New Study Defines What Makes Student Success Coaching Truly Effective

PORTLAND, Ore. – February 18, 2026 – A groundbreaking new literature review is providing higher education leaders with a long-awaited, evidence-based roadmap for what makes student success coaching work. Synthesizing over two decades of research from 36 independent studies, the peer-reviewed publication identifies a clear and compelling pattern: the effectiveness of coaching is intrinsically linked not to the intervention itself, but to the quality of coach training and support.

Published in the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education (IJMCE), the comprehensive review was announced today by InsideTrack, a social impact organization that has pioneered the use of success coaching for college students. The findings distill a complex field into a clear set of actionable principles, offering a guide for institutions seeking to improve student retention and completion in an increasingly challenging environment.

An Evidence-Based Mandate in a Strained System

Colleges and universities today are navigating a perfect storm of pressures. While national enrollment and completion rates have seen modest gains, institutions continue to grapple with persistent equity gaps, rising operational costs, and a growing student mental health crisis. In response, a majority of institutions have adopted some form of student success coaching, but the efficacy and return on investment of these programs have often been difficult to measure and scale.

This new review aims to change that by providing a clear framework rooted in empirical data. "At a moment of constrained resources and rising expectations for outcomes, institutions face a clear imperative to invest in approaches grounded in evidence," said Ruth Bauer, president of InsideTrack. "This literature review distills decades of research into a coherent framework. It helps institutions understand not only whether coaching works, but what makes it effective, and scalable, over time."

The study comes as institutions are under intense pressure to demonstrate value and improve outcomes for all students, particularly those from first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented backgrounds. By clarifying the core components of high-impact coaching, the research provides a blueprint for channeling limited resources into strategies with the highest probability of success.

Beyond the Buzzword: Deconstructing Quality Coaching

The most significant finding from the review is the clear distinction it draws between coaching as a generic concept and coaching as a disciplined, professional practice. Across two-thirds (66 percent) of the studies analyzed, coaching effectiveness was directly tied to how coaches are trained, managed, and supported. Models grounded in intentional training, accountability, and continuous improvement were shown to be far more likely to produce measurable gains in student persistence, progress, and completion.

"As coaching has expanded rapidly across higher education and workforce settings, the field has needed greater clarity on what actually makes it effective," explained Mandalyn Gilles, Ph.D., director of research at InsideTrack and a co-author of the study. "This is about distinguishing between coaching as a broad idea and coaching as a disciplined practice. Quality coaching depends on intentional training, clear competencies, and evidence-informed design."

The review identifies ten core characteristics that consistently underpin effective coaching programs. These competencies span a range of skills, including proactive relationship-building, developing student motivation, facilitating reflective assessment, and guiding concrete action planning. This shifts the focus from simply assigning a coach to building a professionalized team capable of fostering the knowledge, skills, and self-beliefs students need to succeed.

A Model Under the Microscope

The study, titled "Empirical Support for the InsideTrack Coaching Model," uses the organization's own certification program as a case illustration to demonstrate how its theory of change aligns with the broader body of academic literature. Dr. Gilles's role as a co-author and her affiliation with InsideTrack are disclosed in the research, a standard practice in academic publishing. The potential for perceived bias is mitigated by the journal's rigorous double-anonymous peer-review process, in which independent academic experts evaluate the work's quality and objectivity before publication.

This publication is the latest step in InsideTrack's long history of subjecting its methodology to external validation. Founded in 2001, the nonprofit has supported over 3.6 million learners and has had its one-on-one coaching model validated by multiple randomized controlled trials. Its methodology is one of the few higher education interventions to meet the stringent standards for inclusion in the U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse, signifying a high degree of confidence in its positive effects on student outcomes.

The Broader Landscape of Student Support

The study's release is timely, as the market for student success solutions is rapidly expanding. The global Student Success Platform market was valued at over $6 billion in 2024 and is projected to more than triple in the coming decade, fueled by the demand for data-driven, personalized education. While technology platforms are crucial for scaling support, this review underscores the irreplaceable value of the human element.

It suggests that the most effective institutional strategies will be those that integrate powerful technology with high-quality, human-led coaching. As students face an increasingly complex array of challenges—from academic preparation and financial stress to career uncertainty and personal well-being—the role of a skilled, empathetic, and well-trained coach becomes even more critical. The research provides a compelling argument that investing in the professional development of student support staff is not an ancillary expense, but a core requirement for achieving institutional goals related to student success and equitable social mobility.