Nudging: A Way for US Colleges to Support Students

Iris Palmer and Alejandra Acosta were quoted in Voice of America's Learning English publication discussing nudging.

Iris Palmer is a senior adviser for higher education and the workforce at New America. She warns that even if nudges are clear, informative and timely, they can actually create problems, especially for the student who needs them the most.

Palmer told VOA, “An example of this would be: I’m a student who has never been to college before, my family has never been to college before. I come to college and I wonder if I’m college material. I get a message that says, ‘You’re getting a failing grade in this class. You need to come talk to your adviser.’ And I think, ‘Oh, I’m failing. I wasn’t even college material to begin with. I should just leave now.”

Alejandra Acosta is a higher education policy expert at New America, an independent research group. She notes that there are several qualities a nudge campaign must possess in order to be successful.

Acosta says messages must be timely, meaning they reach college students well before the date by which a student is required to take action. Additionally, nudges should be written clearly and provide as much information as possible. If students start to struggle in class, school officials should not just message them, saying they should seek academic support. The message should give information about what kinds of support the college or university offers and exactly how the student can make use of them.