Welcome to this new edition of FolderWave Focus,
a newsletter designed to inform you about developments, product releases, and events related to the FolderWave™ suite of products and services.
We plan to share what is being done to expand our platform as well as describe its many different uses. In this edition, we’ll focus on some lesser-known facets of the platform, highlight our solution to a new Financial Aid challenge, and debut functionality. In addition to this newsletter, we are delighted to announce a revamped website at www.FolderWave.com, where you can get additional information. (To view or download a PDF of this newsletter click here.)§
Flexible. . . and Adaptable
Many in Higher Education are familiar with the institution-specific version of FolderWave, where Inquiry, Admission, Aid, and Student Records processing combine to provide a self-service portal, data integration, reporting, and document management. What may be less obvious to some is the potential to host different organizations within one version (often called an instance) of FolderWave. Perhaps the most familiar example would be the example of undergraduate and graduate admissions for the same institution housed in the same system, but having separate security and content. FolderWave can also accommodate different schools within a single instance, such as you might find in a state system, providing metrics at both the institutional and the campus level. We also support multiple systems within an installation: The Massachusetts Educational Finance Authority (MEFA) is one such case.
A soon-to-be-released implementation of FolderWave will assess and track student education and vocational career assessments, create portfolios, and provide guidance counselors in multiple secondary school systems with enhanced productivity and metrics. Information will be available at the campus, system, and state levels. Another example would be Shorelight Education’s global implementation, where counselor/advisors use FolderWave to review applications and credentials submitted to various colleges and universities by students from around the world. §
In The News: Aid Verification “Simplification Hits a Snag”
Most readers will be familiar with the shutdown of the Internal Revenue Service’s data retrieval tool (The Chronicle of Higher Education
April 22, 2017), a cornerstone of the prior-prior year strategy designed to “dramatically simplify and improve the financial aid process.” While the tool is slated to be back on line in October, there are concerns that financial aid verification may remain an overly-laden process that consumes resources and works against lower-income candidates.
FolderWave has been there before. When service providers suffer a setback, we frequently position ourselves to assist them with testing and feedback while protecting our institutional partners from adverse impacts. In some cases, we’ve provided clients with our own workarounds. In the current crisis, we have developed a protocol that would allow Federal aid verification to be managed by FolderWave. The benefits are significant and immediate: a fully auditable process, full compliance, and rapid turnaround. All while freeing up staff for student service. For more information click here. §
Coming Soon: Our Responsive Institutional Portal
Mobile technology is rapidly changing the way we all work. We’ve just released a responsive version of our Institutional Portal. The product is now in pilot so we can gather feedback on enhancements and deliver additional functionality, but already we are starting to see an impact. Along with a more contemporary look and embedded reporting/analytics, the web app includes a “rapid read” feature that bundles all PDF files into a single scrollable document window based on a configured order (App first, transcript second, essay third, etc.).
We think you will enjoy the benefits of the new responsive version, particularly during travel and events when having information at your fingertips is essential. For more information contact your account representative or click here to email us. §
New Feature: Online Recommendation Form
We’ve all been there. Nearly all the credentials needed for the decision have been received, and a letter of recommendation is “lost in the mail.” We’ve come up with an approach to help flatten that bottleneck while providing a simple, easy-to-use solution for applicants and those who recommend them.
This feature is currently in its pilot phase. Here’s how it works: An applicant can enter a list of people who have agreed to provide a recommendation. When the applicant submits the application, an email will be sent to each person on the list. The “recommender” information is saved and associated with the applicant in FolderWave. When the recommender clicks the link in the email, the letter of recommendation on-line form displays with applicant’s first and last name pre-populated. When the recommendation form is submitted, the person submitting the form will be sent an email receipt, and their recommendation will be added to the applicant’s case. Reminder emails will be sent to people who have been requested to complete a letter of recommendation and have not completed the form. §
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