According to the College Board's review of data from the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development, the U.S. ranks 12th out of 36 nations in terms of postsecondary attainment among citizens 25 to 34 years old. Completion is the mantra since President Barack Obama challenged higher education by setting an ambitious goal for 60 percent of U.S. adults to have some form of a college degree by 2020. Schools are investing heavily in retention and graduation efforts, despite the sagging economy that is forcing hefty budget cuts in other areas of higher education. Their almost intrusive, but necessary efforts range from mandatory academic advising, to providing extra help to overcome financial aid problems that prevent students from persisting, to early career counseling to keep students' eyes on the post-college employment prize. In this article, the author discusses how colleges prioritize addressing academic and financial deficiencies among freshmen at the outset to improve graduation and retention rates.