Effective Retention Strategies I believe it is very important that we remember that our online students are real people with real life circumstances and situations. That being said, it is also very important that we help acclimate our new students to the rigors of the fast-paced learning environment. Expectations are high in the accredited online university setting and students must be held to very high personal, academic, and professional standards. With that in mind I also work to help each of my students to feel valued and treat all students fairly. I feel that developing expectations and informing students of my expectations is very helpful to meet the needs of the university as well as the individual students. We must always remember that upholding university policies and high academic standards is our highest priority. At the same time we must work to motivate, and lead our students to success in their process of setting academic and career goals. I feel that helping students to evaluate their goals is a powerful tool in keeping them focused academically. I look forward to your feedback. Best Regards, Carla Denman