How Mentoring Improves First-Year Student Retention

Mentoring improves first-year retention by giving new students a consistent relationship, a sense of belonging, and early support when they struggle, all of which research links to staying enrolled. First year is when most attrition happens, so a well-run mentoring program is one of the highest-leverage retention investments a campus can make. This post covers the evidence and how to run a program that works.

Why the first year decides retention

Most students who leave do so in or after their first year, often not for academic reasons but because they never felt they belonged or did not get help in time. Mentoring targets exactly those causes: connection, belonging, and early intervention.

What the research shows

Engagement with mentoring is associated with better outcomes. Among 2,572 first-year students, those who completed more check-ins and sent more messages to their mentors earned higher end-of-year GPAs after propensity score matching, and greater engagement was associated with higher academic self-efficacy, belonging, and well-being (Werntz et al., 2026). Students who completed the Connected Scholars course were more than three times as likely to graduate in four years (Hersch et al., 2026).

How to run a retention-focused program

Match early, before or during the first weeks. Train mentors on evidence-based practices rather than leaving them to wing it. Use structured check-ins and goal-setting so the relationship produces action. Track engagement so you can spot and re-engage students who go quiet. Measure outcomes against a baseline so you can prove the effect.

Where MentorPRO helps

MentorPRO is the only evidence-based mentoring platform, built on 30+ years of mentoring science. It combines research-backed matching, mentor training through MentorPRO Academy, and engagement and outcome dashboards, so your retention program runs on what works and you can show leadership the result.

Build a program that keeps students

If retention is your goal, book a demo and we will show you how MentorPRO supports matching, engagement, and the outcome data that proves impact.

FAQ

Does mentoring really improve retention? Research links mentoring engagement to higher GPA, belonging, and persistence, all predictors of staying enrolled. Effects are strongest with early matching and trained mentors.

When should first-year mentoring start? As early as possible, ideally before or during the first weeks, because most attrition risk forms early in the first year.

How do you measure mentoring’s effect on retention? Set a baseline, track engagement, and compare mentored students to a similar non-mentored group.