The road to a college degree is often littered with potholes of self-doubt, and sometimes those are deep enough to discourage even the most ambitious students. If the transition from high school to college were easy, the average six-year graduation rate at four-year institutions in the United States would probably be higher than 63 percent. To improve those numbers, colleges and universities across the country have added an array of student-support services, including peer counselors, academic advisers, and tutors. Many institutions have summer programs that bring under-prepared students up to speed academically, and some have wellness centers that offer free massages before exams. Now, as an extension of these services, there is a new coach on campus. This year, Our Lady of the Lake University offered personal coaching services to all of its first-year and transfer students, most of whom are first-generation college students. The coaches motivate and counsel students, many of whom need more than positive reinforcement and time-management tips. Coaches also help some students navigate the public welfare system for sick relatives, or explain to their parents why they should go into debt to complete their degrees. Officials at Our Lady of the Lake hope such personalized coaching will inspire more students to stay enrolled. From the fall semester to the spring semester, 89 percent of freshmen returned to continue their studies, a five-percentage-point increase over the previous year. The rate was even higher, at 93 percent, for students who attended at least seven coaching sessions. In contrast, 69 percent of students who attended only one session came back for the spring semester. But the real test, say university officials, will come this fall. Typically, 38 percent of freshmen at Our Lady of the Lake do not return for their sophomore year, but university officials hope to decrease that rate to 25 percent.