University student attrition is a pervasive, relatively stable phenomenon in Korea. Withdrawal rate of 4-year college and university in 2005 was 4.2%, and that of 2-year college was 7.8%. Students leave for complex combinations of reasons. This study theoretically reviewed which institutional characteristics among complex combinations of reasons effect on student attrition and retention. And this investigated which student support programs influence their retention. This study used contents analysis of college report describing on their specialty and in-depth interview of professors and staffs of developing and managing the student support programs for their own students.
Student support programs are consist of college success program, vocational competence development and counselling programs, academic competence development and counselling programs, and individual counselling and advising programs. This study puts in order the various student support programs in Korean two-year and four-year colleges according to this categories.
Students decide whether they persist or not by affecting the interaction with the college characteristics, especially academic and social characteristics. When they affirmatively recognize communication and interaction with the college characteristics, they academically and socially integrate into the college and hold on the academic persistence. The school holding power is in the up-grading of educational quality service. Results indicate; First, there is no proven technology of student retention. However comprehensive, multicomponent strategies are required. Second, students initial, first semester experience is pivotal. Third, most successful retention efforts involve at least one component increasing academic integration.