A student mental health and retention-focused report argues that many colleges operate a reactive support model that depends on students coming forward—despite evidence that most students who struggle do not seek counseling. The article notes that roughly 70% of college students report mental health challenges, while only 37% seek support. It describes a structural gap: institutions often wait for visible academic decline or self-reporting, even though early behavioral signals show disengagement weeks earlier. Examples include changes in LMS login frequency, missed advising appointments, and delayed completion steps tied to financial aid. The piece argues that integrating engagement and wellbeing signals across siloed systems could enable earlier interventions. It frames AI as a way to connect behavioral indicators into actionable insights—without treating outputs as demographic predictions. For leaders, the emphasis is operational: retention breaks when systems can’t see early warning signs in time to coordinate support.