Data-Informed Student Support Evolution

Since 2015, Driving Toward a Degree has helped institutions make informed decisions regarding their advising and student supports, with an eye towards helping institutions pursue integrated student supports.

In 2022, we are grateful that close to 2,000 respondents representing 1,022 unique institutions have elected to participate in our research; furthermore, our survey sample includes 136 unique Hispanic serving institutions (HSIs), 38 unique Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other Minority Serving Institutions.

Data has been collected and analyzed via longitudinal primary research studies by Tyton Partners, with the support of the Bay View Analytics and in partnership with NASPA —Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, Achieving the Dream (ATD), EDUCAUSE, Complete College America, and the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU, formerly the Reinvention Collaborative).

We are also appreciative of the time and support provided by Dr. Ivory Toldson and Dr. Karen Bussey, researchers at Howard University, who provided guidance on survey instrument development, analyses, insights pertaining to equity, and breakdowns of survey results with a focus on identifying and mitigating bias in our process and methodology.

Contact Tyton Partners (drivetodegree@tytonpartners.com) to take advantage of the Driving Toward a Degree initiative as a data-driven resource for improved student success through supports redesign. To learn more about our organization, visit tytonpartners.com.

We welcome the opportunity to help institutions and suppliers alike address the gaps in their policies, practices, and technological products, and to assess current capabilities and identify future needs.

We also invite you to share this series and your perspective on holistic student supports via the Twitter hashtag #drivetodegree.

Below you can track the prior iterations of our research. 

• 2021 Driving Toward a Degree: Persistent Barriers to Improving Advising
  • Supplier Landscape: > 280 companies
  • National survey: 1,300+ institutions, 2,800+ respondents
• 2020 Driving Toward a Degree: The Evolution of Student Supports in Higher Education
  • Supplier Landscape: > 200 companies
  • National survey: 850 institutions, 2,500 respondents
• 2019 Driving Toward a Degree: Evolution of Student Supports in Higher Education
  • Supplier landscape: > 200 companies
  • National survey: 1,300 institutions, 3,300 respondents
• 2017 Driving Toward a Degree: State of the Academic Advising Field
  • Supplier landscape: >180 companies
  • National survey: 1,400 institutions, 2,200 respondents
• 2016 Driving Toward a Degree: Establishing a Baseline on Integrated Approaches to Planning and Advising
  • National survey: 1,000 institutions, 1,400 respondents
• 2015 Driving Toward a Degree: The Evolution of Planning and Advising in Higher Education
  • Supplier landscape: >120 companies