degree.
Design programs to be taken as a learning community or cohort of students. Research shows that students who interact regularly with other students in and outside of class tend to stay in college and persevere through difficult situations more easily than students who feel isolated.
Provide financial assistance to students. Lack of money and the high cost of college often contribute to adults setting their educations aside. Better financial aid packages, including grants, specifically for adult learners can keep them in college until they earn a degree or complete their learning objectives.
Establish a tutoring program and comprehensive learning center. Adult learners may have been away from the classroom for years and can be quite intimidated by the notion of returning to school. In one study, adult learners state that one of the most important things colleges can do to help them stay in school is to establish learning centers and tutoring programs. Accessing these kinds of programs on an as-needed basis gives the adult student a safety net if he finds himself needing extra help. The safety net prevents students from giving up on themselves and quitting school.