Method of generating increased applications for enrollment at educational institutions

• US 20020040301A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Royall & Company
• Original Assignee: Royall & Company
• Inventors: Clark, Elizabeth W., Freeman, Edward B. III, Royall, William A. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,549,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance

Abstract

A method of increasing the number of applications for enrollment at an educational institution including the profiling of an educational institution'"'"'s candidate database and inquiry pool against its particular enrollment objectives and personalized communication with selected candidates. The method also provides candidates who are interested in an educational institution with an opportunity and selected incentives to electronically access, complete and submit partial or complete applications for admission. The method also provides for personalized follow-up communications with selected candidates and for the monitoring, compilation and reporting of applications received using the method.

Claims

1. A method for generating applications from candidates interested in attending an educational institution comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a candidate database containing personal information;

(b) profiling the candidates according to criteria established by the educational institution;

(c) segmenting the profiled candidates into a target group;

(d) providing a web site containing links to a survey and to the partial application;

(e) assigning a unique access number (“

PIN”

) to each candidate in the target group;

(f) electronically mailing each candidate in the target group the assigned PIN and an invitation to use the PIN to access the web site;

(g) providing each candidate accessing the web site and indicating a continuing interest in the educational institution with electronic access to a partial application;

(h) for each candidate who electronically accesses a partial application, customizing the partial application with personal information from the database;

(i) compiling the partial applications which have been electronically completed; and

(j) transmitting the partial applications to the educational institution.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of providing a personalized acknowledgement of each partial application received.

3. The method of claim 2 including the step of updating the database with information from the partial application.

4. The method of claim 3 including the steps of inviting each candidate to submit a full application;

and

providing electronic access through use of the PIN to a full application customized with personal information from the updated database.

5. The method of claim 4 including the step of offering each candidate invited to submit a complete application an incentive to submit the full application.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the incentive is selected using criteria established by the educational institution for the target group.

7. A method for generating electronic applications from candidates who respond to a web based survey consisting of the following steps:

(a) accessing a database containing information related to candidates who have expressed an interest in attending an educational institution;

(b) assigning a unique access number (“

PIN”

) to each candidate;

(c) electronically mailing each candidate a personalized communication that contains the assigned PIN and invites the candidate to use the assigned PIN to access access a web based survey;

(d) updating the database with information from the web based survey;

(e) providing each candidate who indicates a continuing interest in the educational institution with the opportunity to access a partial application form customized with information from the updated database; and

(f) acknowledging completion of the partial application and providing an opportunity to electronically access and complete a full application.

8. The method of claim 7 including the additional steps of compiling and forwarding partial applications to the educational institution.

9. A method of generating applications for admission to an educational institution from candidates identified in a database comprising the steps of electronically providing candidates with a partial application personalized with information from the database and the opportunity for the electronic submission of the completed partial application.

10. A method of generating applications for admission to an educational institution from candidates who have electronically submitted a partial application comprising the steps of electronically acknowledging receipt of the partial application and providing the candidate with the opportunity to electronically complete and to electronically submit a full application.

11. A method of evaluating the process of soliciting applications from candidates for admission to an educational institution comprising the steps of comparing the number of candidates invited to participate in a web site survey with the number of candidates from whom a partial application is received and with the number of candidates from whom a full application is received.