Most institutions invest significant time and resources in retaining first-year students, yet many still lose students in the second year. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s 2023 Persistence & Retention Report, approximately 77.6% of students who started their second year persisted. That means nearly one in four students does not reach the third year.1
To improve graduation and persistence rates, academic support services such as tutoring (in-person and online), coaching, and success centers can play an important role in keeping second-year students engaged and enrolled. This is especially effective when support is intentionally designed with sophomores in mind.
Why the Second Year Is a Critical Point for Student Persistence
During the second year:
- Coursework becomes more rigorous and increasingly focused on a chosen major.
- Structured supports are common in the first year and often fade, leaving students with fewer built-in connections.
- Students face growing pressure to clarify their academic identity and long-term goals.
Research in higher education and reports from institutions indicate that attrition and stop-outs remain a problem in the second year. This shows that students need more support after their first year.2
What It Means to Use Academic Support to Help Sophomores Stay in School
1. Give Gateway and Major Courses the Most Help
2. Reach out to students instead of waiting for them to ask for help.
Many universities now use data-informed systems, such as early alerts, midterm grading flags, advising referrals, and academic performance tracking, to engage students proactively rather than waiting for them to seek help.
This approach aligns with retention trends showing that continued support beyond the first year is critical, as many students who leave do so by the end of the second year.2
3. Make tutoring normal after the first year
Sophomores may view tutoring as remedial rather than developmental. When academic support is framed as a resource used by high-achieving students to strengthen mastery and confidence, student engagement increases.
Reinforcing this message through advising, faculty communication, and peer networks helps reduce stigma and supports a culture of ongoing learning.
4. Help Build Confidence and Academic Identity
Second-year students frequently encounter inquiries such as:
- Is this the right major for me?
- Can I do well in this field?
- Am I in the right place?
Research on how sophomores feel about school and their experiences there shows that their sense of belonging, effectiveness, and integration into campus life affect how long they stay and how happy they are.3
Tutors can help students manage these anxieties and build their academic identity by providing academic coaching, writing support, and guidance.
5. Make it easier for people to get help by offering flexible and online support.
Sophomores have more on their plates than just schoolwork. They also hold part-time jobs, live off campus, and take additional classes. Flexible tutoring hours, evening sessions, and online options make it easier for students with different schedules to access help and use it more effectively.
Flexible support models fit in with the ongoing endeavor to update ways of helping students succeed in higher education.
Why This Is Important for the Strategy of the Institution
Improving sophomore persistence helps:
- Higher rates of retention overall
- Stronger graduation outcomes
- Improved student satisfaction
- More robust data for leadership and accreditation
A recent study on retention shows that student achievement is not a one-time event in the first year, but a process that continues into the second year.2
Sophomore year is not simply an extension of the first year. Institutions that intentionally align academic support with second-year students’ needs are better positioned to strengthen persistence, support academic progress, and improve long-term outcomes.
References
- National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (2023). Persistence and Retention Report.
https://nscresearchcenter.org/persistence-retention/ - McMurtrie, B. (2023, October 25). Preventing second-year stop-outs is crucial, experts say. Inside Higher Ed.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/academics/2023/10/25/preventing-second-year-stop-outs - Georgia Southern University. (n.d.). Understanding Sophomore Experience and Success in Higher Education. Graduate Thesis, Georgia Southern University Digital Commons.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3894&context=etd
