Handling Applications from Feeder Schools

Feeder schools are the bread and butter of many UK schools’ admissions funnel, but the admin associated with processing applicants from these schools can be a headache for admissions teams and feeder schools alike. In today’s post, we look at how these have been handled previously, and how a new feature in OpenApply will help make this process considerably smoother and less time-consuming for all involved.

Reference Requests

Many of our UK schools know that each year they will have a considerable chunk of applicants from the same school. However, they still need to obtain references for each applicant from that feeder school.

As it stands, OpenApply provides a standard Questionnaire Form to obtain references, requiring parents to fill in the feeder school’s information so a confidential email can then be sent to the referee. The email  takes the referee to the OpenApply website, where they are able to answer some questions or submit a reference file.

So far, so good. The problem is that many UK schools have more than 50 applicants from the same feeder school each year. That means more than 50 references may be needed from a single school, resulting in that feeder school being bombarded with dozens of email requests. There is now an easier way!

Consolidating Requests

We have introduced a new feature to OpenApply designed specifically for schools with intake from feeder schools. Schools and feeders schools have a special, unique relationship, and this new feature maintains and nurtures that.

Having listened to our customers, we understood that they needed a solution that enabled them to send all their reference requests on a particular date, and to send that request to the feeder school’s email address. 

However, rather than bombarding the school with dozens of emails at a time, the OpenApply system can now collate any requests to the same address into a single request before sending. The feeder school will receive the requests to one point of contact, who can then upload or complete online references for all the students.

This new feature is just one of many examples of how OpenApply continually strives to streamline the admissions process for the schools we work with, saving them valuable time and money.

If you would like to learn more about how OpenApply is solving the challenges that come with handling applications from feeder schools, please register for our upcoming webinar on September 22, at 9:00 GMT+1. We will be joined by Melinda Armitage, Director of Admissions at St Paul’s Girls’ School, who will share some interesting and valuable insights.

Register Now