ACADEMIC GUIDANCE MECHANISMS FOR SUSTAINABLE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Over the past decades, access to higher education has expanded significantly and is often understood merely as “entry,” without considering whether adequate conditions exist for students to remain, learn, and complete their degrees without placing undue strain on the institutional system. This article stems from the ongoing development of a doctoral research project on higher education policies in the Dominican Republic and examines academic guidance mechanisms that promote access that is not only mass-based, but sustainable. While grounded in the Dominican context, the analysis engages with broader settings in which enrollment expansion has generated challenges related to student persistence and the responsible management of available resources. From a qualitative and interpretive perspective, the study reviews specialized literature on first-year transition, academic tutoring, early monitoring strategies, and student well-being. The findings indicate that access is strengthened when academic guidance is integrated as a permanent institutional policy, incorporating initial diagnostics, academic leveling, structured tutoring, and socioeconomic support. The article presents a conceptual organization of these mechanisms along with a guiding framework for their institutional articulation. It also examines their potential implications for student retention, efficient resource management, and timely degree completion. Rather than isolated interventions, the study proposes understanding academic guidance as continuous and deliberately planned support throughout the academic journey