The Importance of College Student Life and Involvement as it Relates to College Student Success and RetentionNicholas James WhippsEssay academic for the application of adult and postsecondary educationThe college landscape has changed significantly in the last decade. The stakes are higher in terms of costs, competition and potential benefits for the students themselves and for society. Today, to succeed and become economically self-sufficient, a post-secondary degree is essential in many cases. Research has supported this assertion and has consistently documented a positive relationship between education and economic stability (e.g., Day and Newburger 2002). In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau collected data showing that people with bachelor's degrees earn about $26,000 more than high school graduates. The importance of post-secondary education and degree completion is currently at the forefront of attention and colleges are constantly trying to conquer the ever-expanding topic of student success and retention. Few students think about the consequences of not having additional experience to earn a degree and not using the engagement opportunities that most colleges offer to help them inside and outside of the classroom. So we must ask ourselves what else we need to do to further improve our research effectiveness in the name of increased student retention and success. Are there other questions we need to ask and issues we need to explore in the persistent problem of student attrition in postsecondary education? A student's success in college and after graduation significantly hinders their ability to engage with their environment, meet new people and interact in a social setting....... middle of paper ......ion and success. Although much research has been done, the journey has only just begun. Very briefly, I have highlighted a topic that has been and could continue to be researched, with hundreds of different ancillary questions arising from it. Delving deeper into what student life departments do for student persistence and success and their role in this process is a very important piece of this ever-expanding puzzle. There is not much literature or research on the topic at present, and while this specific question remains a very broad topic, it can easily be narrowed down and divided for more specific purposes and research. What we need, but don't yet have much of, is a body of research that delves deeper into the nature of institutional practices in student life departments, their theories and practices, and their impact on student success and student retention..