The high stop-out rate of low-SES students in higher education is a significant challenge, with these students stopping out at nearly triple the rate of their peers. Beyond financial, academic, and psychosocial hurdles, a lower sense of belonging further hinders their success, especially when they attempt to resume their educational journey. This mixed methods concurrent embedded study explored how academic advising can influence the sense of belonging for returning low-SES stop-out students, using Strayhorn's (2019) college students' sense of belonging theory as the framework. The research questions were specifically designed to address the unique needs of returning low socioeconomic status stop-out students. These questions aimed to understand how their interactions with academic advisors influenced their sense of belonging and whether academic advising services could be tailored to meet their distinct needs and preferences. The researcher's hypothesis was that the quality of these interactions would positively correlate with the students' sense of belonging. Data were collected through a survey that included closed-ended and open-ended questions from low-SES returning stop-outs. Six students were purposefully selected for semi-structured interviews. Additionally, nine academic advisors participated in a focus group discussion to triangulate data. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive and inferential statistics, while the qualitative data from interviews and focus groups were transcribed and analyzed thematically. The study revealed a strong positive correlation between the quality of advisor interactions and the sense of belonging of returning low-SES stop-out students. This finding was consistent with the qualitative themes, underscoring the importance of advisor accessibility, perceived advisor competence, and a structured, supportive institutional environment to reintegrate these students and bolster their sense of belonging. The study also proposed a proactive measure, the Sense of Belonging Index, to identify and support at-risk students. This, along with enhanced advisor training and a holistic institutional approach, could significantly improve the reintegration and success of these students. In response to the critical need to better support returning stop-outs, particularly low-SES students, this study proposes the Belonging-Focused Advising Model (B-FAM), which integrates existing support structures to foster a sense of belonging. B-FAM emphasizes a student-centered approach focused on relationship building, empathy, and holistic support. It guides advisors to tailor their interactions and resources to meet the unique needs of returning low-SES students by leveraging predictive metrics and artificial intelligence. The goal of B-FAM is to significantly enhance the academic success and retention of these students, ushering in a new era of student support services, and eventually improve declining enrollment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]