Many institutions have adapted their outreach and enrollment strategies to increase access, equity, and inclusion for under-resourced populations. While these efforts have expanded access to postsecondary education, they often stop short of transforming the educational and support systems needed for these students to succeed. Institutions are now recognizing that welcoming new populations requires more than opening the door — it requires reimagining the systems inside.
At WGU Labs, we’ve developed an equity audit framework to help institutions understand the critical gap between their aspirations and the actual support students need to reach their educational goals. These audits examine student services, academic policies, and financial aid structures to reveal hidden barriers that may hinder persistence and success, particularly for historically underrepresented and low-income learners.
By uncovering these gaps, our equity audits provide a roadmap for designing student-centered systems. We help institutions align their policies and practices with the lived experiences of their students — ensuring that support is not only available, but accessible, timely, and effective. When institutions proactively meet students where they are, they create environments where all learners can thrive.
What the Data Tells Us
Drawing on a decade of institutional data, our research includes:
- Enrollment, retention, and graduation trends across multiple institutions
- Surveys and interviews with over 2,000 students and faculty
- Qualitative insights from 100+ student and staff interviews
- Predictive modeling to identify early indicators of student risk
Using a mixed-methods approach, we integrated quantitative and qualitative data to gain a comprehensive understanding of student success.
- Quantitative Analysis: Institutional data was examined to track enrollment, retention, and graduation patterns, identifying key risk factors for students.
- Qualitative Research: Surveys and interviews captured students' lived experiences, revealing barriers to success and opportunities for intervention.
- Predictive Modeling: Analytical tools pinpointed early indicators of student risk, allowing for targeted interventions.
- Policy Analysis: We evaluated financial aid structures and student support programs, offering actionable recommendations for institutions.
Key Findings
- Underrepresented students face persistent barriers. Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and low-income students experience disproportionate challenges in retention and graduation.
- Early engagement is critical. Students who connect with faculty and support services in their first term show stronger persistence and success rates.
- Support services remain underutilized. Many students don’t seek out academic or financial aid resources due to stigma, lack of awareness, or structural barriers.
- Financial aid gaps widen equity divides. Low-income students struggle to access aid, and institutions must do more to increase engagement with financial support systems.
Turning Data into Action
To translate these insights into real change, WGU Labs developed student, faculty, and staff personas based on our research. These personas help institutions better understand students' lived experiences and tailor interventions that reflect their needs. Here are just a few of the personas we’ve surfaced:
- Working parents balance jobs and caregiving responsibilities. They need flexible, streamlined support that fits their busy lives.
- Career transitioners bring a wealth of life experience, but often need clearer pathways between education and their evolving goals.
- Tech-constrained learners face digital barriers that can derail their progress before it begins, requiring intuitive tools and digital literacy support.
Each persona reflects the real-world challenges today’s learners face — and reveals opportunities for redesigning systems to be more inclusive, responsive, and student-centered. When institutions align their support with who their students really are, access turns into meaningful success. Based on these personas, we developed key recommendations that institutions should consider:
- Prioritize early success. Define key milestones in the first term and implement tracking systems to ensure timely interventions for at-risk students.
- Boost representation in course design. Incorporate culturally responsive teaching and diverse perspectives to address disparities in course outcomes.
- Embed support services into the student experience. Normalize help-seeking behaviors by integrating academic and financial aid resources into student workflows.
- Improve financial aid engagement. Strengthen communication about financial aid options, particularly grants and emergency assistance, to better support low-income students.
The Bottom Line
Equity audits are more than a diagnostic tool — they are a catalyst for institutional change. By using data-driven insights to redesign student support services, colleges and universities can ensure that every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.
At WGU Labs, we’re committed to helping institutions move from insight to action. If you're interested in learning how equity audits can transform student support at your institution, let’s connect.
