About the Episode
About the Episode: Recorded live at the ASU GSV Air Show, Mallory chats with Auryan Ratliff, Director of Creative and Emerging Technology at ASU Online. Auryan introduces us to a groundbreaking tool designed to alleviate choice paralysis among prospective students — ASU’s degree recommendation engine. Powered by generative AI, this tool personalizes degree selection based on a quiz that assesses a student’s preferences and educational goals.
Key Takeaways:
- AI-Powered Customization: The degree recommendation engine uses generative AI to match students with the ideal ASU degree based on their interests and career aspirations.
- Understanding Student Needs: The tool asks a variety of questions — from academic interests to desired workplace environment — to tailor degree recommendations effectively.
- Reducing Choice Overload: With over 800 degree options, ASU utilizes this AI tool to help students navigate their choices without feeling overwhelmed.
- Future of Educational Tools: Beyond degree selection, this AI initiative is poised to personalize the entire educational experience, including financial aid and course selection.
The Problem: Too Many Choices
ASU’s online degree catalog is robust, offering over 800 programs. While this variety is a strength, it also creates challenges for prospective students. Orion explains how ASU’s website analytics revealed a troubling trend: many students were leaving the site before finding a program that matched their goals. With students often sorting degrees alphabetically and scrolling aimlessly, it became clear that there was a need to simplify the process and reduce “choice paralysis.”
Enter the Degree Recommendation Engine
The Degree Recommendation Engine (DRE) was developed to address this challenge. Powered by generative AI, the tool asks students a series of thoughtful questions about their interests, career aspirations, and lifestyle preferences. These questions go beyond standard academic queries to include:
- Education Journey: Are you a high school student, a transfer student, or a lifelong learner?
- Learning Preferences: Do you prefer online learning, on-campus classes, or a hybrid model?
- Hobbies and Interests: What do you enjoy doing in your free time—reading, hiking, or watching films?
- Career Aspirations: Do you want to work with your hands, make a social impact, or have creative freedom?
The tool then leverages this input to recommend degrees that align with the student’s goals. But it doesn’t stop there—it also generates personalized explanations for why each degree is a good fit, helping students understand the pathway from their current interests to a fulfilling career.
Driving Student Engagement and Enrollment
Orion emphasizes that the DRE is designed primarily for prospective students exploring ASU for the first time. By embedding the tool on ASU’s degree pages, the university aims to provide a seamless, guided experience for visitors. Instead of scrolling through endless degree options, students can take a quick quiz and receive tailored recommendations, reducing the likelihood of dropping off the site.
This tool is set to undergo A/B testing on ASU Online’s website within the next few months to gather data on student engagement and validate its effectiveness. Early user testing has already shown promising results, with students responding positively to the tool’s ease of use and personalized approach.
Expanding AI Beyond Degree Matching
Orion envisions the DRE as the foundation for a broader ecosystem of personalized student support powered by AI. Beyond degree recommendations, similar tools could be developed to:
- Simplify financial aid navigation by providing customized instructions based on a student’s unique situation (e.g., international, military, or out-of-state students).
- Recommend campus resources like tutoring, advising, or career services that align with a student’s specific needs.
- Help students discover extracurricular activities and clubs that match their personal interests.
By leveraging AI to serve the right information at the right time, ASU hopes to create a higher ed experience that is more accessible, intuitive, and supportive for students.
The Potential for Improved Retention
Mallory points out that only 60% of students who start a degree complete it, often because they enroll in programs that don’t align with their goals or interests. Orion believes the DRE can play a significant role in improving retention rates by matching students with degrees that truly fit their aspirations and helping them navigate their academic journey more effectively.
Parting Thoughts
Orion concludes by emphasizing that the Degree Recommendation Engine is just the beginning of what’s possible when higher ed embraces AI. The technology has the potential to revolutionize not just enrollment but the entire student experience, from onboarding to graduation.
Mallory wraps up by inviting Orion to return to The Pulse once ASU rolls out the DRE and has data on its impact. She encourages listeners—many of whom work in admissions, marketing, and enrollment—to consider how similar tools could benefit their own institutions.
Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
Connect with Us at the Engage Summit: Exciting news — Mallory will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.
Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout.
Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!
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