Stop waiting for the "freeze date" to understand your budget. SightLine uses individual student-level probabilistic models to predict which new and continuing students will enroll, persist, and what they will cost.
Navigate Uncertainty with Precision Enrollment and FinAid Forecasting
Bridging the Gap Between Expectations and Reality
Enrollment and retention are moving targets. When your institution is unsure which students are returning or which prospects will deposit, your institutional aid payout remains a risk. SightLine eliminates the guesswork by providing a clear line of sight into your fiscal future.
Integrated Forecasting for New & Continuing Students
A Comprehensive View of Your Total Population We don't just look at the incoming class. We analyze your entire student body to provide a holistic financial forecast.
New Student Yield Prediction: We analyze individual student characteristics to predict each student’s propensity to enroll, allowing you to verify if you are on track to stay within budget and meet revenue goals during the cycle.
Continuing Student Retention Modeling: We predict individual student retention up to a year in advance, helping your institution to understand the impact on institutional aid payouts and revenues.
Fund-Level Payout Analysis: We provide payout predictions from specific institutional funds based on individual student data, ensuring your restricted and unrestricted aid is appropriately budgeted.
From Data Science to Fiscal Certainty
Translating Enrollment Forecasts into Board-Ready Strategy
Data is only as valuable as the confidence it builds within your leadership team. We bridge the gap between complex probabilistic modeling and the executive-level clarity required to manage your institution’s most significant revenue drivers.
Predictive Revenue Visibility: We move beyond static spreadsheets to provide up to date visibility into how shifting enrollment and retention trends will impact your net tuition revenue (NTR). By quantifying the "financial aid payout" at a student level, we help you identify budget variances before they become deficits.
Executive & Board Alignment: Our deliverables are designed for the leadership team in mind, not just data analysts.
Clear Expectation and Goal Setting: SightLine’s forecasts often validate institutional knowledge, and provide a third party evaluation and analysis to set enrollment, retention, and revenue goals annually.
“I have been working with Sightline over the course of the last 4 years in projecting returning student financial aid costs. The projections have been extremely accurate even through the most recent pandemic experience. I have been able to have sightline include major shifts in our internal practices and the projections maintained accuracy. The projections are also always on time. I use these solely for projecting expenses, however, I believe there are tons of other valuable uses for the data outside my use.”
- Nicholas Stevens, Assoc. VP for Finance, Michigan Technological University
Why Partner With SightLine?
Your Extended AI Analytics Team — No New Infrastructure Required
We are a service-based solution, meaning you get the benefit of a senior data science team and subject matter experts without the burden of software implementations, IT setup, or long-term maintenance.
Partner Focused: Eliminate the learning-curve through partnership rather than a stand-alone platform.
Predictive, Not Reactive: Understand each cohort and associated costs and revenues before the census date, allowing time for a strategic response.
Data Science You Can Actually Use: We translate complex probabilistic modeling into clear, executive-level recommendations that your team can implement immediately.
Evidence-Based Sustainability: Every strategy is built to balance student access and price transparency for students, with your institution’s long-term financial health, ensuring transparency for your Board and Cabinet.
