Challenge Presented: 

When the U.S. Department of Education delayed the FAFSA opening, it threw a wrench into the typical process. Applicants were left in the dark, uncertain about their financial aid options—something they usually rely on to make big decisions about their education. This created a challenging situation for universities trying to keep prospective students engaged without having those crucial financial details in hand. 

How We Resolved It: 

At Tondro, we jumped in to solve the problem by building a custom financial aid calculator. Starting with the FAFSA calculator as a base, we created a tool allowing applicants to enter their financial info and get an early look at their potential aid package from the federal government and the university. We embedded this calculator directly into the applicant portal, which popped up right after students submitted their applications. We integrated the tool with Salesforce, feeding all the data straight into the university’s system. Oh, and did we mention we did this entire project in under three weeks? 

Key Outcomes: 

The result? Faster applicant conversion. By giving students early access to critical financial aid details, the university was able to keep them engaged and move them through the process quicker. Each applicant also got personalized support from their admissions counselor, helping boost their confidence in making the right decision. 

TL;DR: With our calculator solution, schools not only overcame the FAFSA delay but also provided students with clear, helpful guidance long before the official financial aid process even kicked off. 

Challenge Presented: 

With domestic applicants slowing down, many universities are shifting their focus to the larger pool of international students. Not only does this group offer significant opportunities, but they also bring in higher tuition dollars. However, enrolling international students isn’t easy—it involves specific documentation and submitting I-20 forms to SEVIS for approval, a process that’s usually slow and manual. 

How We Resolved It: 

We partnered with a university that sees a high number of international applicants. Our team developed an integration with SEVIS that automates the entire process of submitting I-20 forms. Here’s how it works: when an international student is admitted, they’re prompted to upload their visa documents directly in the application portal. Our integration then pulls the necessary data from Salesforce, sends it to SEVIS, and kick-starts the I-20 process automatically. We extended this functionality across the entire student lifecycle, including CPT and OPT processes. 

Key Outcomes: 

This solution has transformed the international applicant process. Before, universities were stuck emailing or mailing documents—now, everything is centralized and automated. Real-time notifications keep everyone updated, making the whole process smoother and faster for both the university and the students. 

TL;DR: Our integration eliminated bottlenecks and sped up international student enrollment, creating a win-win for universities and students alike.