Most colleges use the tool Technolutions Slate which takes the test score data sent in from the agencies and recommendations and transcripts from Naviance and loads it into that software. It also pulls in the common app data and summarizes the info into an application summary with the recalculated GPA and test scores. Also, touchpoints are tracked and summarized (clicks, calls, etc) @bigmacbeth - if you like data, do some sleuthing on this tool. So many colleges use it. I’m not an insider, just a parent like you who was told the name of the tool and did some research. Very interesting!
@suzyQ7 Very interesting! It’s like a unicorn, and now I know the name. I mean, I knew it existed, and envisioned it exactly as you described. Just never knew the name. I will dig a little…that’s cool.
If you click a link in one if the many emails your kid gets from colleges, you can see the link to Technolutions before the redirect to the college site. Like BU, Fordham, Hamilton, Northeastern, etc. Click from the email and see. The tool is used to schedule on campus visits, send mailing, etc
Right. Remember this? https://www.chronicle.com/article/Hackers-Broke-Into-Admissions/245840
Also, thanks, @suzyQ7. That’s one of the many things that’s changed since my older two went through.
Interesting to see all that Slate offers. These caught my attention:
What does this mean?
As I understand it, though, schools can opt into different levels of functionality.
Interesting! The thing I wonder about is S20 interaction vs. my interaction. I do more research, but they probably don’t connect me with him, right? He has his own email, computer, etc. I wonder if they connect it?
I have no idea if it is true or not but somewhere on this board I read that schools can tell if an e-mail is forwarded or how many times it is forwarded.
I was told (guess that is a CC taboo disclaimer ?) that colleges that track demonstrated interests would track whether the students (or I guess whomever get the college emails) click the links as well as how long they stay on the website. All these maneuvers by colleges! Smh.
It is crazy, but I guess if the whole internet knows I shopped for a ceiling fan on amazon, then I guess they whole internet would know if I googled Tulane.
@NYC2018nyc - funny you mentioned Tulane above - I am (the parent) actually receiving emails from them. 
these emails are addressed to my email id and addressed to me - the parent. I have no idea how they got the details - my email is linked to DS’s CB account and also we together attended many info sessions but none at Tulane. Its not too difficult to connect the dots and collect info I guess.
@suzyQ7 - thanks for sharing that info about Slate - suspected colleges using a tool like that but never knew the details. Interesting to look thru their data collection/analysis capabilities.
My daughter has gotten a couple of pieces of mail from Tulane. The last one a few days ago with an application fee waiver. We are from Chicago area and have never inquired about Tulane at all.
We got that Tulane fee waiver mail yesterday as well. They must be mailing those out regionally (Chicagoland area as well). I have been surprised at the number of fee waivers offered to our daughter, but I am sure the schools know a lot more about how to get more applications than I do.
AP tests went extremely well, all 5s. The GPA is solid(ish), lol, and at this point we are all at the “It is what it is” point. O. just received her final schedule for senior year - she loves how her day is arranged and she has the two teachers she was really hoping to have for senior year in her science courses.
O’s college list keeps on getting pared down. We are now at 3-5 total applications she wants to complete, down from 8 at the beginning of May. She is going early action for every school she is applying to, hoping to be done and committed by December. It is one of the funny things about getting these fee waivers - she is only excited by the ones for schools already on her list; she isn’t interested at this point in adding schools, especially not just because they offer a waiver. Application season is going to be a lot less expensive than I thought it would be - ACT scores already sent, no application fees even if she adds back the 3 she took off her list…I have to say I am pretty stoked about this.
Have to give this “Quote” function a try! ?
Speaking of creepiness, I was at a dentist office, the screen on the wall was showing dental-transplant, then my phone started to show tooth transplant ads. Yike!
I’m starting to wonder if my phone is listening in on my verbal conversations. A couple of times recently I’ve seen ads on my phone related to a conversation I just had. No googling or even texting involved. Creeping me out.
For the record, Tulane has no application fee, for anyone. A “fee waiver” is not a special perk.
@ShrimpBurrito Tulane’s policy of not having a application fee is information I didn’t have (O. not interested because the weather made it a no-go for her so we never even looked into it) so I find it doubly interesting that Tulane is sending this mail with a “fee waiver”. I do wonder how much of that is because “fee waivers” make some applicants more likely to apply to certain schools.
I’m glad more schools seem to be removing/waiving application fees. I still remember the $50-$75 fees I had to pay for each of my applications and before O. finalized her list I was worried we could be spending hundreds of dollars just on applications.
My understanding is that Tulane has no application fee for anyone since at least 2014.
BTW, we are in CA and also received the letter yesterday. It’s standard marketing material sent to everyone to get as many students as possible to apply. Carry on…
So if one is applying to college, should one use the same e-mail one used to click on the college website? Don’t want those clicks to go to waste.
What does a school do when a high school does not use Naviance?
Yes, that is what we did. We picked one of the kids emails and shared the account and password. So any parent clicks and student clicks were all tied to the same email.