Case study
How the University of South Carolina used CircleIn to lift pass rates in gateway courses
USC's Provost's Office piloted CircleIn in Calculus, Accounting and Organic Chemistry across two semesters, then documented the results. The largest gain: a 12-point jump in the Calculus I pass rate over the prior spring.
Pass rates rose in every course, every term
Change in each course's pass rate (A, B or C) compared with the same course in the same term a year earlier, in percentage points.
Calculus I (MATH 141)
Spring 2024 vs Spring 2023
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 333)
Spring 2024 vs Spring 2023
Financial Accounting (ACCT 225)
Spring 2024 vs Spring 2023
Fall 2023 vs Fall 2022, in percentage points.
Engagement
87 percent of students engaged with CircleIn in Fall 2023, and 77 percent in Spring 2024.
Active users did better across every student group
USC's analysis found that active CircleIn users had higher pass rates than low-use and non-use students across Pell Grant recipients, first-generation students, gender and ethnicity.
That matters because the students who benefit most from study groups are often the least likely to be invited into one. CircleIn places every student in their course community automatically.
"We believe that implementing CircleIn during this period has helped to increase pass rates."University of South Carolina, Office of the Provost
How USC recommends instructors use CircleIn
- Add CircleIn to the syllabus and LMS, and share it on the first day of class
- Award participation points for substantive study activity on CircleIn
- Ask graduate assistants and SI leaders to engage students through the app
- Use end-of-week exit tickets in CircleIn and follow up in the next class
USC compared final grades across high-use, low-use and no-use groups (ANOVA) and used regression to examine DFW reduction, alongside year-over-year pass rates for each course.
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