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Cornell Grad School Streamlines Admissions Process with SaaS

Cornell University Graduate School has implemented a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application processing system to increase efficiency and reduce paper consumption.

The university uses a decentralized admissions structure for its many graduate departments, which use a variety of different application evaluation models. The university's previous application evaluation process was time consuming and paper-intensive, according to Jason Kahabka, assistant dean for graduate admissions at Cornell.

To help improve its admissions process, the university selected the Intelligent Connections Admit application evaluation system from CollegeNet. The Web-based system is hosted by CollegeNet, so authorized personnel can view applications, write comments, read comments from other reviewers, and record scores from anywhere they have Internet access.

Admit automatically places applicants into pools to be routed to the appropriate department or group within the university. Authorized evaluators can then use filtered search and other customizing functions to locate, view, and comment on individual applications, as well as view supporting application materials, such as portfolios and letters of recommendation. According to the company, Admit eliminates paper waste, circulation time, and the risk of lost documents. The system also integrates fully with the Intelligent Connections Prospect CRM and application processing systems also from CollegeNet.

According to CollegeNet, Admit has helped the university process 20,000 applications and save 250,000 sheets of paper in one term alone. "We knew we needed a system that would centralize all information and still be flexible enough to meet the individual needs of our 100 graduate departments," said Kahabka in a prepared statement. "With Admit, we've not only gained the flexibility to support different evaluation models, but we've also been able to respond to student inquiries more quickly and efficiently."

Cornell University Graduate School in Ithaca, NY serves 5,200 graduate students in nearly 100 fields of study, administering most of the graduate and professional degrees offered by the university.

Further information about the Intelligent Connections Admit application evaluation system from CollegeNET can be found at corp.collegenet.com.

About the Author

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].

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