Early Alert System
Using sophisticated analytic modeling, we can often identify students who are struggling academically. When our model predicts a student is experiencing an academic challenge, we can send them a message reminding them of the on campus resources that can help with their specific classes. We can also alert an advisor or First-Year Mentor who have established a relationship with the student so they can provide even more personalized support.
If you get a message from BYU Early Alert, a mentor, or an advisor, we want you to understand that:
- Most students struggle academically at some point. BYU is a rigorous environment and can be very challenging so most students need help to make it to graduation.
- You can overcome your current challenges and not on your own! Resources are available to help you. Reach out to your instructor, a mentor or advisor, sign up for tutoring, or visit a TA lab. Use the Campus Resources tab of learnanywhere.byu.edu.
- Your data privacy is not compromised by our predictive model. Our algorithms are created from the statistical modeling of hundreds of variables across multiple years. All of the data is securely stored and calculated on BYU servers. The only output from the model is a risk score that indicates whether you are at high, medium, or low risk of earning below a 2.0 GPA for the semester. Nobody but you and your instructors know your current grades.
Early Alert FAQs
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Toggle ItemWhy did we create the Early Alert system at BYU?
We believe every student can succeed at BYU. We also know that life challenges may occur during a semester, making it difficult to complete academic work. Challenges may include:
- Financial stress
- Family struggles or emergencies
- Excessive working hours
- Mental and physical health challenges
- Less effective study strategies
- ...and many other issues
Once these challenges begin to impact a student's academic performance, we believe it is important to resolve them as quickly as possible before recovery seems or becomes unattainable. Our experience shows that when a student's academic performance is suffering and the earlier it is addressed, the easier it is for them to recover during the semester.
We want to offer support to students as quickly as possible and provide resources to help you get back on track and feel successful.
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Toggle ItemWhat is the Early Alert system at BYU?
The Early Alert system uses computer modeling and campus data to identify students who might need additional support to be successful in their classes. We identify these students based on two predictions:
- How likely the are to earn below a C grade in their classes, based on how they are doing so far in the semester
- How engaged they were with their classes during the past few weeks, based on things like submitting assignments and taking quizzes, compared with other students in the same class.
Every day of the semester, students are assigned a new risk status (low, medium, high) and an engagement status (average or low) based on their current interactions with their classes.
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Toggle ItemHow do advisors use Early Alert?
Challenges are a normal part of attending a rigorous college. It is normal and expected that students will need extra support at times while they are at BYU. BYU advisors have access to Early Alert scores to allow them to reach out to students. If an advisor contacts you, please consider it an expression of care. They can help you identify resources as well as discuss potential options to navigate the challenges you are facing.
You might receive messages from multiple people from various offices on campus. You can choose the advisor that you work best with. If an advisor reaches out to you, we encourage you to respond to their outreach. They sincerely want to help you be successful.
We hope students do not feel embarrassed or discouraged if they are contacted based on their risk status. We created this system with the intention of reaching out to you because we care about every student on our campus. We believe that with the right support, all students have the potential to be successful at BYU. Experiencing challenges or needing extra support does not mean you are not qualified or valued.
If you are struggling or if you are not sure who to contact, do not hesitate to make an appointment with your academic advisor or any of the specialized advisement offices on campus, such as:
Academic Support Office The Academic Support Office (ASO) assists degree-seeking, undergraduate students who are experiencing academic difficulty. ASO also guides students through academic standing toward success. College Advisement Centers Advisement centers are located throughout campus in the buildings that house the specific college. Advisors there help you declare or change your major, choose the classes you need, and answer questions about completing your major and preparing for a career. If you have not declared a major, visit the University Advisement Center. First-Year Experience Mentors BYU's First-Year Experience (FYE) provides a mentor to each first-year student and any transfer students (who request one). Mentors are there to answer questions, show you resources, and overall help you have a great BYU experience. International Student and Scholar Services The International Student and Scholar Services (ISS) office provides personal, cultural, and academic advisement while assisting students and scholars in maintaining lawful status. Multicultural Student Services The Multicultural Student Services (MSS) office provides academic, cultural, financial, social, and personal advisement to American minority students. University Accessibility Center The University Accessibility Center (UAC) provides students with disabilities equal access to all opportunities at BYU. The UAC also helps create an environment that facilitates learning and assists students to reach their full potential. In addition to personal advisement outreach, the Early Alert system will also send out automated emails suggesting general or course specific resources that might help students with a high risk status.
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Toggle ItemWho has access to a student’s risk and engagement status?
We share the risk and engagement status with college academic advisors who provide academic support to students. Academic advisors only have access to the status of students who have majors in their college or who are under their stewardship.
Additional offices who provide individual support for students may also access the status of students for whom they provide services. These include offices such as the Multicultural Office, Accessibility Center, Office of First Year Experience, and the International Office.
NOTE: We do not share these scores with individual instructors or teaching assistants (TAs). Daily risk and engagement status DO NOT have an impact on grades or academic standing. Risk and engagement scores do not become a part of a student’s academic record.
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Toggle ItemWhat about data privacy?
Your data privacy is respected and kept confidential through strict adherence to all FERPA guidelines and requirements. The University Accessibility Center, BYU Health Center, and Counseling and Psychological Services records are NOT included in the Early Alert tool. Nobody but you and your instructor know your actual grade in your course or your grades on individual assignments or tests.
Our algorithms are created from the statistical modeling of hundreds of variables across multiple years-worth of information. All the data calculations occur behind the scenes in a very protected environment, known as a “black box model.” Daily risk statuses are not retained and are not a part of a student’s academic record.
NOTE: We do not share these scores with individual instructors or teaching assistants (TAs). Daily risk and engagement status DO NOT have an impact on grades or academic standing, and they do not become a part of a student’s academic record.