As entrepreneurs and visionary leaders deeply invested in the future of higher education, there is a significant concern in the industry due to the rising operational costs, declining enrollments, and increasing doubts about the perceived value of college programs. The call for change is louder than ever, and one of the most promising solutions lies in rethinking how we support students.
When Advisor.AI was founded, the vision was driven by a simple yet powerful truth: student success isn’t just a nice thing to have; it’s essential for students and critical for institutional resilience and growth. Investing in personalized, comprehensive support services enhances student success and institutional outcomes.
Personalized, holistic support implies tailored guidance that integrates academic planning, career advising, and mentoring support across the entire student journey—from pre-enrollment to graduation. This approach combines data-driven planning and human support to meet each student's unique goals, aspirations and well-being, ensuring equitable and impactful support.
In today’s competitive education landscape, institutions prioritizing student-centered, tech-enabled support are better positioned to attract and retain students. Students and families carefully weigh the return on investment (ROI) of the college experience when applying to institutions and seek institutions that don’t just educate them academically but are committed to the student experience and success both in and out of the classroom.
Offering robust advising isn’t just a value-added service—it’s a competitive advantage. Colleges with a robust advising infrastructure stand out against those without, who risk appearing outdated in a market where students and families increasingly expect a comprehensive support system. Parents and students are looking for institutions that help them navigate their academic and career paths successfully while providing a quality education that leads to a job. The investment in holistic advising can tip the scales in favor of institutions willing to prioritize the well-being and success of their students.
Personalized advising support also helps boost retention rates. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the national college dropout rate for first-year students is around 24%. For colleges, losing one in four students to preventable academic, financial or personal challenges isn’t just disappointing: it’s costly to face.
Career-connected exploration and comprehensive advising, however, can help institutions break this cycle. By integrating academic advising with career planning activities—colleges can more easily articulate the value of their academic programs and motivate all students to prepare for meaningful careers. This targeted, integrated approach helps increase student satisfaction, boosts retention and benefits the institution’s bottom line.
Beyond retention, personalized advising can increase graduation rates by helping students stay on track to complete their degrees on time. Many students need a dedicated advisor to navigate and choose the right courses each term. On-demand advising ensures students receive timely guidance on common topics, which can be pivotal to their graduation journey. When students can access individualized guidance on their academic and career paths and find the support they need, they are more likely to persist and graduate on time.
For many institutions, the question is: How can robust advising support be offered without overextending budgets or burning out advisors to learn new tools? This is where AI-powered, student centered advising solutions come into play.
AI-supported customized student services, such as academic and career counseling, help address rising costs by enhancing efficiency. Institutions can scale their advising efforts with AI tools, allowing academic and career counselors to focus on providing tailored advice instead of routine tasks like collecting data and answering FAQs about major requirements. This approach enables institutions to demonstrate high-quality support while maintaining costs.
A system where students have 24/7 access to academic and career advising ensures timely help when needed. Meanwhile, advisors can concentrate on the high-impact, complex cases that truly require their intervention and expertise. This strategy maximizes impact and increases team capacity, driving greater student satisfaction.
Investing in on-demand, personalized, holistic advising services is not optional for institutions committed to student success. It is a necessity, and institutions must act quickly to implement these solutions to meet students' growing expectations.
Advisor AI's comprehensive, modular student success platform provides on-demand coursework insights, personalized career navigation, AI chatbots, automated resume assistance, case management, executive summaries, and team collaboration tools.
By implementing similar solutions, institutions can demonstrate a competitive edge, support all students, and enhance the overall student-advisor meeting experience. Colleges that embrace this model will not only meet student expectations but also strengthen their bottom line and reputation as leaders in student success outcomes.
Originally published on LinkedIn on November 26, 2024.