GoalQuest, Inc. and the University of Southern Indiana today announced results from their joint retention and parent communication programs. Since it began using GoalQuest’s FYRe™ (Freshman Year Retention) and PICS:FYRe™ (Parents Involved in College Success) tools in 2003, USI has witnessed a marked increase in freshman-to-sophomore retention.

The Web-based programs—custom-written and designed by GoalQuest—were deployed over the course of the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 academic years. The FYRe program, known to students as e-agle (e-advice for a great learning experience), immersed freshmen in topics such as study skills, exam prep, time management, critical thinking, roommate relations and choosing a major. Parent e-agle, the companion PICS:FYRe program, covered a broad range of parent-oriented subjects, including freshman financial issues, student-family relationship dynamics, student privacy regulations, troubleshooting academic problems and offering positive student support from home.

Both programs featured interactive modules, such as surveys and self-assessment quizzes, as well as “Ask USI,” a tool that allowed participants to ask detailed questions about particular services or issues, guaranteeing them an answer from an appropriate administrator, typically within 24 hours.

According to Dr. Robert Parrent, Vice President for Student Affairs at USI, “Our goal was simple: boost retention. However, executing this plan was another matter entirely. To execute effectively, we believed we had to engage students and family members to make them feel like a part of our community. The GoalQuest tools enabled us to do just that—and with a demonstrable return on investment. We are particularly excited about adding the company’s next-generation Universe™ modules when we re-launch the FYRe and PICS:FYRe programs this summer. We believe these tools will result in even greater participation and, ultimately, improve our retention results with the next freshman class.”

Key Findings
Earlier this year, USI representatives joined GoalQuest staff at the NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida to preview some of their findings. The following were among the results presented:

• Increased retention. The e-agle program contributed to a 3.7 percent increase in freshman-to-sophomore retention among the freshman cohort that matriculated in fall 2003.
• Greatest impact among program participants. When both students and parents participated in the e-agle programs, the students were retained at a rate 17 percent greater than those who did not participate. Interestingly, students who weren’t involved in the program showed higher retention overall when their parents were involved in parent e-agle.
• Cash flow generated. The programs generated more than $500,000 in cash flow to the university for those retained during the first year of program deployment.
• Significant four-year ROI. Considering the cost of implementing the programs, USI and GoalQuest estimate the four-year return on investment for the programs will exceed $1.6 million, assuming retention results remain constant.

Importance of Real-Time Data
The GoalQuest Reporting Center provided USI with 24x7 access to real-time data throughout the program. This tool allowed USI staff to track participant progress, review feedback from integrated survey and assessment modules and quickly identify whether particular issues warranted administrative follow-up.

“By taking advantage of the immediacy of the Reporting Center’s information we were able to quickly deliver actionable intelligence to advisors and staff—intelligence that has historically arrived too late to allow us to intervene,” said John Deem, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at USI. “It was truly one of the smartest things we did to affect retention.”

“We are extremely pleased with the role our programs have played in enhancing retention at USI,” said Peter Kraft, GoalQuest’s Chief Executive Officer. “GoalQuest measures the success of its products based foremost on their ability to deliver real value and return on investment. That success is enhanced when clients such as USI utilize the real-time intelligence embedded in our programs to identify at-risk students and intervene to ensure their success.”

About the University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana, a public four-year comprehensive university, was founded in 1965. The university is located in Evansville, IN. USI enrolls 8925 degree-seeking undergraduates and 759 graduate students. USI's enrollment composition is 60 percent female and 40 percent male and 6 percent minority. Its student/faculty ratio is 18:1. The university employs 275 full-time faculty and 232 part-time faculty members.

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.