Bradley University officials say they are doing a better job of keeping students from leaving after their freshmen year. BU is reporting a freshman-to-sophomore retention rate of nearly 88-percent for the last school year. That’s a nearly two-percent increase from the entering freshman class of 2011, and it’s the highest retention rate in five years.
Bradley’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs says a number of factors helped the university keep a larger percentage of its freshman class. Those include various opportunities to get involved on campus, a focus on individualized learning, and a 95-percent placement rate upon graduation.