U.S. patent application number 10/428098 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-23 for methods of generating applications for enrollment at educational institutions.
This patent application is currently assigned to William A. Royall, Jr.. Invention is credited to Clark, Elizabeth W., Freeman, Edward B. III, Royall, William A. JR..
Application Number | 20030200112 10/428098 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46282304 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030200112 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Royall, William A. JR. ; et
al. |
October 23, 2003 |
Methods of generating applications for enrollment at educational
institutions
Abstract
A method of increasing the number of applications for enrollment
at an institution of higher learning, including the initial
profiling of the institution's candidate inquiry pool against the
institution's enrollment objectives, the electronic solicitation of
additional information and the reiterative profiling of candidates
during the period before an application is sent to determine the
candidate's continued interest, the customization of interest
piquing communications with the candidates and the application
itself, the offering of choices as to the method of completing the
application and incentives to do so, and the evaluation of the
program from the monitoring of the application responses.
Inventors: |
Royall, William A. JR.;
(Richmond, VA) ; Freeman, Edward B. III;
(Richmond, VA) ; Clark, Elizabeth W.; (Richmond,
VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DUANE MORRIS LLP
Suite 700
1667 K Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
William A. Royall, Jr.
|
Family ID: |
46282304 |
Appl. No.: |
10/428098 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10428098 |
May 2, 2003 |
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09633897 |
Aug 7, 2000 |
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60147366 |
Aug 5, 1999 |
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60205558 |
May 22, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/326 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/10 20130101;
G06Q 50/205 20130101; G06Q 50/2053 20130101; G06Q 30/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/1 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for profiling an inquiry pool of candidates in
attending an institution of higher learning preliminarily to
providing an application for enrollment, the method comprising the
steps of: (a) providing a data base including information related
to candidates for enrollment and the preferences of the institution
for students with predetermined characteristics; (b) electronically
evaluating the candidates in the data base against a first
predetermined profile including: (i) to the extent available in the
data base, information as to the candidate's high school class
year, the prior visit of the candidate to the institution, and the
source of the information about the candidate's initial contact
with the institution in the data base, and (ii) the preferences of
the institution, to thereby select candidates for further contact;
and (c) providing a report of the electronic evaluation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined profile
includes the gender and ethnicity of each candidate; and wherein
the report of the electronic reevaluation includes an evaluation of
the degree of gender and ethnicity representation of the candidates
in the data base.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first predetermined profile
also includes the geographic area of residence of each candidate;
and wherein the report of the electronic reevaluation also includes
an evaluation of the degree of geographic area of residence
representation of the candidates in the data base.
4. The method of claim 1 including the step of: (d) preparing
mailing list as function of evaluated interest.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data base includes a list of
available documentation about the institution; and including the
further steps of: (g) selecting documentation for mailing as a
function of the profiling; and (h) mailing the selected
documentation.
6. A method for evaluating the interest of candidates in attending
an institution of higher learning preliminarily to providing an
application for enrollment, the method comprising the steps of: (a)
providing a data base including information related to candidates
for enrollment; (b) electronically evaluating the candidates in the
data base against a first predetermined profile; and (c) providing
a report of the electronic evaluation of the candidate's
interest.
7. The method of claim 6 including the further step of (g)
preparing a mailing list of selected candidates as a function of
the evaluated interest.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the data base includes a list of
available documentation relating to preselected features of the
institution; and including the further steps of: (g) selecting
available documentation as a function of the evaluated interest;
and (h) mailing the selected documentation to each of the selected
candidates on the mailing list.
9. A method for evaluating the continued interest of candidates in
attending an institution of higher learning preliminarily to
providing an application for enrollment, the method comprising the
steps of: (a) providing a data base including information related
to candidates for enrollment and the preferences of the institution
for students with predetermined characteristics; (b) electronically
evaluating the candidates in the data base against a first
predetermined profile including: (i) information relating to the
candidate's high school class year, the prior visit of the
candidate to the institution, and the source of the information
about the candidate's initial contact with the institution in the
data base, and (ii) the preferences of the institution, to thereby
select candidates for further contact; (c) electronically
requesting predetermined information from the selected candidates;
(d) entering the electronic responses to the electronic request for
information into the data base; (e) electronically reevaluating the
selected candidates in the data base against a second predetermined
profile to thereby evaluate the interest of the selected candidates
in attending the institution; and (f) providing a report of the
electronic reevaluation.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic request includes
the steps of: constructing an electronic survey; locating the
electronic survey on a web page at the web site of the institution;
create a unique access number for each candidate; providing each
candidate with his unique access number in an e-mail request for
information by an electronic survey; and automatically updating the
data base with the responses from the electronic survey.
11. The method of claim 9 including the further step of (g)
preparing a mailing list of selected candidates as a function of
the evaluated continued interest.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the data base includes a list of
available documentation relating to preselected features of the
institution; and including the further steps of: (h) selecting
available documentation as a function of the electronic responses
to the electronic request for information, and (i) mailing the
selected documentation to each of the selected candidates on the
mailing list.
13. A method for evaluating the continued interest of candidates in
attending an institution of higher learning preliminarily to
providing an application for enrollment, the method comprising the
steps of: (a) providing a data base including information related
to candidates for enrollment and the preferences of the institution
for students with predetermined characteristics; (b) electronically
evaluating the candidates in the data base against a first
predetermined profile; (c) providing a web page for the
institution, the web page housing a survey requesting predetermined
information related to the continued interest of candidates in
enrolling at the institution; (d) sending an e-mail to the selected
candidates directing them to the institution's web page; (e)
electronically reevaluating the selected candidates in the data
base against a second predetermined profile to thereby gage the
continued interest of the selected candidates in attending the
institution; and (f) providing a report of the electronic
reevaluation.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein selected candidates are directed
to the web page by a hyperlink which uniquely identifies the
candidate to whom the e-mail is sent so that the survey includes
information relating to the candidate when it initially
appears.
15. A method for generating an application for candidates to enroll
at an institution of higher learning comprising the steps of: (a)
providing a data base including information related to candidates
for enrollment, the preferences of the institution for students
with predetermined characteristics, and a standard application for
admission to the institution; (b) electronically evaluating the
candidates in the data base against a first predetermined profile
including the preferences of the institution to thereby select
candidates for receiving an application; (c) customizing the
standard application in the data base as a function of the identity
of each of the selected candidates; and (d) forwarding the
customized applications to the selected candidates.
16. The method of claim 15 including the further step of: (e)
printing the customized application; and wherein the printed
application is forwarded to the applicants by mail.
17. The method of claim 16 including the steps of advising the
candidate of (1) a PIN, (2) the institution's web site and (3) the
availability of an electronic application on the institution's web
site.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the customized application is
forwarded to the applicants by electronic mail.
19. The method of claim 15 including the further step of offering
an incentive to complete the application at the time the
application is forwarded.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the incentive includes at least
one of (1) priority of the decision as to admission, (2) priority
of scholarship consideration, and (3) reduction of the application
fee.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the incentive includes at least
two of (1) priority of the decision as to admission, (2) priority
of scholarship consideration, (3) waiver or reduction of the
application fee, (4) waiver or reduction in the personal essay
requirements, and (5) priority of housing preference
consideration.
22. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of customization
includes the steps of: providing the known information relating to
the identity of the candidate; and truncating the application by
the omission of questions the answers to which are contained in the
data base.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of customization
includes the further step of offering an incentive for completion
of the application.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the incentive includes at least
two of (1) priority of the decision as to admission, (2) priority
of scholarship consideration, (3) waiver or reduction of the
application fee, (4) waiver or reduction in the personal essay
requirements, and (5) priority of housing preference
consideration.
25. A method for generating an application for candidates to enroll
at an institution of higher learning comprising the steps of: (a)
providing a data base including information related to candidates
for enrollment, the preferences of the institution for students
with predetermined characteristics, and a standard application for
admission to the institution; (b) electronically evaluating the
candidates in the data base against a first predetermined profile
including the preferences of the institution to thereby select
candidates for receiving an application; (c) providing a web page
on the institution's web site with the standard application
resident thereon; (d) sending an e-mail directing the candidate to
the institution's web page; (e) identifying the candidate at the
time he logs onto the web page; (f) customizing the standard
application as a function of the identity of the identified
candidate; and (g) remotely completing the customized application
on the web page.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the e-mail which directs the
candidate to the web page provides a PIN for the candidate; and
wherein use of the PIN by the candidate at log on customizes the
application.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of customization
includes the steps of: providing the known information relating to
the identity of the candidate; and truncation of the application by
the omission of questions the answers to which are contained in the
data base.
28. The method of evaluating the enrollment application program of
an institution comprising the steps of: (a) maintaining records of
the number of enrollment applications forwarded to candidates
within predetermined profile characteristics; (b) monitoring the
number of the received enrollment applications from each of the
predetermined profile characteristics. (c) reporting the percentage
of received enrollment applications in each of the preselected
characteristics as an evaluation of the enrollment application
program.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent application Serial No. 60/147,366 filed Aug. 5, 1999 as well
as from U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/205,558
filed May 22, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Educational institutions have student recruitment goals that
are imposed by a number of factors internal and external to the
institution. Some of these factors may be related to diversity of
race, ethnicity, gender, geographic location of student candidate
(which may be based on one or more digits of the student
candidate's home ZIP Code), sports ability, scholastic ability,
etc. Each educational institution has a unique set of criteria to
be met in order to attract the type of student that will allow the
institution to meet its particular goals.
[0003] Traditionally, educational institutions have relied on
various isolated shotgun techniques to attract students. Some of
these techniques are mailing a blank application to any student
candidate who expressed even the slightest interest in attending
the educational institution and using an automatic phone dialing
service to ascertain a student candidate's level of interest in
attending the educational institution. These methods are-expensive
and limited in their-ability to fulfill the educational
institution's recruitment goals.
[0004] The present invention relates to college and university
student recruitment and is directed towards increasing applications
for admission as well as achieving the educational institution's
recruitment goals.
[0005] A college or university receives inquiries from prospective
student candidates expressing an interest in attending the college.
These inquiries can be received, for example, as early as the
candidate's freshman year in high school and in some instances even
earlier. These inquiries come from various sources such as
correspondence, e-mail, telephone, contact with a recruiter, or the
receipt of PSAT or SAT scores from a student.
[0006] Depending on the source of the inquiry, various information
about the candidate may be provided, e.g., the candidate's high
school class, age, contact information, gender, race, ethnicity,
relationships with alumni, scholastic and sports interests, etc.
All of the available information, from whatever source, is
typically entered into a database of candidates, often called an
"inquiry pool". This information is used by the institution to
determine both the suitability of the candidate from the
institution's perspective and the genuineness of the candidate's
interest. The number of candidates in an inquiry pool may be
100,000 or more.
[0007] Since institutions typically defer sending an application to
a candidate until the fall of the candidate's senior year in high
school, candidates may remain in the institution's inquiry pool for
several years. A continuing problem is the qualification of the
candidate against the enrollment objectives of the institution
since both the selection criteria of the institution and the
qualifications of the candidate vary over time. Telephone polling
services are often used in order to qualify the interest of
candidates in a particular institution. However, such attempts to
qualify the candidates are often time consuming, i.e., it may take
the telephone polling service up to two months to call each
candidate in an inquiry pool, and the expense can be quite
significant, often more than two dollars per candidate. Thus, it is
highly desirable to qualify the candidates in the inquiry pool in a
more cost-effective manner so as to eliminate unqualified
candidates and those candidates whose interest may not be genuine,
thereby reducing the expense of contacting them and the delay in
contacting qualified and genuinely interested candidates.
[0008] Another problem is that of maintaining the interest of the
candidates in the inquiry pool until such time as the applications
are sent out to the student candidates. Universities today are
highly competitive and strive to maintain the interest of qualified
candidates in this often prolonged period through repeated contact
with the candidate. Such contact may include the mailing of
brochures or other information on various aspects of the
institution, or hosting receptions, college fairs, open houses, or
campus visits for prospective student candidates. These various
forms of contact give rise to the costs of selecting appropriate
materials, mailing a broad spectrum of materials, and incurring
professional staff travel expenses.
[0009] Another problem is created by the generic nature of the
typical application and its accompanying materials, as the material
and the application itself is usually prepared in the typical "one
size fits all" approach. This lack of personalization for the
interest of the candidate increases the expense and typically
reduces the interest of the candidate.
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
obviate many of the above problems associated with the generally
known methods of soliciting applications for enrollment and to
provide novel methods for qualifying applicants for enrollment at
an institution of higher learning.
[0011] In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a
method of evaluating the interest of enrollment candidates which
drastically reduces both the cost of ascertaining the interest of
the candidates and the time needed to complete the evaluation of
the candidates.
[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
novel method of evaluating the enrollment interest of candidates
based on the information initially provided by the candidate.
[0013] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
novel method of economically evaluating from time to time the
continued enrollment interest of candidates.
[0014] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a novel method of motivating candidates to provide information
relating to their continued interest in enrollment.
[0015] It is a yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a novel method of generating and delivering an application
for enrollment at an institution of higher learning.
[0016] It is yet still a further object of the present invention to
provide a novel method of increasing the number of applications
received by an institution from its inquiry pool, and for
evaluating the application solicitation program.
[0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
novel method of electronically evaluating and maintaining the
interest of the candidates in an institution's inquiry pool and
providing the option of electronic application.
[0018] These and many other objects and advantages of the present
invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to
which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the
appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagramatic flow chart illustrating one method
of qualifying the candidates in an inquiry pool and for evaluating
their enrollment interest.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a diagramatic flow chart illustrating one method
of evaluating the interest of candidates for enrollment.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a diagramatic flow chart illustrating one method
of electronically surveying candidates for enrollment.
[0022] FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are a diagramatic flow chart
illustrating one method of increasing applications for
enrollment.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] One embodiment of the present invention uses specific
business methodologies to assist an educational institution in
achieving the institution's student recruitment goals based on the
criteria set by the institution. The inventive method builds on
some of the traditional techniques used by educational institutions
to attract students as well as introduces new processes to the
student recruitment problem.
[0024] Each individual educational institution has a unique student
recruitment goal as well as a unique set of criteria for attaining
their student recruitment goal. For example, one educational
institution may want to become more ethnically diverse while
another may want to recruit more women interested in sports. The
student recruitment goals and the set of criteria to be use to
achieve those goals for each individual educational institution
vary widely. Consequently, there is a need for a systematic
approach with sufficient flexibility to accommodate these diverse
requirements.
[0025] One aspect of the present invention uses a profiling
procedure which is designed to qualitatively measure each
educational institution's pre-existing inquiry pool. This allows
for the examination of the characteristics of the student
candidates in the inquiry pool. After the characteristics are
examined, the student candidates in the inquiry pool can be
segmented into subgroups according to shared characteristics. Based
on the characteristics of the subgroups as compared with the
selection criteria supplied by the educational institution, these
subgroups can be selected for targeting by mail, e-mail, telephone
call, or other means of communication.
[0026] With reference to the flow chart of FIG. 1, the initial
step, Block 10, in the present invention is to obtain the college's
inquiry pool. As indicated above, the information in the inquiry
pool may be derived from many sources and may vary significantly in
content for the candidates identified there. The inquiry pool is
generally embodied in a conventional data base accessible from any
suitable conventional input/output device and transported from the
institution to a remote location for processing by recording on a
suitable conventional recording medium or electronically over a
hard wired or radio communications link such as a LAN, WAN, the
internet or millimeter wave or microwave radio communications
channel.
[0027] The inquiry pool may, in Block 11, then be profiled in a
conventional manner against the criteria selected by the
university. For example, the criteria may include the candidate's
high school class year, any prior visits of the candidate to the
university and the source of the candidates initial contact with
the university. Other criteria such as the candidate's gender,
ethnicity, age, place of residence, relationships with alumni of
the university, geographic area, etc. may be considered to the
extent that they are available in the data base. Certain of these
criteria may be ignored for purpose of this initial profiling.
Alternatively, each of the selected criteria may be weighted in a
conventional manner to provide a measure of the desirability of the
candidate to the university.
[0028] Once the profiling has been electronically accomplished, a
report of the evaluation may be provided to the institution in hard
copy and/or in electronic form, as indicated in Block 12.
[0029] An additional step may be taken, as in Block 13, to prepare
a mailing list of those candidates, as a result of the profiling,
that meet the criteria set forth by the university. The mailing
list may include both mailing addresses and e-mail addresses as
well as other means of contacting the candidates such as telephone
numbers, facsimile numbers, or contact with a parent or through a
high school or other guidance counselor. It is to be understood
that the term "mailing" encompasses any and all forms of
communication between the university and the candidate.
[0030] Once the mailing list is prepared, documentation is selected
for mailing to the candidate, as indicated in Block 14. The
documentation is selected on the basis of a number of factors that
are preferably associated with the criteria selected by the
university as well as the method chosen for communicating with each
specific candidate. Once the documentation is selected, the
documentation may be mailed to the candidates, as indicated in
Block 15.
[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention as shown in the
flow chart of FIG. 2, a web site may be created and used to
electronically survey candidates. A web site may be created for
each individual educational institution or one web site may be
created that is then segmented so that information pertaining to a
particular educational institution is contained within one
particular area of the web site. For instance, each particular
educational institution may have its own web page in the overall
web site. In either case, the inquiry pool and the information for
updating the inquiry pool of one educational institution will not
be commingled with the inquiry pool and the information for
updating the inquiry pool of a second educational institution. This
is necessary since the set of student candidates in the inquiry
pools of each educational institution will be different.
[0032] With reference to FIG. 2, Block 20, the inquiry pool is
first obtained from the educational institution as discussed above.
As indicated in Block 21, a web page in the web site of the
institution may then be constructed for student candidate access.
The web page may be constructed in a manner well known in the art.
The web page may include an electronic survey form. Student
candidates can be given electronic access to the web page and an
electronic survey form, as indicated in Block 22.
[0033] On the web page, an electronic survey form can be used to
evaluate the interest of student candidates in attending the
particular educational institution for which the web page applies,
as indicated in Block 23.
[0034] As indicated in Block 24, the results obtained may be
compiled and used to update the information in the inquiry pool of
the educational institution associated with the particular web
page. The compilation of results can occur as frequently as
required by the educational institution and/or may occur after some
triggering event, such as a set time period prior to a deadline for
mailing applications to student candidates, for example.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a flow chart with a more detailed embodiment of
the invention as it relates to evaluating the continued interest of
student candidates in submitting an application to attend a
particular educational institution. Evaluating the continued
interest of student candidates in attending the particular
educational institution is an important step in determining to whom
applications should be sent in order to reduce the costs associated
with meeting the educational institution's enrollment goals. Block
30 represents the first step in this particular embodiment, which
is obtaining an educational institution's inquiry pool.
[0036] As indicated in Block 31, a web survey form is created for
use in a web site which will be accessed by prospective student
candidates. The web survey form is designed to determine student
candidates' interest in applying to the particular educational
institution. The web survey form also includes a section that
allows the student candidate to complete and/or update his/her
personal information, such as full name, preferred name, address,
phone number, ZIP Code, academic interest, etc. Additionally, the
web survey form may include other factors to help the educational
institution evaluate the interest level of the student candidate.
These factors may be answered in such a way that the educational
institution can rank the importance of each factor to the student
candidate over a predetermined spectrum of responses. As an
example, the student candidate can indicate the importance of each
individual factor as: "Not important at all"; "Not very important";
"Somewhat unimportant"; "Neutral"; "Somewhat important";
"Important"; or "Very important". Other response spectra, with more
or less choices, are also contemplated. An example of factors for
the student candidate to evaluate are: "Campus safe and secure";
"You [the educational institution] offer majors that interest me";
"You [the educational institution] have an athletics program that
fits my needs"; "Extracurricular activities that I enjoy are
readily available"; "Admission staff is accessible"; "Faculty care
about students as individuals"; "[educational institution] prepares
me for a career that interests me"; "The school location is
desirable and meets my needs", etc.
[0037] As indicated in Block 32, a unique access number is created
for each student candidate so that each candidate can only access
his/her own personal information. Additionally, the access numbers
are randomly, not sequentially, assigned and are of sufficient
length that the chances of unauthorized access to a student
candidate's information is minimized.
[0038] The next steps in the process of this embodiment, as
indicated in Blocks 33-36, is to compose an e-mail to the student
candidates, such that a response to the survey will be elicited
from the student candidate. For example, any personal information
known about the student candidate, such as his/her name, major
preference, or sporting activity preference, will be included in
the e-mail. Embedded in each e-mail is the unique student candidate
access number for that particular student candidate. The unique
student access number is embedded in a hyperlink in the e-mail in
ways known in the art. The e-mails are then transmitted to the
student candidates.
[0039] As indicated in Blocks 37-38, the responses from the web
survey can be compiled and the results of the survey forwarded to
the educational institution. As discussed above, the compilation of
the web survey responses can occur at any predetermined frequency
or upon at the time of any triggering event. The compilation can
also happen at random intervals. The compilation may occur either
automatically or upon specific command.
[0040] With reference to FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), one method for
increasing applications for enrollment begins with the step, Block
41, of obtaining the inquiry pool from the educational institution
as discussed above. The student candidates in the inquiry pool may,
in Block 42, then be profiled in accordance with the criteria
selected by the educational institution as the institution's target
mailing characteristics, Block 43. Based upon the established
characteristics, the application package may be customized and
personalized to appeal to the particular student candidates in the
targeted mailing segment, as described below. As shown in Blocks
44-47, the application package may be customized by: filling in
certain questions which are already known to the institution from
the candidate data contained in the inquiry pool, such as name,
address, intended major, extracurricular activities, etc.;
truncating and simplifying the questions in the application;
formulating the content of the application to appeal to the
targeted mailing segment; determining and offering incentives for
timely completion and submission of the application; and designing
and generating the graphical theme of the letter, package,
application, and other material in the application package.
[0041] It is important to note that both paper and electronic
application packages are contemplated by the inventive method. The
inventive method expands on the prospective student's choices of
how to respond: there is the traditional method of response where
the student candidate completes an application received by mail and
returns the application to the educational institution by mail. The
inventive method has added another response option--the online
application. In the personalized letter that accompanies each
mailed application, the student is assigned a personal
identification number (or "PIN") and directed to a website that
they can access if they wish to complete the application for
admission electronically. When the student enters the website and
logs on with the assigned PIN, the prospect's demographic
information from the inquiry pool data file is loaded onto the
online application--just like the partially filled-out application
that they received in the mail. The student can now either (1) fill
out the application which they received in the mail; (2) complete
the application online and submit it to the school electronically;
or (3) fill out the application online, print it out to proof read,
and then mail the application back to the school. These enhanced
response options provided by the inventive method add to the
distinctiveness of the entire business process, and further enhance
the chances of a desired response.
[0042] In Blocks 48 and 49, the inquiry pool is segmented and a
mailing list is created for the target mailing segment, as
described above. This segment of the data base is appended with the
particular student candidate's user name and password from the web
survey form, as indicated in Block 50.
[0043] As indicated in Block 51, the letter and application forms
are personalized with known information about the particular
student candidate to whom the application package will be sent.
Once the personalized application package is prepared, the
application package is sent to the particular student candidate for
which that application is personalized, as indicated in Block
52.
[0044] In Blocks 53-58, once the student candidates complete and
send in their personalized applications, the application response
data is compiled, analyzed, and profiled. The profiling process is
similar to the profiling process previously described.
ADVANTAGES AND SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
[0045] The methods of the present invention are of great assistance
to educational institutions in meeting their student recruitment
goals by dramatically improving both the number and quality of
applications for enrollment received by a college or university
when compared to traditional techniques currently in use, while
reducing the costs associated with maintaining an inquiry pool of
prospective candidates and providing a unique method for evaluating
the continued interest of those candidates over time.
[0046] The list profiling procedure of the present invention
qualitatively measures each institution's list of prospective
students in its inquiry pool and allows an advance look into the
candidate population to whom the institution intends to mail. This
advance look examines all of the characteristics of each candidate,
permits the segmentation of the inquiry pool into subpopulations of
candidates with common characteristics elected by the university in
accordance with its enrollment goals, and permits the selection of
groups of candidates with whom to communicate as a function of the
specific goals for student recruitment set by the university.
[0047] By use of the profiling mechanism of the present invention,
the candidates in which the institution has the greatest interest
in, and the candidates in which the institution will derive the
greatest benefit from admitting may be identified.
[0048] In addition to identifying candidates, the profiling
mechanism of the present invention provides valuable information as
to both the substantive content of the communications and the
manner in which the of information is presented at all phases of
the process. This personalization of the communications, e.g.,
personalization of the letters for each identified demographic
group or subset of the institution's mailing population, has proven
a valuable tool in stimulating the continued interest of the
candidates over time.
[0049] The information obtained about each candidate is also
desirably used to personalize each application with the candidate's
name, address and other demographic information, thus converting an
application for admission into a personal invitation for the
candidate. The application itself may be truncated because
information known to the institution about the candidate through
the inquiry pool profiling procedure need not be again requested in
the application, and research has shown that candidates are far
more likely to complete a shorter, personalized application than a
longer, standardized form. This results in a significantly
increased application response rate.
[0050] Another important advantage of the present invention is the
ability to motivate the candidates to respond. Because of the
information available through profiling, it becomes possible to
include an incentives to the candidate to complete the application
for admission and return it to the institution. Incentives such as
the promise of an immediate application decision, a waiver or
reduction of the usual application fee, a waiver or reduction of
the descriptive written essays which are usually required, or even
priority merit scholarship consideration or priority housing
preference consideration have been found to have material impact on
the application completion rate.
[0051] Still another important aspect of the present invention is
the expansion of the candidate's choices in selecting the method of
completing and submitting the application. In addition to the
traditional method where the student completes an application
received by mail and returns it to the college or university by
mail, candidates may complete an online application for printing
and subsequent mailing to the institution or for electronic
submission. The personalization earlier discussed is a significant
aspect, e.g., the candidate may be provided with a personal
identification number or PIN in the personalized letter that
accompanies each mailed application, and may be directed to a
website where logging on with the PIN materially prefills the
application with the candidate's personal information.
[0052] A further advantage of the use of the methods of the present
invention is the subsequent analysis of the application program
itself. The monitoring of the receipt and quality of completed
applications received provides important feedback to the university
and a thorough documentation of the program's success in relation
to its stated objectives.
[0053] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been described, it is to be understood that the embodiments
described are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention
is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full
range of equivalence, many variations and modifications naturally
occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof.
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