Record numbers of Florida State University undergraduate students are earning their degrees in four years or less thanks in part to significant investments by university leadership to enhance the academic experience. 

FSU’s four-year graduation rate reached a new high of 76%, up from 75% last year, while the university’s retention rate maintained a stellar 96%, matching last year’s record. Using the most recent publicly available data, FSU’s Office of Institutional Research projects these numbers will secure FSU in the Top 10 among all public universities nationally in both categories. 

“These record-breaking graduation and retention rates are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, faculty, and staff,” said President Richard McCullough. “We are committed to providing an outstanding educational experience that supports our students’ success from day one.” 

The six-year graduation rate also climbed to 86%, up from last year’s record of 85%, which is projected to rank FSU in the Top 20 among public universities.  

Notably, FSU’s three-year graduation rate for transfer students shot up to 78.3% from last year’s 74.4%, which led all State University System institutions. The university’s six-year graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients is 83%. 

FSU has achieved these results through strategic investments in student success initiatives. Key among them are enhancements to academic advising and the introduction of supportive programs designed to guide students through their educational journey. 

“Our investments in comprehensive advising and student support programs are paying off in remarkable ways,” McCullough said. “We are dedicated to ensuring that every student has the resources they need to succeed.” 

“Our investments in comprehensive advising and student support programs are paying off in remarkable ways. We are dedicated to ensuring that every student has the resources they need to succeed.”                                                                                                                                                                                                  — President Richard McCullough

FSU is continuously expanding its student success teams, including Advising First, Academic Guides and Transfer Student Services, who actively engage with students and offer personalized support, including targeted financial assistance. This includes the Graduation Planning and Strategies Office, where student success teams help former students who left FSU without finishing their degree to re-enroll and graduate. Since May 2017, over 3,600 students have been supported in achieving degree completion through this initiative. 

FSU’s recent investments to expand the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement, or CARE, also have been integral to improving graduation rates. Through CARE, the university provides additional support for first-generation students and others who have historically encountered extra financial barriers to education, such as Federal Pell Grant recipients. The CARE Summer Bridge program continues to grow with a record number 389 students participating in the six-week program this summer, while more than 700 additional students are supported by CARE through Quest Scholars and the Illuminate Program.  

Engage 100 supports and engages students during their first year at FSU. The initiative offers a peer community and resources to aid in students’ transition and success. Enrollment in Engage 100 is mandatory for nearly all first-year students and there are now opportunities for new transfer students.    

The Learning Assistant Program is another way FSU is maximizing student success. The LA Program enables active-learning strategies in critical courses, particularly in STEM, with embedded peer learning assistants (LAs). FSU’s LA program is among the largest of its kind in the nation.  

“I am extremely proud of our faculty and staff who work tirelessly to ensure the success of these initiatives, and I deeply appreciate our donors whose generous contributions make many of these programs possible,” said Associate Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Joe O’Shea. “Their support empowers our students to develop as leaders who graduate ready to take on the world.” 

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Florida State University’s success in coaching college students to thrive, helping to fuel record retention rates, has attracted national attention and brought in hundreds of people over the years to learn from FSU’s experts on the subject.

FSU’s Advising First Center for College Life Coaching hosted its eighth annual College Life Coaching Institute in early June. The event attracted professionals from other universities and non-profits who come from across the country and around the world to learn about the strategies and tools implemented at FSU.

“Research has shown that a student having just one connection to a staff member on campus in any area goes a long way in keeping a student at a university,” said Ivan Myers, assistant director of Advising First and program manager for the College Life Coaching Institute. “Coaching is the opportunity for a student to make the most of their college experience with the support of an individual alongside them. The idea behind this institute is that we’ve been so successful that we want to share our strategies with others.”

Sixty attendees from 28 institutions attended this year’s three-day conference in Tallahassee. The event featured workshops, presentations on essential coaching skills, coaching session observations, a student panel and a keynote address from professional life coach Jen Santoro Cleveland.

“I want to thank you all for choosing to be here,” said Cleveland, director of the Citadel Career Center in Charleston, South Carolina. “Soak it in because you’re the change makers. You’re the ones who are going to bring this to your institution and genuinely have such a positive impact on your students’ lives.”

The institute offered two tracks: one for those in advising or coaching roles who work one-on-one with students and another for deans and other administrators who want to build a similar model to FSU’s or expand an existing program.

One attendee of the institute said she was inspired by what she learned about leading students to be proactive in their own college journeys.

“My biggest takeaway from this weekend is to really encourage students to be the pilot of their own life and ask empowering questions so that they’re able to do deep reflections and think about what they truly want rather than immediately coming in to rescue them and give them all the answers,” said Taylor Larsen, a student success advisor for the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University. “In life in general, we all have the answers within ourselves, and it’s a matter of finding someone to really encourage you to dive deeper and to think honestly.”

The College Life Coaching program at FSU includes 17 members who work with roughly 1,800 students over the academic year to shape individual plans designed to lead to academic and personal success.

Students are invited to meet with their coaches for 20 to 25 minutes biweekly during fall and spring semesters. They may discuss time management strategies or ideas for getting involved on campus or how to balance academic and personal life, among other topics. Coaches can also connect students with relevant on-campus resources, such as the Office of Accessibility Services or Counseling and Psychological Services.

Since FSU launched college life coaching in 2009, retention has improved in the groups it serves, including Pell Grant recipients, out-of-state students and first-generation students in their second year.

“We’re so proud of our work in college life coaching,” said LaShae Roberts, director of Advising First and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies. “We know students benefit greatly from these meaningful interactions with coaches. Coaches genuinely care about their students’ success and support them through the process of developing habits and tools that will allow them to thrive throughout their college career and beyond.”

For more about College Life Coaching and Advising First, visit advisingfirst.fsu.edu. To learn more about the Division of Undergraduate Studies, visit undergrad.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University has launched the new Center for Academic Guidance, where a team of six skilled and experienced higher education professionals are working closely with students who have encountered difficulties in their academic journey.  

Academic Guidance is a data-driven initiative that looks directly at student progress and identifies those who could benefit from early intervention and an additional layer of support. The six guides and assistant director began work at the beginning of the spring semester. By the end of March, they had reached out to almost 900 students, resulting in over 400 meetings to date. 

“Our exceptional team of Academic Guides combines the skillsets of advising, teaching, goal setting and case management to help students successfully navigate their academic journey,” said Dana Auvil, assistant director of the Center for Academic Guidance. “Our work is part of FSU’s greater mission to reinforce its already strong commitment to the retention, persistence and graduation of undergraduate students.” 

The center functions within FSU’s primary academic advising network, Advising First, and serves students who may be experiencing barriers to their academic success. Academic Guides help students identify and understand these barriers, develop an action plan to overcome them, and connect students to the FSU community and resources for support through their journey toward graduation. 

When sophomore accounting major Natalie Correia got mononucleosis during the fall, she missed about a month of classes. At first, she thought she could handle the missed work herself. She emailed her professors, who were understanding, and attempted to make up the work. But catching up turned out to be insurmountable, and she struggled. 

She received an email from Senior Academic Guide Melissa Tillery, and Correia said she felt relief that somebody had reached out to her and was offering help. 

They met regularly to strategize a way for Correia to get back on track, drop the classes she needed to drop and navigate the logistics of declaring a major.  

“Melissa gave me the best connections and contacts for me in my position,” Correia said. “She helped me set up my schedule, made sure I was on task, asked me how my tests were going and my schoolwork. She was able to direct me on the right path and tell me what I needed to achieve the goals I had.” 

Correia’s GPA improved, and she now feels a lot more in control of her academic success, although she still checks in with Tillery.  

“She’s a problem solver and she helps, so I think I’m going to continue seeing her,” Correia said.   

Problem solving and helping students work through challenges and come out stronger on the other side is a focus for FSU administrators and central to student success at the university. 

FSU is known nationally for its proactive engagement in student success and for its high retention and graduation rates, coming in at No. 18 this year among public universities in that metric by U.S. News & World Report, the highest it’s ever been. 

The university also broke its own record this year with a 99% fall-to-spring retention rate among freshmen. 

In 2021, the Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) named FSU the winner of its 2021 Degree Completion Award, recognizing and rewarding the institution for its work to improve graduation rates while nearly eliminating gaps by race, ethnicity and income level. 

The Center for Academic Guidance supplements a robust suite of existing resources for students, including coaches, mentors, learning assistants, tutors, advisors and workshops dedicated to helping students learn effective study habits and stay on top of coursework.  

Academic Guides serve as a conduit between those resources and students who are facing challenges and may not be aware of the services that exist to help them. They are a group of advanced and experienced advisors who can work with all campus partners, including financial aid, and connect students with the specific services they need. 

“I’m grateful for the addition of this dedicated team, who come with extensive backgrounds in advising and admissions and can help our students navigate the complexities of the university system,” said LaShae Roberts, the director for Advising First and assistant dean of the Division of Undergraduate Studies. “This initiative represents our commitment to all students and a recognition that some may go through a period where they can benefit greatly from the expertise of an Academic Guide.” 

For more information, visit: https://advisingfirst.fsu.edu/center-academic-guidance. 

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