What We Learned About Making Text-Based Nudges Work for Students
A newly published study, Conditions Under Which College Students Can Be Responsive to Text-Based Nudging, offers clear insights into what makes proactive outreach effective—and where it falls short. Conducted by Lindsay Page, Katharine Meyer, Jeonghyun Lee, and Hunter Gehlbach, the research used large-scale randomized trials at Georgia State University’s Atlanta and Perimeter campuses to test an AI-enabled chatbot designed to help students navigate critical administrative tasks.
Key Takeaways
Relevance is everything. Outreach was most effective when it addressed discrete, time-sensitive administrative tasks—like filing the FAFSA, clearing registration holds, or resolving unpaid tuition balances—that carried immediate consequences if ignored.
Trusted sources drive engagement. Students were far more likely to pay attention when messages came from a known, local, and trusted source, such as their university, rather than a distant or unfamiliar entity.
Personalization matters. Targeting messages using real-time student data helped increase relevance and credibility. Generic outreach, on the other hand, risked being ignored or even prompting students to opt out.
Urgency increases responsiveness. Messages were most effective when they clearly conveyed the immediate consequences of inaction, such as delayed enrollment or lost financial aid.
Limits to academic impact. While nudges successfully reduced administrative barriers, the study found no direct impact on academic performance metrics like GPA or credits earned. Outreach that wasn’t integrated into the academic experience felt detached and less effective in shaping long-term behaviors.
Why This Matters
This research confirms that proactive, low-cost interventions can meaningfully help students clear the administrative hurdles that derail their progress. However, these strategies alone won’t move the needle on deeper academic outcomes unless they’re thoughtfully connected to students’ learning environments and broader support systems.
That’s exactly the kind of challenge we’ll be digging into during our upcoming Thought Leadership Discussion. The panel will feature:
Dr. Lindsay Page, lead researcher on this study
Karen Vignare, VP of Digital Transformation at APLU
Lindsey Fifield, early adopter of AI engagement at Georgia State University
Drew Magliozzi, cofounder of Mainstay
Moderated by Aviva Legatt, author and higher ed consultant
📅 Tuesday, August 12 at 2:00 p.m. ET
Reserve your spot here
We’ll discuss the findings in more detail and explore how institutions can connect nudging strategies to broader student success initiatives.
Want to go deeper? Download the full report here for a detailed look at the data and implications for higher ed.