Dive Brief:
- College decision-making framework vibeffect published a peer-reviewed paper about student success, focusing on what makes students thrive.
- The model uses predictive analytics to pair students based on their individual characteristics with colleges at which they are most likely to succeed.
- vibeffect conducted a national study of sophomores, juniors, and seniors in 2013-14, found the "highest thriving" students and explored their success on an individual level, then used that data to develop a predictive model.
Dive Insight:
Many colleges and universities are using predictive analytics to implement retention programs. These programs often start by looking at the most at-risk groups of students and then encouraging behavior and providing support that helped some of their peers do well. The research model produced by vibeffect looked, instead, at students who were thriving, first. While the model was created to help parents and students make the right college choice, it can be used by college and university leaders, especially at a time when student success is being considered a key accountability measure for state and federal funding.