Case Study: University of Nebraska - Lincoln boosts graduation rates and student retention with Hobsons

University of NebraskaLincoln’s Student Success Initiatives Improve Graduation Rates

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln, a public research institution serving about 24,000 undergraduates, set a 2011 goal to raise its six‑year graduation rate from roughly 64% to 70% by 2017. Students reported feeling disconnected from services, and advising records were fragmented across paper and disparate electronic systems, leaving the campus without cohesive data or coordinated support to improve retention.

UNL implemented the Starfish advising platform in 2012—using Early Alert, online scheduling, Success Plans and predictive scores—to connect units and target at‑risk students. The six‑year graduation rate rose to 67% (the institution’s highest), over 60% of undeclared students declared a major (vs. 30.6% in 2012), 86% of eligible probation students filed Success Plans in their first semester, undeclared‑student retention increased to 89.1%, and recovery‑program participants earned higher GPAs, while advising collaboration and data‑driven evaluation significantly improved.

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Heather Reed

Director, First-Year Experience and Transition Programs