Georgia State University

Nationally recognized for its analytics driven-model, Georgia State University’s transformation project efforts employed predictive analytics to reduce barriers and establish equitable supports through advising, course scheduling, and financial aid. The transformation team benefited from connecting with their peers and learning about change management, which enabled the institution to accelerate transformations that consider a more holistic view of student success.

Transformation Highlights:

Advising Reform:

Georgia State University (GSU) employed the use of predictive analytics to target specific interventions and to reduce barriers to better support student progression and eventual completion. Data and predictive analytics have helped the university to better forecast student needs. Course scheduling was notoriously inaccessible for students as many courses were scheduled during the day and aligned with faculty preferences.

Research into alternate course scheduling models along with analytics to determine course demand shifted the university’s course scheduling philosophy. The new approach is data-driven and more aligned to student needs. New course scheduling models have also led to more efficient use of classroom space and increased choice for working students with the development of a new scheduling system and clock schedule.

Academic Pathways:

Financial risks can pose serious threats to student access, progression, and completion. Recognizing that non-academic costs (e.g. housing, meals, books, etc.) can significantly affect student success, GSU developed a robust set of financial indicators that help the university proactively respond with appropriate interventions that address student financial challenges. GSU’s use of predictive financial analytics has transformed the university’s understanding of the cost to attend as well as enhanced the university’s commitment to integrating financial stability and wellness into a student’s pathway towards success.

A more detailed overview of GSU’s transformational work may be accessed here.