Applying Ourselves: An Admitting Office’s Quest for Flexibility and Consolidation
Session Number: 4689
Track: Admissions
Sub-Categorization: General Admissions
Session Type: Case Study
Tags: AAWS - Online Applications, Admission General, Admissions Application, iApply
Primary Presenter: Sarah Stilp [Assistant Director of Admissions and Student Services - University of Wisconsin - Madison]
Co-Presenter: Karen Ripley [Student Services Coordinator - University of Wisconsin-Madison]
Time: Mar 27, 2018 (02:30 PM - 03:00 PM)
Room: 255 D
Session Length - Primary Choice: Regular Session
Knowledge level : Overview
Target Audience: Functional
Learning Objective 1: How to review and consolidate multiple admissions applications
Learning Objective 2: How to balance customizations and meet stakeholder needs
Learning Objective 3: Look and feel of bolt-on application using AAWS and delivered functionality to submit admissions applications for multiple programs
Prerequisites : None
Advance preparation: No Advance Preparation Required
Product: PeopleSoft
Version Presenting: PS 9.0
Level of Customization: Bolt-On
Level of Partner Integration: Select a Value
Project Phase: Production
Project Go Live: Q1 2017
Your Training in this Area: I have had some minimal formal training, but the majority of my "training" has come from experience and learning on the job.
Description: The Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) at University of Wisconsin-Madison serves as the admitting office for the University’s nondegree-seeking/special students. DCS recently identified a growing problem for its applicants, as well as its application processing staff--it was offering too many application options in an effort to accommodate individual program needs. At the peak, DCS offered six different admission applications, with about 20% of incoming apps requiring manual entry into the Campus Solutions SIS. This medley of options created confusion for students, but also proved troublesome and time-consuming for the application processing staff. It was important to keep the specialized content and questions, but the big question was “How to consolidate and streamline?”
As a solution, DCS decided to become an AAWS pioneer for admitting offices at UW-Madison. DCS purchased a Campus Solutions bolt-on admission application product, iApply, from Deloitte that uses AAWS to directly integrate the applicant data into the Campus Solutions SIS. The DCS project began with a limited budget, but had two very determined functional staff members on board. Although challenging at times, the “bootstrap” nature of the project allowed it to develop in phases (beginning with the ever-important pilot group) which provided space to work out both technical and functional issues.
DCS faced a variety of the inevitable hurdles in getting the solution to work with UW’s unique processes and system. One of the project requirements involved integrating the vendor application with an internal bolt-on residency application that collects residency information based on state statute directives. This particular challenge led to some interesting discoveries about our development and test environments! DCS staff also tackled Search/Match challenges, a requirement to PDF incoming applications and security hurdles during the process.
The result? DCS currently has ONE main admission application. The current application is flexible and, thanks to AAWS, the data enters our SIS at the point of submission. DCS is able to process applications quickly, with fewer errors, while still meeting the program-specific needs. Although very successful, the project has also taught important lessons about prioritizing program requests, and introduced the slippery slope of accommodating customization requests. Nonetheless, with universal positive feedback, the project has a green light to move on to Phase Two--using Campus Solutions delivered functionality to load attachments collected with the application. DCS is also developing an application status and communication portal within the vendor product.
DCS is excited to share their journey and lessons learned!
Session Number: 4689
Track: Admissions
Sub-Categorization: General Admissions
Session Type: Case Study
Tags: AAWS - Online Applications, Admission General, Admissions Application, iApply
Primary Presenter: Sarah Stilp [Assistant Director of Admissions and Student Services - University of Wisconsin - Madison]
Co-Presenter: Karen Ripley [Student Services Coordinator - University of Wisconsin-Madison]
Time: Mar 27, 2018 (02:30 PM - 03:00 PM)
Room: 255 D
Session Length - Primary Choice: Regular Session
Knowledge level : Overview
Target Audience: Functional
Learning Objective 1: How to review and consolidate multiple admissions applications
Learning Objective 2: How to balance customizations and meet stakeholder needs
Learning Objective 3: Look and feel of bolt-on application using AAWS and delivered functionality to submit admissions applications for multiple programs
Prerequisites : None
Advance preparation: No Advance Preparation Required
Product: PeopleSoft
Version Presenting: PS 9.0
Level of Customization: Bolt-On
Level of Partner Integration: Select a Value
Project Phase: Production
Project Go Live: Q1 2017
Your Training in this Area: I have had some minimal formal training, but the majority of my "training" has come from experience and learning on the job.
Description: The Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) at University of Wisconsin-Madison serves as the admitting office for the University’s nondegree-seeking/special students. DCS recently identified a growing problem for its applicants, as well as its application processing staff--it was offering too many application options in an effort to accommodate individual program needs. At the peak, DCS offered six different admission applications, with about 20% of incoming apps requiring manual entry into the Campus Solutions SIS. This medley of options created confusion for students, but also proved troublesome and time-consuming for the application processing staff. It was important to keep the specialized content and questions, but the big question was “How to consolidate and streamline?”
As a solution, DCS decided to become an AAWS pioneer for admitting offices at UW-Madison. DCS purchased a Campus Solutions bolt-on admission application product, iApply, from Deloitte that uses AAWS to directly integrate the applicant data into the Campus Solutions SIS. The DCS project began with a limited budget, but had two very determined functional staff members on board. Although challenging at times, the “bootstrap” nature of the project allowed it to develop in phases (beginning with the ever-important pilot group) which provided space to work out both technical and functional issues.
DCS faced a variety of the inevitable hurdles in getting the solution to work with UW’s unique processes and system. One of the project requirements involved integrating the vendor application with an internal bolt-on residency application that collects residency information based on state statute directives. This particular challenge led to some interesting discoveries about our development and test environments! DCS staff also tackled Search/Match challenges, a requirement to PDF incoming applications and security hurdles during the process.
The result? DCS currently has ONE main admission application. The current application is flexible and, thanks to AAWS, the data enters our SIS at the point of submission. DCS is able to process applications quickly, with fewer errors, while still meeting the program-specific needs. Although very successful, the project has also taught important lessons about prioritizing program requests, and introduced the slippery slope of accommodating customization requests. Nonetheless, with universal positive feedback, the project has a green light to move on to Phase Two--using Campus Solutions delivered functionality to load attachments collected with the application. DCS is also developing an application status and communication portal within the vendor product.
DCS is excited to share their journey and lessons learned!
