Why Enrollment Leaders Must Prioritize Data Over Assumptions

For decades, enrollment strategies have been driven by institutional traditions, gut instinct, and anecdotal evidence-but those approaches no longer cut it. Emily Chase Coleman argues that data-backed decision-making is now a competitive necessity. By embracing real-time analytics and predictive modeling, enrollment leaders can make evidence-based choices that enhance student recruitment, improve retention, and drive institutional growth-instead of relying on outdated assumptions that may no longer align with today’s student landscape.

About Emily Chase Coleman

Emily Chase Coleman, podcast guest

CEO of HAI Analytics, Leading the Future of EdTech, AI-Powered Enrollment & Data-Driven Strategy

20 years Building and implementing statistical models12 years Enrollment management at Syracuse UniversityCornell PhD Social psychology with a statistics concentrationCo-founder & CEO HAI Analytics

Emily Chase Coleman is a visionary in higher education analytics, reshaping how institutions use data to drive strategy. As the Co-founder and CEO of HAI Analytics Inc., she helps colleges and universities make informed, data-backed decisions about enrollment, financial aid, and student success. With over 20 years in higher education leadership and a PhD in Social Psychology and Statistics from Cornell, Emily is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between data science and institutional strategy.

At HAI Analytics, Emily is leading the charge in making predictive modeling and data visualization tools more accessible to university decision-makers. Her team has developed an innovative software-with-service platform, empowering institutions to use analytics for long-term sustainability without relying on full-time consultants.

Emily is also a strong advocate for education reform, challenging outdated models in admissions and financial aid. She critiques the high-price, high-discount tuition system for exacerbating socioeconomic disparities and pushes for test-optional admissions to promote equity in college access.

Beyond higher education, Emily champions women in leadership and tech, sharing insights from her journey as a female founder in edtech and data analytics. She is passionate about increasing representation in STEM and creating pathways for women entrepreneurs.

As a podcast guest, Emily brings thought-provoking, data-driven insights on higher education reform, predictive analytics, and leadership in the edtech sector.

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BIIE 228: Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Data Analytics with Emily Chase Coleman
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Big Ideas in Education· Listen to Emily Chase Coleman on air