The Inep Higher Education Census is very positive when it reports that the number of enrolled students has been growing over the last few years. However, a fact that many forget is the number of closed enrollments and students who leave the university.
According to the 2023 Higher Education Census, the total number of students enrolled in undergraduate courses in Brazil reached 9.9 million, representing a growth of 5.6% compared to the previous year. This is the highest number recorded since 2014, indicating a positive trend in the search for higher education.
And when we checked this data, we came to the conclusion that, year after year, the number of graduates falls. Is this your case?
Find out now how to recover locked-out students who abandoned the course!
Locking: more than a performance issue
We already know that thousands of students leave university classrooms every year. However, when we stop to think about the real reasons that lead to academic abandonment, what information emerges?
Common sense says that enrollment in higher education is high due to students' unpreparedness to face academic life. However, one study by ReUp Education shows a much more complex scenario.
Highly qualified students leave university due to financial, personal, health and mobility problems, among many others. And contrary to what we might believe, 89% of them dream of returning to school.
We are talking about students from classes C and D, who see higher education as the starting point for a better life, but who also face the setbacks that the social context imposes on them: working and studying at the same time; being the head of a family and completing higher education; help the family financially and pay for college; pay for a private healthcare system for yourself or your parents while dreaming of finishing your degree; and so on.
And what can you do to transform this scenario, keep classrooms full, fulfill the social role of your educational institution and still generate profit for your business?
The fight against dropout in higher education is in your hands
Humanism and technology. Those are the two answers you're looking for. Humanity enough to put oneself in students' shoes and understand the difficulties they go through and technology to predict abandonment and course withdrawal before they materialize.
That's why the data analysis has stood out as the main student retention tool in higher education. By understanding the social context in which your students live and comparing this data with the behavior practiced by them as students at your educational institution, it is possible to detect points of attention that lead to the prevention of dropout and enrollment withdrawal.
Drop in academic performance, frequent absences and sporadic access to the virtual learning environment can bring much more powerful insights than a simple indicator that the student is disinterested.
To know if there is a real problem behind this behavior, you must make use of technologies such as Big Data, Business Intelligence, Marketing Attribution and Web Analytics, among others, in order to discover the root of the problem and act proactively to retain and retain your students.
You can also go further, adding your experience to the know-how of those who have been working in the education market for years and have been developing increasingly personalized strategies for attracting, retaining and building student loyalty.
It is important to highlight that distance learning presents significant challenges in relation to dropout. Data from the 2023 Higher Education Census indicate that around 64% of students enrolled in online courses drop out of their courses, a rate considerably higher than the dropout rate observed in face-to-face education, which was 52.6% in the same period.
As you can see, reopening enrollment depends solely on you.
Reopening enrollment in higher education: how to achieve it?
We could say that a simple email marketing campaign would bring a good number of students back to your college's benches. But the truth is much more complex, as we have just seen.
Solving financial, health, family, work problems, etc., can be much more complicated than we imagine. Therefore, follow these tips:
#1 Don’t treat your students like pasta
Each student has their own needs and challenges and lives in a unique context. In this sense, stop treating your academic community as a shapeless mass of young people. Segment and personalize contact.
Audience segmentation is essential to make the dialogue closer and reach a definitive solution to the problem presented, otherwise, you may see the same recovered student withdrawing from enrollment the following year.
SEE TOO:
- Marketing 5.0: get closer to your potential customers;
- How the CRO will help your consumer's experience on the web;
- What factors influence consumer behavior?
#2 Use the technology at your disposal
Segmenting and personalizing communication is just one of the functions that technology can promote in the recovery of higher education students. You can also use technologies to analyze behaviors, predict trends, develop solutions and make your college much more accessible for those looking for quality education.
Marketing automation can be used to engage students throughout their purchasing journey, keeping them loyal to your brand throughout the course. Focus on incredible experiences and avoid lock-ins.
Recently, studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using machine learning algorithms to predict school dropout rates. These techniques allow for the identification of behavioral patterns and risk factors, enabling more precise interventions to retain students. The application of these technologies has shown promise in reducing dropout rates in higher education.
#3 Invest in predictive analysis
Anticipating the possible barriers that your students may face throughout their degree is another way to prevent the number of withdrawals and dropouts from increasing.
This is possible thanks to the development of technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, which cross-reference behavioral patterns and information about your academic community and learn from this information, finding quick and effective solutions.
#4 Eliminate barriers to reopening
Many students encounter difficulties when trying to return to graduate school. Courses that no longer exist, modified curriculum matrices and bureaucracy are some of these barriers.
Well, eliminate them! Make the re-entry process easy, intuitive and, preferably, online. The easier it is to return, the less likely the student is to leave their educational institution for a second time.
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Caption: The combination of technology and human support strengthens the bond between institution and student, which is essential for recovery strategies in higher education.
#5 Make finances easier
Your educational institution has costs to stay open, we all know. But your students may not have enough money to cover this expense all at once.
It is for this reason that student financing programs proliferate every year and that new ways of paying tuition fees are created. Invest in different forms of payment and your students will think twice before abandoning their dream of completing higher education.
Summary: Despite rising enrollment in higher education, dropout remains a major issue. Recovering students requires a mix of technology and empathy—using data to predict risk, personalizing outreach, and removing reentry barriers. Predictive analysis, audience segmentation, and flexible financial options help institutions reduce dropout rates and strengthen student retention.
Are you ready to promote the reopening of enrollments at your educational institution? We are!
Effective strategies to reverse student dropout in higher education
Why do students drop out even when academically capable?
Dropouts are often caused by financial, personal, health, or mobility issues—not lack of ability. According to ReUp Education, 89% of dropouts still dream of returning to college.
What are the biggest challenges for online learning regarding dropout?
Dropout rates in Online learning are high: 58.44% compared to 21.48% in on-campus courses. This calls for customized engagement and early intervention strategies.
How can data analysis help prevent student dropout?
Tracking academic performance, attendance, and learning platform access helps predict at-risk students. BI and AI tools enable proactive retention strategies.
What can be done to simplify re-enrollment processes?
Removing bureaucracy, allowing online re-enrollment, and adjusting to updated curricula make it easier for former students to return.
How does personalization affect student recovery?
Treating students as individuals with tailored communication and targeted solutions significantly improves re-enrollment success.
What role does technology play in student retention?
Marketing automation, predictive analytics, and personalized experiences help engage students throughout the course and prevent future dropouts.
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