Personalized Support and Student Success

The intervention is a personalized student support program delivered throughout one academic semester to undergraduate students enrolled in Arizona State University's University College courses.

Following completion of the baseline survey, course sections are randomly assigned to the treatment or control condition. Randomization is conducted within instructor, such that each instructor's sections are randomized separately to ensure balance across treatment conditions and to account for instructor-specific teaching practices. Students remain in the condition assigned to their course section. Participants are not informed of their assignment. Students enrolled in multiple eligible sections will be assigned to one pre-specified index section prior to randomization; the study will not allow multiple trial assignments for the same student.

Students in treatment sections receive personalized behavioral support tailored to their highest-ranked concern identified on the baseline survey, including individualized email feedback, short microlearning videos, weekly SMS prompts, and a printed journal with weekly activities. Students in control sections receive a neutral thank-you message and a blank journal without personalized content.

2026-09-08

2026-11-18

End-of-semester GPA.
Persistence and retention
Student flourishing: Composite flourishing score measured using the end-of-semester student survey, capturing domains including purpose, relationships, and well-being

Flourishing Index. The primary survey outcome will be a composite flourishing score constructed from items measuring multiple domains of student flourishing, including purpose and meaning, relationships and belonging, and emotional well-being.

Self-reported use of evidence-based learning strategies, time management behaviors, help-seeking, and other behaviors targeted by the intervention.

Secondary outcomes will be measured using the end-of-semester survey. These include self-reported use of evidence-based learning strategies (e.g., retrieval practice, spaced studying, and self-testing), time management behaviors (e.g., planning, scheduling, and workload management), help-seeking behaviors (e.g., communicating with instructors, classmates, and use of campus support services), and other behaviors directly targeted by the intervention. Individual survey items will be coded so that higher values indicate more adaptive behaviors.

This study is a two-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of a personalized student support intervention among undergraduate students enrolled in Arizona State University University College courses. During the third week of the semester, eligible students complete a baseline survey and provide informed consent. Following completion of the baseline survey, course sections are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the treatment or control condition. Randomization is stratified by instructor, with each instructor's eligible course sections randomized separately to ensure balance across treatment conditions. Students enrolled in multiple eligible sections are assigned to a single pre-specified index section based on the earliest scheduled class meeting during the week, and treatment assignment is determined by that section.

Participants assigned to treatment sections receive personalized communications and behavioral support throughout the semester. Although treatment is assigned at the section level, intervention content is personalized according to each student's highest-ranked area of concern identified at baseline: (1) study habits and preparing for exams, (2) time and workload management, (3) financial management and budgeting, or (4) building connections and friendships. Participants assigned to control sections receive standard study communications without personalized intervention content. Follow-up outcomes are collected through an end-of-semester survey and linked administrative academic records. The unit of randomization is the course section, while the primary unit of analysis is the individual student, with analyses accounting for clustering of students within sections.

Not available

STATA

section level

Yes

65 sections

1,000 students

500 students by treatment arm