NursingCAS Dispatch
Welcome to the NursingCAS Dispatch – a monthly newsletter intended to keep you up to date with current happenings at NursingCAS. The newsletter will feature:
- User Updates to keep you in the loop, so you can keep your team and applicants in the loop.
- NursingCAS by the Numbers, a metric to showcase application statistics and other relevant data.
- NursingCAS Know-How, an in-depth examination of a NursingCAS feature.
- Social Beat, which will feature nursing and admissions news from around the web.
User Updates
The Latest on the NursingCAS Redesign
We are getting closer to launching the new NursingCAS.org website! The new site is scheduled to launch during the week of August 22nd. Shortly afterward MyNursingCAS.org will be retired.
If you currently have the NursingCAS logo on your website, please work with your web team to replace it with the new logo. However, in order to avoid applicant confusion, please do not update the new logo until the week of August 22nd.
You can download the new logo and brandmark using this Dropbox link. Contact Rachel Stayton (rstayton@aacnnursing.org) with questions.
New Workflow for Batch Local Status Changes
This enhancement adjusts the workflow when changing Local Statuses in batch, making it a two-step process. Prior to selecting the desired Local Status, users are now asked to select the designation(s) they’d like this change to impact. This selection then limits the new Local Status options, based on what Local Statuses are compatible with the desired designations. Clicking Submit locks in the change.
Previously, users selected the designation(s) at the same time as selecting the new Local Status, which could lead to some applicants’ statuses not being changed due to their designation not being eligible for the new Local Status.
New On-Demand Course Available
Our technology partner, Liaison, recently launched a new on-demand course: Best Practices in Implementing a Centralized Application Service. This course is intended for individuals who will be involved with CAS implementation and need to learn how WebAdMIT can help improve the admissions process. Additionally, it includes a printable toolkit. By the end of the course, users will be able to better understand how they can streamline their process workflows, maximize time savings, and create a better applicant experience.
You can access our new course in three ways:
- Using this link: https://elearning.easygenerator.com/dace748c-fcab-4a78-bd90-1d6b65c73259 (we suggest bookmarking the course for quick, easy access)
- From the WebAdMIT Help Center
- From the WebAdMIT Training Site
By the Numbers
Operations have been strong so far this summer. For example, last week the average call wait time for applicants was 38 seconds. The Customer Service team fielded 980 calls. This number was slightly lower than previous weeks due to Independence Day.
NursingCAS Know-How
Best Practices for Pushing Prospective Students to Your NursingCAS Application
Create a compelling Call-to-Action on your website
Roughly 15% of traffic to NursingCAS.org are referrals, meaning that those users find NursingCAS through your institutional website. In order to maximize the effectiveness of these referrals and push prospective applicants to your NursingCAS application, it is important to have an effective Call-to-Action (CTA). A CTA is a button or link that encourages a prospect to take action. It can be as simple as a “click here” hyperlink within a paragraph, but we encourage you to use other strategies to make a user more likely to engage, such as making your CTA a button. Learn more about CTA best practices.
A Call-to-Action should be:
- Easy to find – Don’t make potential applicants hunt to find a way to the application. They’re much more likely to give up and go somewhere else if this is the case.
- “Above the fold” – This means that your CTA should be toward the top of the page. Studies show that visitors are much more likely to see and click on CTAs that are toward the top of the page.
- Visually striking – Use colors that “pop” or aren’t seen elsewhere on the page, but still fit in to your overall design scheme. Make text larger or bold.
- Brief – Shorter is better. Use phrases like “Apply Today” or “Apply Now”.
Spread the word via social media
Social media is an increasingly important tool for recruitment and also for reminding applicants about important dates such as deadlines. Mention NursingCAS on Twitter and Facebook to help point prospects toward your application. The University of Glasgow is a leader in social media innovation for colleges. Check out their Social Media Blog for ideas and insights for how to grow your reach.
Send reminder emails through WebAdMIT
WebAdMIT allows you to send batch emails when working with searches, lists, or the clipboard. For example, you can elect to send a deadline reminder email to all in progress applicants to remind them to complete their applications. Instructions for how to send emails through WebAdMIT are included in the WebAdMIT Help Center.
Social Beat
Here’s what you should be reading this summer to keep abreast of what’s happening in digital and online education.
Princeton and Stanford Drop SAT/ACT Writing Test
Princeton will now require applicants to submit a graded writing sample. Only 23 colleges now require the test.