Contrary to the intuition of some administrators and teachers, holding students to high standards improves retention. Establishing expectations early improves the classroom atmosphere because students are much more willing to help other students who put in a serious effort, and because instructor time is not wasted on students who don’t. Students graduating from a rigorous program are much more likely to have a true understanding of the material. This gives them confidence and leaves them prepared for competitions. They are more likely to get and succeed at cybersecurity jobs, giving the program a solid reputation. Students may have been taught that they can pass anything with no effort. Teachers must hold themselves to a high standard and be willing to help these students learn how to learn. Those who are willing to put in the work will succeed, while those who are not will leave sooner, rather than waste lab and teaching resources from one course to another. It may seem that lowering standards will build self-esteem, but the result is the opposite. If you don’t need to learn anything to pass, your education has no value. How important would you feel in that case? Holding students to high standards helps build comradery among students who have struggled together to understand complex topics and who have competed together in competitions. This improves retention and lifetime networks and job success. Recommendations and answers to specific questions on how to improve enrollment are provided. How can you create an atmosphere of trust and respect between students and faculty? How do you make the whole class feel like one team? How can you challenge your students with assessments to establish expectations early in the semester? How can you convince students that learning is a good idea? Your questions are welcome as well.