This report presents the findings of a study designed by the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education to identify the institutional characteristics, practices, and policies that might account for differences in retention and graduation rates among colleges and universities that serve high concentrations of low-income students. Lumina Foundation for Education supported the study in an effort to learn and share effective practices for fostering student success. This research is a preliminary inquiry intended to provide the groundwork for further efforts to identify the institutional policies and programs that contribute to student retention. Most studies observe retention efforts at individual institutions. By including 10 high graduation rate (HGR) colleges in the research, this report presents a more complete look at the factors in retention than has been previously available. Appended are: (1) Interview Guide; and (2) Matrix. (Contains 17 endnotes.) [This report was written with Abigail Wilner and Watson Scott Swail.]