GoalQuest Inc. and Loyola Marymount University (LMU) today announced a five percent increase in the school’s freshman-to-sophomore student retention. LMU attributes the increase, up to 92 percent in 2005 from 88 percent in 2003, to the efforts of its First Year Programs office and the successful implementation of GoalQuest FYRe™ (Freshman Year Retention), a Web-based program designed to help new students transition to college and connect with student life.

Known to LMU students as Mane Points, the GoalQuest FYRe program utilizes an adaptive online messaging technology and interactive content to engage students on subjects like time management, study strategies, getting involved on campus, navigating relationships and substance abuse. The content – written and designed by GoalQuest with LMU oversight – features several of the company’s Universe™ tools, including UPeers™, UBlog™ and UScene™. In addition, surveys and self-assessments embedded within Mane Points help LMU administrators identify students who would benefit from assistance for academic and personal issues.

"We believe one of the keys to the success of first year programs is building a relationship with freshmen the summer before they arrive," said Jade Smith, director of first year programs at LMU. "We found that by combining orientation and other summer activities with the GoalQuest program we were able to familiarize students with campus support resources early and establish them as a valid source of information. As a result, students learn where to go for help. Because it reaches out to students virtually during the year – and in a medium they embrace – Mane Points keeps our support options top of mind."

LMU’s goal is to achieve a retention rate of 95 percent by 2007 and plans to continue using GoalQuest FYRe™ as a component of its retention strategies.

According to Peter Kraft, GoalQuest chief executive officer and co-founder, "When we first began working with LMU three years ago, they already had impressive retention numbers. We customized the content in our FYRe program to enable the school to focus on key problem spots. We were excited to learn of the university's progress since our partnership began and look forward to seeing increased results from the new product modules we've built into this year's Mane Points."

About Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount, a private four-year Catholic university in the Jesuit/Marymount tradition, was founded in 1911. The university is located in Los Angeles, Calif., and is the only Jesuit/Marymount university in the world. With 5,466 undergraduate and 1,637 graduate students, LMU employs 380 full-time and 427 part-time faculty members. Loyola Marymount is committed to developing the "whole person" — in mind, heart and spirit — through the liberal arts and sciences.

About GoalQuest
GoalQuest Inc. is a New York City-based software company specializing in innovative solutions for higher education. The company's proprietary software assists colleges and universities in maximizing recruiting, enrollment yield, retention, parent communication and advancement efforts. Its suite of products, including eCRUIT™, FYRe™, PICS™ and AlumNet™ as well as its Universe™ tools such as UPeers™ and UPortfolio™, are based on a revolutionary technology that immerses participants in highly interactive content. The tools provide clients with a full-featured reporting center and automated activity alerts that monitor the real-time interest trajectory of users. GoalQuest is a NASPA strategic partner. For additional information about GoalQuest, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.goalquest.com or e-mail info@goalquest.com.