Families have long been part of the college experience. Students rely on them for guidance, support and decision-making, from where to visit and enroll to how to navigate their college journey. What has evolved is how clearly institutions understand the role families play in student success.
Research shows that nearly half of college students communicate with their families daily and more than 90 percent connect at least weekly. Students regularly turn to families for academic advice, social decisions and overall well-being.
This ongoing connection creates a consistent support structure. A 2026 multi-institution study of more than 20,000 students found that when families had access to information about academic and administrative progress, students were retained at rates 6.9 percentage points higher than those without that access. The findings indicate that when institutions provide families with timely, relevant information, that existing support system can contribute to improved persistence and progression toward graduation.
Access to information and retention outcomes
The 2026 study of more than 20,000 first-time, first-year students found that those whose families had access to academic and administrative progress data were retained at rates 6.9 percentage points higher than those without that access.
The impact was more pronounced for specific student populations, including Black and Hispanic students (+9.6 points) and first-generation students (+7.2 points).
The mechanism behind those gains is visibility. When families can see key indicators such as financial holds, unpaid balances or incomplete requirements, they are better positioned to help students respond quickly.
“Providing easy access to critical information creates opportunities for families to engage in their student's success, every step of the way,” said Ashlee Pollard, Ed.D., Director of Student Solutions & Momentum Center at the University of West Georgia.
That visibility allows families to support earlier intervention, before issues escalate into enrollment disruptions.
Rethinking FERPA: Student choice and informed support
Much of the information that informs family support is FERPA-protected. FERPA is often viewed as a barrier to family involvement, but data suggests students themselves are open to sharing access. In a dataset of more than 150,000 students across 50 institutions, only 5 percent of parent access requests were rejected.
The need for structured access is further reflected in behavior. Sixty-one percent of parents report having access to their student’s login credentials, pointing to a gap when formal, secure options are not in place.
As Dr. John Jones, Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, explained, “FERPA is not a weapon, a sword or a shield. It’s a process… sharing the information with the appropriate parties.”
Together, the data indicates that when institutions provide clear, student-directed pathways for information sharing, they can support both privacy and more informed family involvement.
What families expect from institutions
Access to information is also an expectation among today’s college families.
According to a national survey of more than 30,000 families, 77 percent want communication from their student’s college at least weekly. Earlier benchmark data shows similar expectations, with most parents seeking consistent, ongoing updates.
These expectations reflect the role families play. They are often involved in financial decisions, monitoring progress and helping students navigate complex processes. Without direct communication from institutions, that support relies on incomplete or delayed information.
Aligning institutional practice with student reality
Families are already engaged. Students are already communicating with them frequently. They are already influencing decisions that affect persistence and success.
The differentiator for institutions is access.
Institutions that provide families with timely, relevant information are associated with measurable improvements in retention. When access is limited, gaps can emerge between institutional processes and the support systems students rely on most.
As colleges continue to address retention challenges, family engagement is increasingly being incorporated into broader student success strategies. Not as an added layer of communication, but as a way to ensure that the people students turn to most often have the information needed to provide effective support.
