How 10 universities increased retention with CampusESP
CampusESP’s annual exploratory study looks at the connection between family engagement and student retention. Our 2025 study looks at 11,442 first-time, first-year students that enrolled at ten universities in the Fall of 2023 and returned for the Fall 2024 term.
Across the board, results showed that students with a parent using CampusESP had higher retention rates than average – and the impact on retention was higher for Black, Hispanic, and Pell-Eligible students
Parent engagement boosts overall student retention
Across all ten universities, students with engaged parents experienced retention levels between 1.4% and 20.9% higher than average. The average retention gain was 5.7%.
Retention gains are highest for for Black and Hispanic students
Across universities that provided race/ethnicity indicators, parent engagement had a larger impact on retention for Black and Hispanic students than for White students. The average retention gain for both Black and Hispanic students was 6.3%, compared to an average retention gain of 1.8% for White students.
Pell-eligible students see significant retention
Across universities that provided these indicators, first-generation and Pell-eligible students experienced retention gains when their parents were notified about student progress. The average retention gain was 3.4% for first-generation students and 6.1% for Pell-eligible students.
These results complement earlier studies about the impact of parents on student retention, including a 2024 exploratory study looking at 9 institutions and a 2021 exploratory study looking at 9 institutions.
The results are clear and encouraging: parent engagement matters in student retention. Providing parents with financial and academic information allows them to support their student, encourage them to stay on track, and ultimately contribute to their long-term success.
