The research literature on how to retain students until they graduate in post-compulsory education is voluminous and long-standing. However, a unified theory of retention remains elusive. Instead a variety of explanations and approaches has been developed. This article uses one theoretical construct to make sense of the findings of a survey of students enrolling for a second time in seven post-compulsory institutions in New Zealand. The theoretical construct is based on an "adaptation" discourse that puts the interests of diverse students at the centre of teaching and institutional processes. The results of the survey suggest that in New Zealand retention rates are similar to those reported in other studies, that there is support for the learner focus promoted in the adaptation discourse, and that being learner centred could assist retention. (Contains 6 tables.)