Why Don’t Businesses Adapt College Reup Methods?

Marketing Viewpoint by Ruth Winett

Why Don’t Businesses Adapt
College Reup Methods?

Motivating Lapsed Business Customers to Reup

In September, 2023, 37.6 million Americans under 65 were college dropouts or stopouts. The total is growing as more students drop out annually than re-enroll, according to a June, 2025, report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSC). Dropouts typically have less satisfying, less well paid jobs than graduates. This affects the community, which needs skilled workers and the taxes they pay. However, with support, many stopouts could re-enroll and succeed. And, businesses with the right strategies and tools could re-engage lapsed customers. As with stopouts, the first step is identifying which lapsed customers are likely to re-engage and then providing the support they need.

Who Are the "Potential Completers" of College Degrees?

"[S]tudents with at least two years of full-time equivalent enrollment prior to stopping out — are more likely to re-enroll, earn a credential in their first year back, persevere into a second year of re-enrollment, and complete a credential in their second year,” found ASFAF. Furthermore, community college students and students at online institutions are the most likely re-enrollment prospects, according to “Some College, No Credential Student Outcomes" (SCNC).

ReUp Education and SCNC Students

ReUp Education works with states and state institutions to identify stopouts most likely to succeed when re-enrolling. ReUp has worked with 1.38 million adult learners and with “50+ state-and-system-networked institutions.” ReUp uses technology to predict who will re-enroll and what types of support they will need. This helps ReUp’s Success Coaches provide "personalized one-on-one support…from enrollment to graduation." The goal is to "enrich …learner[s’] experience" and decrease the number of future stopouts. Massachusetts community colleges are tuition free for students over 25, many of whom are stopouts. New Jersey and other states also assist returning students.

Motivating Lapsed Business Customers to Reup

In the same way you could encourage lapsed customers or clients to return. Identify the ones that are most likely to reup. Then, ask why they left and what it would take to win them back. Seek ways to entice them to return. Like ReUp, assign experienced staff to work closely with the target group to resolve issues that made them leave. Then, periodically evaluate and tweak your reup campaign.

Sources:

nsresearchcenter.org

Helping Adult Learners Thrive - ReUp Education

https://reupeducation.com/institutions/?utm_campaign

Record Number of Students Re-Enroll in College

How Colleges Can Support Returning Stopout Students

What Is Success Coaching Anyway?

https://nj.gov/highereducation/documents/pdf/press-releases

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