These rates nationally among first-time students are the highest they have been in about a decade, according to a recent report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The study showed that 76.5% returned, up from 75.7% the year before and the highest rate since before the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a number we are all getting more familiar with, especially families of college students,” said Dr. Kevin Reilly, vice president for academic affairs at Beacon College.

Whether it’s student life, a strong academic profile or even the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, reasons for a high or improving persistence rate can vary.

Beacon, for instance, nurtures retention and persistence by providing summer programs for both current and incoming students.

“It helps identify students in terms of where they might do well and where they might struggle,” Reilly said. “It allows us to prepare before they even get here.”

The preparation becomes doubly important at an institution like Beacon.

The variety of learning differences present on campus means extra attention needs to be paid to incoming classes, Reilly said. “No matter where you go to school, students can go off the rails early,” he said. “Their first challenge is freedom and what to do with it.”

That also means relationships that become collaborations matter more than anything.

“It’s important for a learner to be the agent of the learning process,” Reilly said. “Students who have agency build confidence for being able to do the work. We have faculty trained in academic delivery to a population of students with learning differences.”

New athletic programs and clubs help students become familiar with the campus while also meeting others with common interests.

Third-year humanities major Connor Courtright admits that he is not very social. But the Altamonte Springs, Florida resident still jumped into Beacon’s Dungeons & Dragons club, which meets regularly and allows club members to share their passion for the fantasy roleplaying experience.

“We are chaotic,” he joked. “When we get into a group, the different personalities are eccentric and wacky.”

Still, Courtright says he is not exactly in his element but being at Beacon College alongside others who he can identify with helps him relax.

“People with learning differences, they just see the world differently,” said Courtright, 20. “We all pick up on things in a different manner and pace compared with people without learning differences.”

One thing Beacon College offers students is what Reilly calls “an unprecedented level of support,” which includes a personal learning specialist. Every week for an hour — half-hour for third- and fourth-year students — the learning specialist meets with students to get a feel for their experiences on the campus.

So far, Emma Fowler’s experience on campus has exceeded expectations. The San Diego, California native said there are not many schools in California that specialize in cognitive issues. Fowler, 19, who has been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, said her confidence has increased while attending Beacon thanks to the school’s accommodations.

What’s more, the staff has made it as welcoming as she could have hoped, she said. That’s why she returned for a second year.

“When they don’t know about someone’s neurodivergence, they will try to learn about it,” she said. “I had never experienced that before. It’s nice to have someone who wants to make it better.”