Our Spotlight video series is highlighting each of our network research teams and their projects. In this video, Zack Mabel, Ed.D., an associate policy research scientist at the College Board, describes the Nudges to the Finish Line project.

Evidence suggests that many college students who withdraw from open- and broad-access institutions complete most of the credits they need to graduate before dropping out. The Nudges to the Finish Line project is investigating whether low-cost, behaviorally informed nudges that provide personalized information to students about how they can finish their degrees can improve college completion rates. The study targets students who have completed at least half the credits required to graduate. Students in the study receive personalized text messages that provide guidance about courses they must complete to finish their programs, prompts to help them plan and execute the steps to earn their degrees, and information to encourage the use of campus-based resources. The research team represents a partnership among the University of Virginia and Stanford University.