Ellucian Smart Plan vs Starfish

Ellucian Smart Plan is a web-based academic planning and registration solution for institutions, students, and advisors. It analyzes academic history, program requirements, prerequisites, and institutional policies to create validated course plans. Real-time student information system data tracks progress and recalculates a completion route when circumstances change. Students can model changing majors, adding a minor, or adjusting course load, then see course sequences, completion timing, and cost implications. They can register directly from plans while institutional registration windows, prerequisites, and policies are applied. A dynamic rules engine manages sequencing, program requirements, and course relationships; multi-goal updates can combine goals such as a double major and minor. Historical institutional data can help tailor plans. Ellucian says Smart Plan integrates natively with Degree Works and Colleague Student Planning. The product page invites institutions to schedule a live demo and does not state a price, free plan, or free trial. Ellucian offers implementation, optimization, and training services.

Starfish is a web platform for colleges and universities to coordinate student success work, identify student needs, and support timely interventions. Early Alert, Scheduling, and Case Management help institutions identify and track students, engage them, and connect them with resources aligned to their needs. Operational Analytics gives faculty and staff data for proactive advising and helps connect institutional strategy to student-success approaches. Strategic Analytics supports action for student groups identified through risk factors and offers focused dashboards for reported data. Degree Planning helps students follow academic pathways, flags when they are off track, and gives institutions information to anticipate course demand. The platform supports cohort management and intervention throughout the student journey. EAB provides implementation help, staff training, update management, and change-management guidance through dedicated Strategic Leaders familiar with each partner institution. Partners can also join the nationwide Student Success Collaborative to share strategies with peer success leaders. EAB directs prospective customers to contact its team or request a demo; no price is stated. Its Trust Center lists TX-RAMP Level 2 certification and security topics including role-based access control, single sign-on support, and multi-factor authentication.