American Talent Initiative 2026 Strategy Lab Practice Assessment

The items in this assessment tool reflect strong practices observed through ATI’s research on member institutions with high or improving enrollment and graduation rates of lower-income students. Once complete, a summary of scores will allow colleges to identify strengths and opportunities in specific practices aligned to each item. 

Directions: Assess the extent to which your college engages each of the following practices, according to the scoring rubric.

Enter your personal invitation code (only applies if the field is not populated yet).

Domain 1

Institutional Priorities
ATI goals are reflected in documents discussing and meetings reflecting the institution’s top priorities (e.g. in our strategic plan/priorities, senior team and/or board of trustee meeting agendas, and internal and external communications).
The senior leadership team is aligned on the specific strategies required to meet the ATI goals.
The president and senior leadership engage with the campus community (faculty, alumni, etc) to communicate that ATI goals are a significant institutional priority.
The institution is implementing 1 to 3 priority strategies that are at a scale likely to advance ATI goals.

Domain 2

Strategies (Financial Aid-Backed Outreach)
My institution has a clear cost program (e.g., students with family income of less than $75,000 pay $0 in tuition and fees) or other highly visible need-based scholarship.
My institution has a clear communications strategy to recruit students from low- and middle-income backgrounds that includes clarity on costs.
My institution has an active fundraising campaign dedicated to increasing financial aid to support access and affordability for low-income students.
Advancement/development staff have clear fundraising priorities to which they can point prospective donors, including clear cost or scholarship programs for low- and middle-income students.

Domain 3

Strategies (Community College Transfer and Veterans)
My institution has transfer partnerships with community colleges designed to attract substantial numbers of transfer students and include research-based strategies (e.g., dual/guaranteed admissions agreements, clear academic pathways, transfer-specific advising and orientation/onboarding).
My institution ensures that community college transfer students have access to robust financial aid at least equal to the amounts they would receive had they entered as first-year students.
My institution has specific strategies in place to recruit, enroll, and support lower-income veterans or adults, including those with some college but no degree.

Domain 4

Strategies (Student Support Infrastructure)
My institution has strategies to ensure the vast majority of students, regardless of income, graduate having had at least one high-impact experiential learning experience (e.g., internship, faculty-led research, work-based learning, extracurricular activities that advance professional skills).
My institution has strategies in place to substantially increase the number of students who engage with an advisor, mentor, and/or other support personnel to help them navigate academic planning, challenges, and career exploration.
My institution has strategies to substantially increase the number of students who create a graduation and/or program plan that includes academic, financial, and career success.