Big Data Can Predict Student Success

The big data analysis that sports teams and healthcare companies have long used to predict outcomes (the kind made famous in Moneyball) is taking hold on college campuses. Companies have developed models that will predict the success of students in a major or program based on their performance in particular classes. The results are often surprising. Most telling for success in a nursing program, for example? Not "Conceptual Foundations of Nursing" but introductory math. Standardized test scores, demographic information and classroom data also play a role in predictive analytics. The insights could revolutionize student advising and tutoring programs by indicating how and where institutions should focus their resources.  

New York Times (2/2/2017)