GEAR UP college transition text-messaging intervention (37 customized messages with advisor contact option)¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 4 claims (2 mixed, 2 against) · 1 study (1 causal), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

A low-cost behavioral nudge in which GEAR UP students were sent 37 text messages "customized to their college and including the option to communicate with an advisor." The U.S. Department of Education's IES commissioned the evaluation of this messaging strategy as a way of supporting college enrollment and completion for low-income and first-generation students.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Requires customized message content tied to students' specific colleges and an advisor available to respond

Constraints¶

• Did not increase enrollment or persistence in this evaluation

Target Learners¶

• Low-income and first-generation college-going high school students in GEAR UP

Target Learning Goals¶

• College enrollment and persistence after high school

Claims¶

• Broad advisor caseloads may have limited the effectiveness of the GEAR UP messaging by preventing college-specific guidance [~W]
• Existing GEAR UP supports may have eclipsed the benefits of behavioral-nudge text messaging [~W]
• Text-message college transition messaging did not increase college enrollment in the fall after high school graduation among GEAR UP students [-M]
• Text-message college transition messaging did not increase college persistence among GEAR UP students [-M]

Related Elements¶

Examples¶

• Pair college-transition messaging with more specific college-related information and adequate advisor capacity

Key Sources¶

• Alina Martinez, Tamara Linkow, Hannah Miller, Amanda Parsad, Cristofer Price. (2021). Study of College Transition Messaging in GEAR UP: Impacts on Enrolling and Staying in College. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/study-of-college-transition-messaging-in-gear-up-impacts-on-enrolling-and-staying-in-college