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What is Concourse?

Concourse is an online platform where universities apply for students, flipping the script on admissions. Our radical reinvention of the process creates more opportunities for students, reduces counselor workload, and helps universities diversify and target their enrollments. 

What is Concourse’s company mission?

Our mission is to create more access to higher education by making admissions simpler, student-centric, and more equitable.

What problem does Concourse solve?

Applying to university is a cumbersome enough challenge- but when you compound the process with varying deadlines, different applications, evolving requirements, and a global pandemic leaving country border statuses in flux- the entire final year of high school is overwhelming for students and more stressful than it should be.

Concourse enables universities around the world to discover and assess students and their situations- meeting them where they are. Where there is a match, universities make admission and scholarship offers with no applications required, in a safe and secure online environment moderated by the students’ counselors.

How does it work?

Students create a simple profile outlining their personal and educational interests and qualifications. The profiles are certified by the students’ counselors. Universities are presented with anonymized versions of the profiles that match their criteria and can make proactive offers of admission and scholarship.

Hang on. That’s it? Students make a profile… and get  university admission offers?

Yes, that’s it. Students create a single profile, and can receive multiple admission offers from well matched institutions with no application required. That said, the more carefully completed the profile is, the more interest a student may receive from institutions. But at the end of the day, that’s it.

What if a school does not have a counselor?

That’s ok. Students can be nominated by a teacher or principal as well. Anyone in a position of responsibility who knows the student and is in a position to be able to certify the students’ grades can nominate a student for Concourse.

If students are anonymous, how will universities know who they have admitted?

When students get an offer from a university, they have the option to indicate Interested or Not Interested. When students indicate interest in a university, they agree to release their information to the university so that it can be entered into the university’s systems. No application required. And if the student does not see a good fit students can click Not Interested and the student stays anonymous.

Can students be interested in more than one offer?

Absolutely. Indicating interest is not a commitment for a student. It’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s a student saying that they’re interested and asking the university to send them the offer package so they can fully assess it.

Are students required to enroll at a university that admits them through Concourse?

No. Concourse is meant to bring students more options, not to limit opportunities. While many receive favorable options through the platform, students can use Concourse in addition to writing traditional applications.

Who can use Concourse?

Any student in their final year of secondary school or in a current gap year is eligible to use Concourse. Students must be invited to Concourse by a counselor. (High school guidance counselors, independent education counselors/consultants certified by HECA, IECA, or other certifying bodies, and other kinds of advisors such as EducationUSA, Matchlighters counselors, etc. are welcome to use Concourse.)

Any CIS member university is eligible to join Concourse.

When do students need Concourse?

Students may join Concourse any time during their final year of secondary school. Many counselors introduce Concourse early in the academic year to bring students admission offers just as their final year is beginning. It’s a great way to relieve the stress of “getting in”, build confidence, and introduce students to new institutions and programs.

Many students return to Concourse later in the academic year if their personal, academic, or financial situation changes, or if they are not satisfied with their current admission offers. 

Concourse is for all students who are actively seeking higher education opportunities.  

How much time will this take?

We’ve made Concourse as straightforward and user-friendly as possible. For counselors, getting your students up and running on Concourse can be done in a single class period (30-45 minutes). In fact, we’ll even run the onboarding session for you. Just invite your students to a Zoom session with us and we’ll do the rest! Typically, by the end of the class, most students have created AND completed their profiles. Counselors need to certify the profiles and nominate their students in order to start receiving admission offers- which is as simple as a few clicks of a button.

For universities, Concourse is very time-effective. Once a month, admissions reps can expect to receive a list of well-matched candidates and have 2 weeks to review the list and make offers. For most institutions, effective time spent on Concourse comes out to roughly 6-8 hours/month.  

If my university signs up, how many students will I review and will they all be from CIS member schools?

It depends on the search criteria that you provide to Concourse. Depending on whether you set very specific criteria with regard to academic and language qualifications, regions, budgets, etc. or broad criteria to cast a wide net, you might see anywhere between 10-50 students per month on your admission review list. You can choose to focus your searches on students from CIS member schools or you can broaden your search to include students at any school on the Concourse platform. You will always be able to identify students from CIS member schools.

As a student at a CIS member school, will I only receive offers from CIS member universities?

While CIS member universities may choose to focus their searches on CIS member schools as familiar and well-understood partners, you will be eligible to receive admission offers from both CIS member universities and non-CIS members. You will be able to tell if a university that is making you an offer is a CIS member or not.

How much does Concourse cost?

Universities must sign a commercial agreement with Concourse to participate. A special pricing plan will be available to CIS member universities that are new subscribers, with no up-front fees and a 20% discount on every match that occurs for the first year of your contract.

Students seeking admissions offers normally pay a fee of USD $75 to participate in Concourse but this fee is waived for students at CIS member schools, and students do not have to pay any other application fees. For counselors and students at CIS schools, this program is free of charge.

What regions of the world do you support?

Concourse is a global platform. We support high schools and universities everywhere in the world.

Are you compliant with data privacy laws?

Yes we are. Concourse protects students from spam by keeping them anonymous in the delivery of our services, and complies with all relevant data privacy laws. Students decide if/when to share their information with institutions who have offered them admission. We make use of encryption and digital signatures throughout our platform. Overall we have the strongest student data protection in the industry.

What if my student gets a UK offer they’d like to pursue, but they’ve already filled up their UCAS spots?

Students who have used all UCAS spots can discuss their specific options with UK universities who make offers to them on Concourse. The answer may vary depending on the institution, the time of year, and the availability of swapping choices, UCAS Extra and Clearing.

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