This literature review examines student retention in higher education institutions. Specifically, it looks at the background and history of student retention, three student retention theories, and current literature on student retention within the social system. The three theories are Spady's (1970, 1971) Undergraduate Dropout Process Model, Tinto's (1975, 1993) Institutional Departure Model, and Bean's (1980, 1982) Student Attrition Model. These provide context for a literature review on current publications, focusing mainly on the social (as opposed to the academic) aspect of higher education. Major findings are that the topic of student retention is critical to higher education institutions, but it is highly complex and difficult to predict. The literature is clear that student engagement during the higher education experience leads to higher student retention rates and increased institutional commitment.