BOONE, N.C. — Student success at a university balances, sometimes precariously, on a three-legged stool — academics, finances and personal well-being.
If any one leg wobbles, the structure may topple. A student working long hours to meet expenses may fall behind academically. Family or mental health issues may force an academically sound student to miss classes repeatedly or ultimately forego her education. And a student struggling with one or two classes may avoid admitting, until far too late, he needs assistance.
Appalachian State University has systems, personnel and strategies in place to ensure students have the help they need in all three areas — possibly one reason the university’s retention and debt payment rates are significantly higher than the national average.
Appalachian’s first- to second-year retention rate is 87.2 percent — nearly 20 percent higher than the national average — and 72 percent of Appalachian graduates are paying off student debt as compared to the 47 percent national average. Our six-year graduation rate is 72 percent.
What’s the secret to this university’s high performance in these areas? These stories address each leg of the success stool and provide some of the answers.
Appalachian offers year-round programming on mental health awareness, self-care and suicide prevention
Why 8 dimensions of wellness are important to students’ holistic balance
About Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, Appalachian enrolls more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
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