System and method for optimizing an educational study path

Abstract

A system and method for optimizing a study path based on at least one goal are presented. The method includes receiving the at least one goal and at least one constraint; generating a plurality of potential study paths based on a plurality of courses that are required for the at least one goal and the at least one constraint; determining an optimal study path based on the plurality of potential study paths, the at least one goal, and the at least one constraint, wherein the optimal study path satisfies the at least one constraint, the optimal study path is a combination of courses and their order during a plurality of study terms; and generating at least one optimal schedule based on the optimal study path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed at a server for optimizing a study path for a student based on at least one goal, wherein a study path is a combination of courses for each of a plurality of semesters, comprising:
 obtaining, by the server, the at least one goal and at least one constraint for the student, wherein each of the at least one constraint is assigned a respective constraint priority;   receiving, by the server, from a database, information related to a plurality of courses required for the at least one goal;   generating, by the server, based on the information, a plurality of potential study paths for the student that comply with the at least one goal;   receiving, by the server, at least one preference of the student, each of the at least one preference being assigned a respective preference priority, wherein each constraint priority is higher than any preference priority;   eliminating, by the server, from the plurality of potential study paths all study paths that do not meet the at least one constraint in order of the respective priorities assigned to each of the at least one constraint from highest priority to lowest priority to obtain a remaining at least one study path;   eliminating, by the server, from the remaining at least one study path all study paths that do not meet the at least one preference in order of the respective priorities assigned to each of the at least one preference from highest priority to lowest priority to obtain a remaining at least one study path so as to retain at least one optimal study path; and   supplying as an output, by the server for the student, at least one optimal schedule of courses for each semester of the at least one optimal study path.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 collecting credential information, wherein the plurality of potential study paths is further generated based on the credential information.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one goal is any of: a profession, an interest area, and a minor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the plurality of potential study paths further comprises:
 performing degree auditing on each potential study path; and   including in the generated plurality of potential study paths only those potential study paths that meet the at least one goal based on the degree auditing.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint is any of: a total time to complete the at least one goal and an educational budget. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each constraint priority is a relative weight to be accorded to the constraint to which the constraint priority is assigned and wherein each preference priority is a relative weight to be accorded to the preference to which the preference priority is assigned. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one preference is any of: favoring a day of the week, disfavoring a day of the week, a time, online availability, favored instructors, and areas of interest. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one optimal schedule is further based on scheduling information that includes any of: course hours of each course, days of the week the course is presented, location of the classes, a start date of each course, and an end date of each course. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information related to a plurality of courses includes timing information related to at least one of the courses. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the timing information includes at least one of day of a week on which the at least one of the courses is taught, hours of the day during which the at least one of the courses is taught, a midterm exam date for the at least one of the courses, a final exam date for the at least one of the courses, a start date for the at least one of the courses, and an end date for the at least one of the courses. 
     
     
         11 . A system for planning study paths, comprising:
 a database;   a processing unit; and   a memory, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, configure the system to:   obtain the at least one goal and at least one constraint for the student, wherein each of the at least one constraint is assigned a respective constraint priority;   receive from a database, information related to a plurality of courses required for the at least one goal;   generate based on the information, a plurality of potential study paths for the student that comply with the at least one goal;   receive at least one preference of the student, each of the at least one preference being assigned a respective preference priority, wherein each constraint priority is higher than any preference priority;   eliminate from the plurality of potential study paths all study paths that do not meet the at least one constraint in order of the respective priorities assigned to each of the at least one constraint from highest priority to lowest priority to obtain a remaining at least one study path;   eliminate from the remaining at least one study path all study paths that do not meet the at least one preference in order of the respective priorities assigned to each of the at least one preference from highest priority to lowest priority to obtain a remaining at least one study path so as to retain at least one optimal study path; and   supply as an output, for the student, at least one optimal schedule of courses for each semester of the at least one optimal study path.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 collect credential information, wherein the plurality of potential study paths is further generated based on the credential information.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the at least one goal is any of: a profession, an interest area, and a minor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the system, in generating the plurality of potential study paths, is further configured to:
 perform degree auditing on each potential study path; and   include in the generated plurality of potential study paths only those potential study paths that meet the at least one goal based on the degree auditing   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one constraint is any of: a total time to complete the at least one goal and an educational budget. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each constraint priority is a relative weight to be accorded to the constraint to which the constraint priority is assigned and wherein each preference priority is a relative weight to be accorded to the preference to which the preference priority is assigned. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one preference is any of: favoring a day of the week, disfavoring a day of the week, a time, online availability, favored instructors, and areas of interest. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one optimal schedule is further based on scheduling information that includes any of: course hours of each course, days of the week the course is presented, location of the classes, a start date of each course, and an end date of each course. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the information related to a plurality of courses includes timing information related to at least one of the courses. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the timing information includes at least one of day of a week on which the at least one of the courses is taught, hours of the day during which the at least one of the courses is taught, a midterm exam date for the at least one of the courses, a final exam date for the at least one of the courses, a start date for the at least one of the courses, and an end date for the at least one of the courses. 
     
     
         21 . A method performed at a server for optimizing a study path for a student that comprises a combination of courses for each of a plurality of semesters, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by the server, the at least one goal, at least one constraint and at least one preference for the student, wherein each of the at least one constraint and each of the at least one preference is assigned a respective priority;   receiving, by the server, from a database, information related to a plurality of courses required over a plurality of semesters for the at least one goal;   generating, by the server, based on the information, a plurality of potential study paths for the student that comply with the at least one goal;   eliminating, by the server, from the plurality of potential study paths at least one potential study path using the at least one constraint and the at least one preference to reach at least one optimal study path, wherein the elimination of a potential study path is performed such that when a first constraint of the at least one constraint having a first priority conflicts with a second constraint of the at least one constraint having a second priority, the second priority being lower than the first priority, the first constraint is utilized first in performance of the elimination, wherein the elimination of a potential study path is further performed such that when a first preference of the at least one preference having a third priority conflicts with a second preference of the at least one preference having a fourth priority, the fourth priority being lower than the third priority, then the first preference is utilized first in performance of the elimination, and wherein upon determination of a conflict between a constraint of the at least one constraint and a preference of the at least one preference then the constraint is utilized first in performance of the elimination; and   supplying as an output, by the server for the student, the at least one optimal study path, the optimal study path comprising a schedule of courses for each semester of the plurality of semesters.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of the at least one goal is any of: a profession, an interest area, and a minor;
 wherein the at least one constraint is any of: a total time to complete the at least one goal and an educational budget;   wherein the at least one preference is any of: favoring a day of the week, disfavoring a day of the week, a time, online availability, favored instructors, and areas of interest; and   wherein the information related to a plurality of courses includes timing information related to at least one of the courses.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating the plurality of potential study paths further comprises:
 performing degree auditing on each potential study path; and   including in the generated plurality of potential study paths only those potential study paths that meet the at least one goal based on the degree auditing.   
     
     
         24 . A method performed at a server for optimizing a study path for a student that comprises a combination of courses for each of a plurality of semesters, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by the server, at least one goal, at least one constraint and at least one preference for the student, wherein each of the at least one constraint and each of the at least one preference is assigned a respective priority, wherein each constraint priority is higher than any preference priority, and wherein a higher priority is assigned a lower value than a lower priority;   receiving, by the server, from a database, information related to a plurality of courses required over a plurality of semesters to meet the at least one goal, wherein each constraint priority is higher than any preference priority, and wherein a higher priority is assigned a lower value than a lower priority;   generating, by the server, based on the information, a plurality of potential study paths for the student that meet the at least one goal;   sorting, by the server, any of the plurality of potential study paths that meets at least one of the group comprising at least one of the at least one constraint and at least one of the at least one preference, into an alphabetically ordered list of potential study paths based on the priority of the at least one of the at least one constraint that is met and the at least one preference that is met, wherein values of the priorities are used as an alphabet for the alphabetical ordering;   eliminating any potential study path that is not tied for being first in the alphabetically ordered list of potential study paths to produce at least one optimal study path; and   supplying as an output, by the server for the student, the at least one optimal study path, the optimal study path comprising a schedule of courses for each semester of the plurality of semesters.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein each of the at least one goal is any of: a profession, an interest area, and a minor;
 wherein the at least one constraint is any of: a total time to complete the at least one goal and an educational budget;   wherein the at least one preference is any of: favoring a day of the week, disfavoring a day of the week, a time, online availability, favored instructors, and areas of interest; and   wherein the information related to a plurality of courses includes timing information related to at least one of the courses.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein generating the plurality of potential study paths further comprises:
 performing degree auditing on each potential study path; and   including in the generated plurality of potential study paths only those potential study paths that meet the at least one goal based on the degree auditing.