Student applications - key tips to make the process easier
A smooth admissions process is essential for any educational organization, especially in times when digital user experiences have become the new standard for almost every aspect of life, and continually set new standards.
Fortunately, there are several practices that can help you leave a good impression on your candidates while making life easier for those processing their applications.
In this article, we'll explore AZ admissions process
1. Qualify your candidates with a preliminary questionnaire
A preliminary quiz allows you to propose a series of questions to candidates, which they must answer in order to complete the application files.
This helps ensure that a candidate meets the required criteria to apply and discourages unqualified candidates from submitting applications which must still be processed.
2. Centralize your applications in one place
Implementing a call for applications platform to centralize all data and steps associated with the application process is one of the best ways to facilitate the admissions process.
Such an application platform can support every essential need:
- A portal for presenting your calls
- Applications area with online forms
- A file management space
- An evaluation space
- A decision-making space
This centralization allows all information to be analyzed easily with dashboards that show where your candidates are in the journey and whether there are any general weaknesses or bottlenecks in your processes.
3. Offer an intuitive and comprehensive candidate portal
Not long ago, admissions officers or school representatives had to travel to countless fairs to attract prospective students, rent equipment, and pay their staff.
Now, an Internet connection is enough for a candidate to find a program and submit an application.
However, to sufficiently take advantage of this digital transformation as an educational institution, this online space must anticipate every potential need while being easy to navigate for all the tasks necessary for submitting applications.
For example, this online space must allow:
- To save your entered information
- To send your request after having completed all the required fields
- Attach the required documents
- To see confirmation that their application has been sent and received.
Some factors to consider when it comes to a candidate portal:
Optimized for mobile
It's increasingly common for candidates to submit applications directly from their mobile phones, which means providing an intuitive mobile experience at every stage of an application is essential.
Contains an FAQ that answers frequently asked questions
An FAQ section helps candidates complete the process, while allowing your staff to spend time on higher-value tasks instead of having to respond to every request.
Consistent with the image of your establishment
An application portal presented in a way that matches an organization's identity as much as possible from an aesthetic point of view reinforces its unique image and communicates that high standards permeate the institution, whatever the context.
4. Allow electronic signatures
Needless to say, allowing applicants to electronically sign their documents directly from your application platform makes the admissions process faster and simpler.
This provides a quick way to confirm the identity of your candidates without the need for additional paperwork and logistics.
5. Automate as much as possible
Scheduling your emails saves you valuable time while alerting your candidates of missing documents, the end of an application campaign, or a missing document.
The most common cases for this context:
- When the status of the file changes
- As a reminder to finish entering information/sending a file
These emails can be personalized with the person's suitable name, for example.
If you use a comprehensive application platform, it is possible to automate the sending of your emails using its email features.
6. Integrate your candidates into a CRM
All information submitted, entered or updated during the admissions process must be centralized in a CRM.
If an application platform allows you to centralize all activities associated with the admission process, a CRM centralizes your candidates' information for its subsequent strategic use .
A key benefit of a CRM (like Salesforce or Pipedrive) connected to your application system via an API is that once the admissions process is complete, you can move on to the next process in the student journey without any friction .
7. Incorporate a calendar to organize your candidate interviews
By integrating a calendar into your application platform, you can manage interviews with your candidates clearly across multiple programs.
Additionally, you can define the time slots available for interviews by program and assign a jury for each to eradicate any ambiguity for your candidates as well as your administration teams.
8. Add comments about your candidates
A comments area associated with each file during all student application processes allows all your staff to be on the same page when it comes to a file without the need to carry out additional internal communications.
9. Keep your data secure
No matter which RFP system you use, a few basic precautions will help you significantly reduce the risk of disaster:
- Check that there are periodic backups on your web and database folders
- Create different user profiles to control access rights according to defined user roles
- Perform connection logging
- Ensure that a firewall filters access to the server
- Encrypt backups
- Secure back-office access at the server level
- Block risky IP addresses
- Automatically block users making hacking attempts
10. Offer online payment
So that your candidates can pay the application, registration or re-registration fees, online payment saves time by simplifying the process.
However, it is important to propose different amounts to be paid depending on the information provided, if applicable.
eMundus | Online call for applications platform
eMundus is a French start-up based in La Rochelle which offers a white-label online call for projects and applications platform for more efficient management of your application campaigns.
Thanks to great flexibility, this platform adapts to all needs!
