Case Study: National Louis University achieves higher retention and completion rates with Acrobatiq

Implementing Adaptive Learning at Scale Insights From National Louis University

National Louis University’s Harrison Pathways Program (HP3) is a two-year, blended adaptive-learning initiative launched in 2015 to boost completion for struggling first-time college students—predominantly low-income, African-American or Hispanic learners with 2.0–3.0 GPAs and below-college-ready ACT scores. Faced with low national graduation rates for similar populations, NLU needed an agile, scalable model that combined technology with intensive student supports to close the achievement gap.

HP3 paired Acrobatiq’s adaptive courseware and a flipped-classroom design with one-on-one success coaches, weekly cross-team Student Success Collaboration meetings, non-cognitive skills coaching, and instructional adjustments (ramp/action weeks, station rotation, instructor bullpen, and targeted faculty PD). Year‑1 outcomes showed strong promise: completion rates of 85–90%, retention from Year 1 to Year 2 of 76% (vs. a 55% benchmark), a 262% increase in students on-track for graduation (16 to 42), rising on-track percentages across terms, and rapid program expansion to more than 320 new students with plans to scale further.

National Louis University

Stephanie Poczos

Director