How to Effectively Minimize Scholarship Applicant Overflow

Scholarship software, program management

One of the most significant issues you may encounter when it comes to a scholarship application is a large number of applicants. This can cause many problems, from being late in sending decision emails to increased time scoring applications.

Often, this overflow is caused by unqualified applicants who manage to make it through the process due to unclear requirements or deadlines. You can minimize this overflow by utilizing these four strategies:

Clearly Define Your Eligibility Requirements
Use A Pre-Screening Eligibility Quiz
Have An Automated Scoring System
Use Automated Emails For Sending Disqualification Emails

Now that we’ve given you the strategies, let’s break them down further to improve your scholarship selection process.

1. Clearly Define Your Eligibility Requirements

make-eligibility-easy

Prospective applicants will want to know what you are looking for in an applicant. For example,

Is GPA a significant factor?
Will my parents’ income exclude me?
Do you require letters of recommendation?
When should the application be submitted by?

Taking the time to clearly define your eligibility requirements can save you from processing applications that don't meet your qualifications. This will decrease your workload and help you review applications more effectively by only looking at the applicants who are likely to be qualified.

Eligibility requirements should be clearly stated on the application form and your scholarship website.

2. Use A Pre-Screening Eligibility Quiz

Using a pre-screening eligibility quiz is one of the most effective ways of ensuring that you're only receiving applications from applicants who are qualified. With this quiz, prospective applicants will take a short quiz to establish scholarship qualification before completing an application.

For many scholarship programs, this reduces the need to have someone from your team review every potential applicant interested in the scholarship. This can help you save time to focus on applicants who have a better chance of being selected as a finalist.

3. Have An Automated Scoring System

Using an automated scoring system to score scholarship applications can be one of the best ways to save time. With this scoring system, you can also set values for the different eligibility requirement options and a range of points a prospective applicant can get for each question. One that balances eligibility criteria helps you to get more well-rounded candidates as well.

For example, an applicant with a lower GPA would need to do better on their essay to earn more points to make up for their lower GPA. This would help ensure they still have a chance of being selected as a finalist, even though they may not have the best grades.

4. Use Broadcast Emails for Sending

use-broadcast-emails

Another way to save time when it comes to processing scholarship applications is by using automated emails for sending disqualification notices. This is especially beneficial when you use an automated scoring system because you can send a message via email that lets them know why they didn't meet scholarship qualification criteria.

It helps eliminate the need to send scholarship rejection letters to each interested applicant that may not qualify. Automating your disqualification emails can help you save time and focus more attention on qualified applicants.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The processing and review process for scholarship applications can be a substantial drain on your resources. Having a clear idea of what you want from your applicants, utilizing a pre-screening eligibility quiz, an automated scoring system, and automated emails for disqualifying applicants can help save time and focus on the finalist selection stage.

Using scholarship software like SmarterSelect can help you streamline your scholarship management processes. This software can help you with every step in building your ideal scholarship program, from setting up an online pre-screening eligibility assessment to automatically reviewing applications and scoring them.

By providing the best tools, SmarterSelect helps you save time so that you can focus more of your attention on finding scholarship applicants who are most likely to win your award! Start your free trial, and see what SmarterSelect can do for your scholarship program!

FAQ's

1. How can I effectively minimize scholarship applicant overflow?

You can minimize scholarship applicant overflow by utilizing these four strategies:

Clearly define your eligibility requirements.
Use a pre-screening eligibility quiz.
Have an automated scoring system.
Use automated emails for sending disqualification emails.

2. How does it help to use a pre-screening eligibility quiz?