Hopkins is among the first universities to test the use of neural networks in enrollment management. Although Baylor University has been experimenting with a neural network, it recently decided to stick with a more conventional statistical technique, called logistic regression, to gauge the interest of prospective students. Baylor officials decided that logistic regression is more accurate for their models this year, but haven't ruled out using neural networks in the future. Enrollment-management consultants also have been slow to embrace neural networks. Also, the necessary software is expensive, and neural networks are difficult to explain to clients, they say.
Clients gather better data when they understand the process.