Case Study: Eastern University boosts student retention with Degree Analytics

Rising Up from an Enrollment Crisis Improving Student Success at Eastern University

Eastern University, a Christian university, faced a significant enrollment crisis with a 15% drop in full-time undergraduate students over three years, threatening its tuition-dependent operational model. A key concern was its declining freshman retention rate, which had fallen to 74%. To address this challenge, the university partnered with Degree Analytics to leverage their data-driven services for proactive advising.

Degree Analytics implemented a solution by first analyzing the university's existing wireless network and SIS data to identify the top behavioral drivers of student retention. They then used this data to power a system of proactive advising alerts, enabling advisors to intervene with students showing signs of disengagement, such as poor class attendance. These efforts, supported by Degree Analytics, resulted in a 4% improvement in first-year retention and a 12% boost in attendance after interventions, ultimately protecting an estimated $560,000 in tuition revenue.

Eastern University