The admission process is one of the most crucial processes for every educational institution. But very few use effective strategies to make their process easy and smooth for applicants. In the age of technology, institutes that leverage sophisticated tools such as school management software and online admission systems have greater competitive advantages over others.
Are you looking for some solutions to improve the admission process in your educational institution? In this article, we list seven simple strategies to help you with the process.
1. Simplify the admission process
The days of standing in long queues to collect and submit paper forms are long gone. In today’s digital age, people prefer to use technology for most of their work. Adopt a paperless application process and make the admission form easily accessible online. Give complete information about courses, placements, faculties, grants, and other crucial information on your website. Set up a reliable payment system to enable applicants to pay the application fees online. Using good and reliable school management software will make the admission process extremely simple.
2. Centralize the process
This is applicable for big educational institutions with multiple departments such as science, arts, commerce, and more. In such a case, there should be an inclusive application form, which should be available on the website’s main page. In the online process, the applicants should visit the website and download the form easily.
3. Make the inquiry process as simple as possible
After you begin the admission process, you will receive hundreds of queries. Interested applicants will try to reach you using all available channels. Email, phone, social media, messaging platforms. It may not be possible to answer all queries. So, the trick is to ensure that the inquiry process is as simple and accessible as possible. Consider creating a section with frequently asked questions and a step-by-step guide that will guide the applicants through the process seamlessly. Investing in high-quality school management software will help a lot in simplifying the admission process.
4. Provide online and offline support
While filling up online forms, some applicants may get stuck and need help. To help them proceed to the next steps, provide online and offline support. Use multiple channels such as:
- Email support: Use a robust customer relationship management system or school management software to resolve queries over email.
- Phone support: Assign some people with the responsibility to answer phone calls and respond to queries.
- Live chat: Set up a multi-agent inbox or live chatbots to provide customer support and address applicants’ queries.
- Sample form submission videos: Upload a video with step-by-step guides to help applicants proceed with the process.
5. Keep your applicants engaged and involved
After applicants submit their application forms and progress with the admission process, this is the perfect chance to keep them engaged and win their trust. Provide them with relevant content that will help them visualize their growth and progress in your institution. Here are some ways to keep them engaged:
Showcase videos and photographs of your teaching methodologies. Show how you stand out from other schools.
Display the achievements and awards your institute has received in the form of videos or graphics. This could be national-level or state-level awards or other recognitions.
- Show testimonial videos of parents and influential personalities.
- Share engaging videos of existing students showing their skills and talents.
- Share the photos and videos of students receiving prestigious awards in different events and competitions.
- Perform live events around important topics such as career growth, fitness, hygiene, parenting, and more.
6. Leverage social media
There are more than three billion active daily users on the top five social media platforms. It provides a broad opportunity to connect with many students who may be interested in applying to your institution after viewing your posts and content. You can also stay in touch with the applicants and post regular updates about the admission process and the activities in the institute. Consider interacting with your existing students and addressing their concerns and queries on the platforms. Appreciate positive comments and show your gratitude for the same. If the window for admission is closing fast, upload posts to communicate the same. Countdown posts such as ’Only 15 days left can create a sense of urgency among applicants to submit their applications.
7. Follow-up with applicants and their parents
After the admission process is complete, some applicants will make it through it, and others won’t. Follow-up with both and inform them about the status of their applications. Ensure that you have clear policies and a dedicated team in place for the purpose. The applicants who have made it to the next stage will need information about the following process, formalities, and admission fees. Provide them with all relevant information and follow up to confirm that they have received it.
All in all,
An educational institution’s admission process is the first point of interface with its applicants and prospective students. If it has effective strategies in place, then it builds a strong favorable impression. So, schools, colleges, and universities need to focus on the key process. At MyEdu, we design robust school management software that enables institutes to manage everything from the admission process to the examination process to the result declaration process.
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