The Top Student Engagement Platforms for Community Colleges: Ranked
The right engagement platform can transform student performance and retention. They typically provide a centralized, single point of access for everything a learner needs, facilitate communication and offer support for those who may be struggling. These also automate processes and workflows, freeing up staff for high-impact support. But which student engagement platforms are best for community colleges? Here are five of the best, ranked.
1) Watermark
Watermark empowers community colleges with a comprehensive Educational Impact Suite (EIS) designed to drive continuous improvement and student success. What sets it apart is its holistic approach, seamlessly integrating data collection, assessment and reporting to provide actionable insights. The Insights Hub — the heart of the EIS — enables data-driven decisions and facilitates compelling storytelling.
With early alerts and AI-powered tools, Watermark helps staff keep underserved students engaged, boosting retention and maximizing success. Guided pathways notify them if learners face obstacles or if their goals change, while tracking cohorts through processes like re-enrolling is simplified and automated. Its commitment to innovation and customer service makes it the clear leader in empowering community colleges and their students to thrive.
Key Features
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Centralized hub for data-driven decision-making
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Comprehensive EIS
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Exceptional customer service
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Focus on continuous improvement
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2) Gravyty: Ivy and Ocelot
Gravyty offers Ivy and Ocelot — a platform that leverages AI-powered virtual assistants to deliver personalized support and proactive engagement throughout the student journey. This provides 24/7 multilingual student support, automating routine tasks and streamlining communication across various channels such as chat, SMS, and email.
Its strength lies in its ability to scale learner support, improve enrolment and retention rates, and free up staff for high-impact relationship building. Gravyty enables educators to deliver proactive outreach to support at-risk students while streamlining caseloads. The platform’s seamless integration with SIS, LMS and CRM systems ensures a unified and intelligent experience.
Key Features
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24/7 multilingual student support
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Automated outreach
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Omnichannel communication
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AI-driven sentiment analysis
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3) Modern Campus
Modern Campus provides a comprehensive platform to increase student engagement, support co-curricular learning and improve retention rates. It provides tools for getting involved in activities and organizations while tracking essential skills development. The platform helps community colleges create a sense of belonging while leveraging data to improve student success.
Deliver personalized onboarding content for matriculation and orientation and keep students on track through clear progression sequences. Modern Campus identifies learners who may be at risk of dropping out or underperforming, enabling staff to tailor effective outreach tactics. It also simplifies website management for swift updates and compliance adherence.
Key Features
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Co-curricular focus
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Personalized nudges
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Skills tracking
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Data-driven analytics
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4) Anthology Engage
Anthology Engage is an engagement platform designed to support student organizations, event management and leadership development. It provides tools for managing student activities, tracking participation and gathering data on involvement trends. The aim is to create a vibrant virtual community for learners, providing key insights into activity beyond the classroom.
Powerful APIs, an accessible interface and full data integration make it easy to elevate your engagement and retention strategy in one centralized, mobile-enabled platform. Anthology Engage also enables you to break down silos across campus, powering collaboration and integrating seamlessly with other Anthology software and key partners.
Key Features
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Streamlined organization management
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Efficient event workflows
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Co-curricular paths
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Data integration
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5) Element451
Element451 offers a comprehensive engagement platform powered by AI, focusing on creating personalized experiences and streamlining application management. AI agents assist with campaign creation, communication and data analysis. Meanwhile, retention agents monitor student progress, flag issues and send personalized nudges where appropriate. The platform also provides tools for event management, appointment scheduling and building microsites.
Omnichannel learner support is available when and how students need it, and seamless LMS integration means that real-time course data powers personalized support and proactive interventions. Automated career counselor agents promote internships and job opportunities, while graduation advisers keep them on track when it matters most.
Key Features
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AI agents
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Personalized student experience
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Seamless integration
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Marketing automation
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5 Criteria for Choosing a Student Engagement Platform for a Community College
In creating this list of the best student engagement platforms, the following criteria were assessed as being especially important for community colleges:
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Holistic data integration and actionable insights
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Community colleges need a comprehensive overview of learner progress and institutional effectiveness to make informed decisions. The best platform will seamlessly integrate data from various sources to provide actionable insights that drive continuous improvement.
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AI-powered personalization and support
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Community colleges often serve diverse student populations with varying needs. To do this, they must provide tailored assistance and proactive engagement, offering each learner the right support at the right time. AI-powered tools can do this at scale for improved success and retention.
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Co-curricular engagement
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Co-curricular activities play a vital role in student engagement and development. Tracking and enhancing involvement outside the classrooms helps learners develop life skills and feel like part of the community. This is particularly important for community colleges, where students may not have the same opportunities for traditional campus life.
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Streamlined event management
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Efficient event management is essential to creating a vibrant community. Good platforms provide tools for streamlining these processes, making it easier for students to get involved and for administrators to manage activities.
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Automation
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AI-driven automation can help community colleges streamline processes and provide a more unified student experience. Freeing up staff from backend administrative work gives them more time to focus on high-impact engagement.
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Other Considerations When Selecting a Student Engagement Platform
In addition to the key features the platform must offer to benefit community colleges, there are other criteria that will inform a final decision. When comparing platforms, consider:
- Data integration: Can the platform integrate with any existing SIS, LIM or CRM?
- Ease of use and accessibility: Is it user-friendly and easy to navigate for students, faculty, and staff, including those with disabilities?
- Scalability: Can the platform scale to meet the college’s growing needs?
- Security and privacy: Does it meet industry standards for security and comply with relevant regulations, such as FERPA?
- Vendor support: Does the vendor offer training and comprehensive support?
- Cost and ROI: Is the platform cost-effective and within budget? What is the expected ROI in terms of student success, retention and engagement?
Elevating Community College Success Through Student Engagement Platforms
Student engagement is critical for community colleges seeking to improve retention rates, foster a sense of belonging and empower learners to reach their full potential. The five leading options explored here each have unique strengths and capabilities.
Ultimately, determining which student engagement platforms are best depends on a careful assessment of institutional needs and priorities. By considering factors like data integration, personalization and co-curricular engagement, community colleges can select a platform that transforms the student experience and drives success.