WASHINGTON — Getting through college isn’t easy, and it can be even harder for low-income and first generation students with few support resources. A new tool involving big data can help those at risk.
Researchers at Georgia State University spent four years analyzing students’ grades, test scores and other information in order to identify those in potential trouble, and promptly assisted them. The study shows the number of students graduating has jumped by 30 percent and that students are spending less time and money to earn a degree.
“These are really encouraging gains,” said Timothy Renick, the school’s vice president for enrollment management and student success and the principal investigator in the study. “Because of these proactive interventions all students benefited, but the students who benefited the most were first generation, low-income and students of color.”
Renick presented the study at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Boston on Saturday.
Inspired by Renick’s results, the Education Department awarded a four-year $8.9 million grant that will significantly expand his study. The project, which kicked off last year, will involve 10,000 low-income and first generation students at Georgia State and 10 other large public research universities.
While some students are good at keeping track of their academic progress, students from low-income backgrounds may find it more difficult to spot a problem, chose the right courses from an abundance of offerings and navigate the university bureaucracy. That’s because they may not have relatives or friends who had gone to college and could offer advice.
Gabriella Salinas, a 21-year-old junior at Georgia State majoring in marketing, said she was doing well academically, but then received an F early in her finance class. She successfully completed the course with extra help from her professor.
