Optimizing Student Admissions
with Brunel University and OpenDialog
~1000
self-assessments completed
30%
Reduction in help centre callS
Triage
Application TYpe
BAckground
Brunel University, one of London’s most popular seats of higher learning, approached us to improve the efficiency of their Clearing process (June-October each year). They wanted to provide 24/7 advice whilst maintaining high-quality standards.
Brunel University recognised that chatbots could be a way to maintain a fast, efficient information service for prospective students, and that implementing automation could help take the stress and repetition (all applicants are typically asked the same questions initially) out of admissions.
the solution
A custom Clearing chatbot, named by Brunel as Brunella, was created to guide prospective students with the correct first-stage questions, covering what their grades were and the course they were looking to undertake. To enable the bot to check student grades matched UCAS criteria, the Clearing bot was integrated with UCAS, giving it the most up to date data.
Once prospective students obtained answers to the initial questions and had been screened, they were well-placed to be connected with a human admissions officer, who could offer advice and more detailed information about courses, significantly reducing the time between the first contact and offers being made.
The solution in action
impact
- 959 applicants progressed to the Clearing self-apply form
- 540 applicants did not meet any of our entry requirements
- Roughly 30% less people called the helpline but applications had increased
