More Americans are going to college than ever before, but students face unprecedented challenges. Over 44 million Americans collectively hold more than $1.4 trillion in student loan debt and only 54.8 percent of students graduate in six years. This means that millions of Americans are taking on thousands of dollars in debt without a diploma to show for it.

This is tragic. Not just for the students and their families, but for our nation. Without more graduates, our country will face a shortage of skilled workers and fewer low-income families will get the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty.

Gates says that he keeps an eye out for schools who successfully educate students who are at risk of dropping out. Georgia State University (GSU) is one of these schools.

According to Gates, GSU managed to improve graduation rates for all students by listening to the challenges that students face, dedicating more resources to student advising and providing micro-grants to students in need.

Read the full article on college dropout rates by Abigail Hess at CNBC