Conclusion

Predictive analytics for student success has the potential to make positive change in higher education and students’ lives, but it comes with the responsibility of ensuring that findings are appropriately communicated from end users to students. This seemingly simple task of communication requires institutions to be well informed so that they can take advantage of the full potential of their investment in predictive analytics to help students graduate.

At the same time, predictive analytics should be seen as a tool in a toolbox, not a solution to higher education challenges on its own. Predictive analytics should be implemented alongside broader institutional and policy reforms that help make the higher education system more equitable and easier to navigate for students. Otherwise, predictive analytics will continue to be a Band-Aid over a larger problem.

The field of predictive analytics and communicating its findings in higher education is rapidly evolving and many institutions do not have the resources or infrastructure to hire a vendor or engage in rigorous message testing. Sharing what your team has found to be effective for communicating predictive analytics findings will help other institutions help their students, regardless of institutional access to resources. Embracing a collegial nature will help more students and institutions be successful.

As the country and its higher education system experience rapidly evolving changes and become even further stratified, retaining students and helping them finish their degrees is more important than ever. Predictive analytics and effective, ethical, and equitable messages can be a part of institutions' strategies to fulfill their mission of educating students and closing equity gaps.

This research-based guide can help institutions better communicate with their students. By putting in work on the front end and being intentional, institutions can minimize harm toward students and maximize their opportunity to obtain a degree.