CSU Online Applications in November Quadruple Last Year
December 2, 1999 – CSUMentor Processes Nearly 60,000 Online Applications in November Admission applications through CSUMentor, the online system that helps students and their families plan and apply for admission to the California State University, quadrupled last year's number for the month of November, the first month of the CSU fall 2000 application period.
The CSU received 59,820 online applications in November, up from 15,557 during November last year, and 16 times more the 3,678 during the same time period two years ago, when CSUMentor was first implemented.
Every day this November, significantly more online applications were submitted than last year, and, in fact, the Nov. 1999 total surpassed the total online applications received for all of last year.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Diego State each received more than 10,000 online applications in the first month, while Long Beach State received nearly 7,000.
"The incredibly high amount of CSUMentor usage continues to amaze us.
This is a great way for the CSU and students to connect early and establish relationships with CSU campuses while in high school, culminating with an application process that is easier for students," said Allison Jones, senior director of access and retention for the CSU system.
"CSU is a pioneer in this area, and now other institutions across the country are beginning to do the same."
Nov. 1 began the filing period for fall 2000 admission and the third year of CSUMentor.
Over 65,000 fall 2000 online applications have been received to date, representing over 50% of CSU's applications.
The site is accessible at www.csumentor.edu.
Designed by XAP Corporation, CSUMentor has some new features this year, including:
- CalStateTeach: An online application for admission to CalState TEACH, an 18-month program that combines distance education and face-to-face interaction for working teachers seeking their credentials, is now included in CSUMentor.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): CSUMentor is the first system that has been granted permission by the U.S. Department of Education to supply FAFSA with information from its database, making the financial aid application process easier for students.
- Application Redirection: This function forwards a student's application automatically to an alternate-choice campus should the applicant not be admitted to his or her first-choice campus or major.
These new additions complement a system that has many other features, including academic portfolios that help students make sure they are taking the right courses in high school or at a community college.
CSUMentor also includes: multimedia campus tours, student-campus matching assistance, free e-mail accounts, assistance in completing the primary financial aid form for college-bound students, an academic planner both for high school students and community colleges transfer students and information to help graduate students select campuses and programs suited to their needs.
XAP Corporation, a Los Angeles-headquartered firm, has expanded the "Mentor" vision to other systems and states.
The company has operational Mentor systems in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin and Massachusetts and is developing Mentor systems in several other states with the goal of creating a national database whereby students from across the U.S. and abroad can easily and conveniently seek out higher education opportunities.
