The agreement also includes seamless transfer between two- and four-year institutions so students would be granted junior-level status once they complete their associate degrees. Colleges would agree to track student progress, using predictive analytics and intrusive advising, and to revise college schedules to make attending classes easier for students who work.
Meanwhile, Short started digging into UH’s data and was not pleased with what she found. She learned that students earned 151 credits on average toward a bachelor’s degree, although the typical bachelor’s degree program requires only 120 credit hours to complete. Researchers have found that excess credits often don’t lead to college completion and place students in more debt. As a result, she started having conversations with the community colleges about improving student outcomes. Houston GPS was established soon after.