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The article discusses the use of data to improve college student retention. Such a system uses a computer algorithm and has been implemented at Purdue University to alert students if they are performing well in their class. The algorithm can allegedly predict which students will drop out and alert school staff of the situation. A similar system at the State University of New York at Buffalo looks at seven variables to assess students. The flaws in the prediction models include overlooking people who are at-risk and sometimes students can remedy their own situations.

The article reports that before the 2006 Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs began, the New Jersey Institute of Technology issued a news release highlighting the work of Bruce G. Bukiet, an associate professor of mathematical sciences who devised a mathematical model to predict the winners of the postseason's first round. However, he predicted that the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Minnesota Twins, the New York Yankees, and the San Diego Padres would advance in the playoffs, but all four were eliminated. His other 2006 MLB series predictions are presented along with a response from Bukiet.

Reports on the forecasters' models for the 2004 presidential elections in the U.S. Basis of the equation used by forecasters to predict the outcome of the election; Forecast of political scientists Christopher Wlezien and Robert S. Erikson; Information on the model offered by Brad Lockerbie, an associate professor of political science at the University of Georgia in Athens.