The Great Equalizer? Making Academic Support Work for Every Student

Higher education promises opportunity, mobility, and the chance to build a better future. But that promise falls short when academic support systems fail to reach the students who need them most. Too often, support services are designed with a “one-size-fits-all” approach, assuming students will seek out help on their own. The reality? Many don’t. Not because they don’t need it, but because they don’t know it’s available, don’t feel like it’s for them, or face barriers that make access difficult.

Colleges and universities talk a lot about student success, yet the gaps in who gets support—and who doesn’t—remain stubbornly persistent. If institutions truly want to leave no student behind, they have to be intentional. That means rethinking not just what support is offered, but how it’s delivered, who it’s reaching, and whether it’s working for all students, not just the ones who know how to navigate the system.

Meeting Students Where They Are

Traditional tutoring centers and office hours work for some, but not all. Many students juggle jobs, family responsibilities, or long commutes, making it hard to show up in person. Others hesitate to ask for help because they fear looking unprepared or out of place. If academic support is only available on campus, during standard hours, or in ways that reinforce existing stigmas, students who need it most will be the least likely to use it.

Instead of expecting students to come to support services, institutions should take support to them. That means integrating academic help directly into courses, embedding peer tutors in classrooms, and making online or asynchronous support an option. It means ensuring faculty and staff actively promote these resources, so students hear about them early and often.

Designing for Access, Not Just Availability

Just because support exists doesn’t mean it’s accessible. Are services available at times and in formats that work for all students? Is there a clear, simple path to finding and using them? Can students get help without jumping through unnecessary hoops?

Colleges need to audit their academic support systems through the lens of student experience. If it takes multiple steps, approvals, or an intimidating process to access help, many students will opt out before they even begin. Streamlining access, removing stigma, and making sure support feels welcoming and inclusive are non-negotiable.

Leveraging Peer Support to Build Belonging

One of the most powerful ways to ensure no student is left behind is to use the strength of peer learning. Students are more likely to seek help from those who understand their experience—peers who have taken the same courses, faced the same struggles, and succeeded. When academic support is framed as collaboration rather than remediation, it shifts the culture from “getting help” to “learning together.”

Peer tutoring, study groups, and mentorship programs don’t just help students academically—they create connections that improve persistence and belonging. Institutions that invest in these models are more likely to see students engage with support early and often, rather than waiting until they’re struggling.

Beyond Offering Support—Making Sure It Works

Finally, leaving no student behind requires institutions to ask hard questions: Who is using academic support services? Who isn’t? Are the students most at risk of falling behind actually being reached? Colleges need to track engagement, disaggregate data, and be willing to change course when services aren’t working for the students who need them most.

The real test of an institution’s commitment to student success isn’t whether support exists—it’s whether it’s designed to reach every student, not just those who already know how to ask for help. Education is supposed to be the great equalizer. If higher education truly wants to live up to that promise, it has to ensure no student is left behind.

Knack partners with colleges and universities to expand access to peer learning, making academic support more equitable and effective. Let’s talk about how we can help your institution leave no student behind.