Creative Approach Yields Best NTR, Validates MassArt Enrollment Strategy

Founded in 1873, MassArt was the first freestanding public college of art and design in the country, and the first ever to grant a degree. Today, with an enrollment of almost 1900 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students, MassArt attracts students from around the world.

Because of the school’s specialized, niche curriculum—which includes architectural and communication design, jewelry and metalsmithing, sculpture and fashion design programs—it does not compete with traditional state universities or liberal arts colleges for students. It also can’t use the same analytics tools to identify the most effective ways to engage students or optimize financial aid spending.

“Because MassArt is such a unique school, I quickly learned that no one could build models for us. We had to find a different analytics solution,” said Chris Wright, MassArt Dean of Admission and Enrollment. “But outsourcing and other approaches offered by consultants weren’t sustainable.”

The school was looking for a partner to help identify and attract best-fit students and leverage its financial aid budget to benefit its students and the college. Othot was that partner.

Advanced Analytics Through a Different Lens

The team at Othot understood the challenges MassArt faced as a nontraditional college and knew how to help. Unlike other consultants in higher education that use general data and offer enrollment analyses on cohorts, Othot’s models are as unique as the schools they help.

Rather than painting with a broad brush, each model Othot builds uses distinct variables to offer predictive and prescriptive solutions tailored to the institution’s specific needs. Each also offers insights on individuals. This level of detail helped MassArt unlock the potential of its data using an AI-powered, prescriptive analytics solution customized for the school’s most important data points.

Key components of the solution included:

• Dynamic models built for each phase of the enrollment funnel
• “What if” scenarios that showed real-time impact of an action
• Increased access for counselors to leverage the full power of the Othot platform at any time

This approach allowed the college to leverage advanced analytics to identify and engage best-fit students and target its limited budget more effectively on the right prospects, with the right message, at the right time. “Othot shows us each individual student we should be talking to, what we should be saying, and where we should be spending our marketing dollars,” notes Wright.

It also gave MassArt a better understanding of which students would enroll, persist, and likely graduate. “I can’t make enrollment decisions without the power of that data,” Wright stated.

State-of-the-Art Solution Drives Success

Using Othot’s advanced analytics, MassArt:

• Came within two percent points of their enrollment goal
• Had a discount rate less than projected, and
• Achieved one of the school’s best years ever for net tuition revenue

“The relationship between Othot and its customers is very valued. Othot genuinely wants colleges and universities to achieve their enrollment and persistence goals. And what they have been able to provide MassArt is a turnkey solution that delivers something actionable. That’s the big game changer,” said Wright.

Othot’s prescriptive analytics also saves the school’s counselors time and resources by identifying the specific action that will have the greatest impact on each individual student. Added Wright, “I don’t have to wait a week or two for a report from a consultant. My team and I are in the Othot platform every day, running scenarios in real time, empowered to make decisions. It’s also made us more responsive to our applicant pool because it shows who we should be talking to, what we should be saying, and where we should spend our marketing dollars.”

According to Wright, schools that combine data with machine learning are going to be the innovators in the industry. He thinks the need for true consultants will be less. “With Othot, you won’t need a data analyst because the product does the modeling and the math for you,” says Wright. “It delivers prescriptions that are actionable.”

Painting a Bright Future

For the current enrollment cycle, MassArt is building towards results that will exceed initial outcomes across the board. MassArt plans to use Othot’s models to slowly roll the tool out to the retention side of the team and to build out a model for persistence to graduation.

“This year, we will again fall within two percentage points of our enrollment goal. But our NTR is projected to be the highest in the history of the College without hindering our academic quality or diversity. In fact, on average we are giving out more financial aid that is impacting those with need in a bigger way, while still making our cost after attendance attractive to those who don’t have significant need,” says Wright.

Looking forward, MassArt will also be integrating Othot predictions directly into Slate, a CRM platform for higher education institutions. Othot is a Slate Preferred Partner—having a deeper understanding of the product’s functionality and processes and adding unique value to the Slate user community. For MassArt, this means Othot’s predictions will be easily accessible in Slate so that its admissions team will have the most up-to-date insights when and where they need them.

While many institutions are looking for ways to address declines in enrollment and retention, the team at MassArt feels it's on the right track. Wright’s advice for those reluctant to embrace advanced analytics: “Take the plunge. Don’t be afraid to take the risk. It will pay dividends.”

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