HelioCampus Update #3: First-Year Retention Predictions

First-year retention is UMBC’s single biggest point of loss during the lifetime of a freshman cohort and a key focus area of the university’s student success efforts. To support this work the Data Science Team (from DoIT and the Provost's Office) and its campus partners have worked with our HelioCampus to produce the first of a series of predictive analytics reports or “playbooks.” 

The first playbook, just deployed on analytics.umbc.edu, predicts the likelihood of a first-time full-time freshman returning for their second year.  It is being used by the Academic Advocates in Undergraduate Academic Affairs to help identify students who may be at risk of not returning next fall. (Access to the playbook is role-based.)

On February 25th, at noon, the REX Analytics Group will meet to explore the factors that make these predictions change the most, how to read the dashboards, and how to interpret and use the playbook.  Please join us! Contact lmancini@umbc.edu or kjoseph@umbc.edu for meeting details.

Len Mancini

Data Scientist and Statistical Specialist