MURFREESBORO (AP) - Middle Tennessee State University has been awarded a $225,000 grant to support its efforts to help students stay on track to earn their college degrees.

The university was among 24 higher education institutions across the country to receive grants of up to $225,000 through a national grant competition called Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success, or iPASS.

It's intended to help two- and four-year institutions launch comprehensive student advising technologies by 2018.

In 2013, MTSU launched an initiative to improve student retention and graduation rates. The university hired 47 additional advisers, redesigned several high-enrolled general education courses, greatly expanded tutoring offerings and created key performance metrics shared regularly with campus leaders.

Early results show gains in returning MTSU freshmen, sophomore and transfer students between fall 2014 and spring 2015 ranging from 2 to 4.5 percent.