Method of generating increased applications for enrollment at educational institutions

• US 8,549,053 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Royall & Company
• Original Assignee: Royall & Company
• Inventors: Royall, William A. Jr., Freeman, Edward B. III, Clark, Elizabeth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Application Number:
  US09/961,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,390 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/1, 707/959, 707/922, 705/1, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/11, 705/7.23, 705/7.29, 705/7.33
• US Class Current: 707/959
• 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, said method 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 a partial application;

wherein the survey and partial applications are distinct from each other;

(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 the partial application;

wherein the indication of a continuing interest is determined from at least the survey;

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

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

(j) transmitting the completed partial applications to the educational institution;

(k) providing a personalized acknowledgement of each completed partial application received;

(l) updating the database with information from the completed partial application;

(m) inviting each candidate to submit a full application;

(n) providing electronic access through use of the PIN to a full application customized with personal information from the updated database; and

(o) offering each candidate invited to submit the full application an incentive to submit the full application,

wherein the full application includes questions that are not in the partial application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the incentive is selected using criteria established by the educational institution for the target group.

3. A method for generating electronic applications from candidates responding to a web based survey interested in attending an educational institution, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a database containing information related to candidates having 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 a web based survey;

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

(e) providing each candidate indicating a continuing interest in the educational institution with the opportunity to access a partial application form customized with information from the updated database, wherein the indication of a continuing interest is determined from at least the web based survey;

(f) compiling and forwarding partial applications to the educational institution;

(g) updating the database with information from the partial application;

(h) acknowledging completion of the partial application;

(i) providing electronic access through use of the PIN to a full application customized with personal information from the updated database; and

,

(j) offering each candidate invited to submit the full application an incentive to submit the full application,

wherein the full application includes questions that are not in the partial application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the incentive is selected using criteria established by the educational institution for the target group.