Central Admissions Institution Database

Project Name: Not Quite HAL but Better than a Rube Goldberg: a Central Admissions Institution Database

Team: James Christensen, Tom Mayhew, Youlim Yai

Schools and Units Represented: HGSE, HUIT, Admissions Offices: Harvard College, HBS, HDS, HKS, GSAS, GSD

Mission:

To improve the way that external institution data is collected and stored by Admissions Offices across Harvard and the my.Harvard system.

We believe that a jointly-developed, shared solution will prove more effective and efficient than several duplicate efforts. External institution data is used in admissions reporting and strategizing and registrar record keeping, including commencement guides and transcripts. Having a shared institution database would both enhance data quality and improve processes to reduce the workload required for admissions offices, registrars, and HUIT.

 

Outcome: 

Developed consolidated database that includes the entries mapped to my.Harvard.

 

The project team completed the process of consolidating data into one master list and mapping all schools from their list to my.Harvard. If the test schools are successful in seeing fewer free text entries of outside institutions, then the plan is to have all partner schools use the consolidated database in the future. The project has come far enough that some schools will be able to take advantage of the results of their work this upcoming year.