EducationDynamics Predicts Intense Demand for Student Retention Programs in Response to President Barack Obama's Call to Improve Retention Rates

HOBOKEN, NJ--(Marketwire - March 23, 2009) - Demand for student retention programs is expected to intensify this year, according to EducationDynamics, in response to President Barack Obama's $2.5 billion allocation to support state efforts to help low-income students succeed and graduate from college. An increasing number of post-secondary institutions are likely to seek outcomes similar to the schools nationwide already utilizing EducationDynamics' (http://www.educationdynamics.com) programs, which are proven to boost retention rates by seven percent on average among program participants.

Student attrition rates among traditional and online institutions have been on the rise in recent years -- as high as 50 percent for traditional students and upwards of 60 percent for online learners. As part of the Access and Completion Incentive Fund, many colleges and universities will have access to a portion of $2.5 billion over five years to dedicate to innovative programs to bolster student engagement and retention.

An increasing number of post-secondary institutions are expected to adopt an array of engagement tools that allow students to explore support services and resources on their own time and in their preferred medium -- the Internet. The most effective student retention programs incorporate the following, based on research by EducationDynamics:

1. Early-warning alerts -- Programs that identify and help at-risk students early on in the student-school relationship, greatly reducing the risk of attrition.

2. Purpose networks or academically purposeful social networks -- Student-friendly e-communities that allow users to interact through instant messaging and interactive activities before and/or after matriculation. Typically, participants can create their own profiles, identify students with shared interests and form study groups in a highly-secure online environment.

3. Proprietary content -- Customizable content designed to aid campus engagement, and academic and social integration, as well as usher students into high-impact activities.

4. Contests -- Online games (such as trivia quizzes and scavenger hunts) designed to educate students about their school's resources, proven to increase student involvement and help students feel more connected to their school and community.

5. Health and wellness resources -- Interactive resources designed to promote general wellness, and physical and mental health through educational articles, self-assessment screening tools and self-improvement modules that can be less intimidating than speaking face-to-face with a counselor or other administrator.

"We are extremely pleased to know that our tools and services give colleges proven tactics to achieve the Department of Education's goals of helping more students complete college," says John Mathew, president of the Enrollment and Retention Services Division of EducationDynamics. "Our student retention solutions meet students on their own interactive turf, while providing administrators with a range of tools to identify students at risk."

President Obama is expected to provide additional details about his Access and Completion Incentive Fund in late April. This commitment to student retention is part of the President's larger goal for the United States to once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

About EducationDynamics

EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is higher education's leading marketing and information services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain more students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. For more information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Nikki Martin 303.433.7020