Partner Stories

IPEDS Completion Is 75% Faster with Automated Data Preparation

Mount Saint Mary’s University’s partnership with EAB’s Rapid Insight

Topics

About

Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU) is a private college with 3,000 students, a 72% retention rate, and a 63% six-year graduation rate.

Quick Facts

Mount Saint Mary’s University, a private women’s college in Los Angeles, CA
3,000 students
72% retention rate
Rapid Insight partner

The Challenge

Like every American university that receives federal financial aid funding, MSMU is required to submit a large amount of data to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)’s Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS). MSMU’s existing process for gathering, organizing, and submitting data consumed 40 tedious hours of staff time across multiple research analysts. It required manual data input and a time-consuming verification process to ensure accuracy prior to submission.

The Solution

MSMU used Rapid Insight to develop workflows for the IPEDS Completions Survey, one of three major reporting periods each year. The workflows gather data from all relevant sources and compile a clean, accurate file for automated upload to the NCES. The saved, repeatable workflows can be reused each IPEDS cycle with minimal updates to match new IPEDS submission guidelines.

The Results

Rapid Insight reduced the time required to finish the Completions Survey by 75%, from 40 hours to 10. This freed up two staff members to work on other institutional priorities. MSMU currently uses Rapid Insight for the IPEDS Completions Survey and plans to develop workflows for the remaining IPEDS surveys.

Impact Highlights

75%

Reduction in time required to submit IPEDS surveys

2

Staff members with added capacity for other projects

30

Hours saved each year on data entry and validation

Automated Workflows Accelerate IPEDS Data Gathering and Formatting

In previous years, SAU’s Faculty Finance Committee (FFC) reviewed data for a few select departments. Using APS metrics and analyses, the finance team was able to create comprehensive department-level reports to measure the health of all departments. By including both operational and financial metrics, department chairs were able to understand how their operational decisions impacted their financial results.

IPEDS Reporting at MSMU: Before and After Rapid Insight

Before Rapid Insight

IR Director manually compiled data in a reference report
Two IR staff members checked every line of the report for accuracy
IR Director entered data page-by-page on the NCES site

With Rapid Insight

Data exports in an accurate, formatted file for easy IPEDS upload
Director of IR reviews the data for completeness
Data uploaded in a single click, and repeatable workflows can be re-used each cycle with minimal updates

Rapid Insight Drives Significant IPEDS Submission Time Reduction

Experience Quickens the IPEDS Process, But Pairing Experience with Rapid Insight Drastically Reduces Burden

Total Annual Keyholder Time Commitment for IPEDS Reporting

1 Source: National Center for Education Statistics

"
Rapid Insight significantly reduced the time for manual entry and verification... You still have control over the information. When I went back to see what the data would be if I entered it myself, it was all correct.
"
Maria Narvaez, Director of Institutional Research & Planning