How an Allied Health School Upgraded its SIS to Grow Enrollment
ICHS increased enrollment from 200 to 1,500 students in three years while partnering with Campus Cafe.
The International College of Health Sciences (ICHS), which offers degrees in nursing and diagnostic sonography, has experienced rapid growth. Over the next several years, the school projects enrollment will increase by 10,000 students.
Operating under a non-traditional model, ICHS serves students who work full-time while pursuing a degree. To support their needs, the school provides a flexible schedule with both online and in-person learning options.
As enrollment began to surge, ICHS needed a scalable, robust student information system (SIS) to manage its growing student base, streamline reporting and registration, enhance student communication and integrate better with third-party applications.
ICHS implemented Campus Cafe to optimize the school’s operations while laying the groundwork for sustainable growth.
ICHS: A Snapshot | |
|---|---|
Location | Boynton Beach, Fla. |
Student Pop. | Approximately 1,500 students |
Accreditation | Florida Department of Education |
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges | |
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education in Nursing | |
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing | |
Florida Board of Nursing | |
Credit Types | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Old System | Stars |
The Challenge
Outgrowing a Legacy System
As ICHS expanded, administrators found its legacy system, Stars, increasingly difficult to work with. Data management was limited, integrations were clunky, customization options fell short, and customer support often meant long wait times or extra costs.
With ambitious growth plans ahead, ICHS needed a more flexible, scalable solution with attentive, responsive customer service and technical support. The legacy system missed the mark in six key areas.
Unreliable Data and Reporting
Data entry errors resulted in inaccurate or inconsistent reports making collaboration across departments difficult.
Costly Customer Support
Requests were answered slowly and solutions were limited. Extra support required additional fees.
Lack of Customization
The system had minimal options for features to fit the school’s unique needs.
Poor API Functionality
Integration with third-party software and apps to exchange real-time information were limited and costly.
Expensive to Scale
Adding additional modules, features or requesting additional technical support came with extra charges.
Frustrating to Use
New and existing users had difficulty optimizing the system due to lack of training and poor user interface.
“The team was dedicated to building something quite exceptional.”
Jay Ober
President & CEO
The Solution
A New SIS with Robust Customization and Reliable Tech Support
ICHS needed an SIS that was both scalable and adaptable. In addition to supporting its current students, ICHS envisioned a system that would also support admissions, registration, career services and alumni relations.
Campus Cafe Software provided the customization, support and seamless integration ICHS needed in a long-term technology partner.
How Campus Cafe Meets ICHS's Unique Needs
Across campus, ICHS’ departments and stakeholders rely on Campus Cafe daily. Ober says the system is performing exceptionally well with top-notch technical support and customer service – a true technology partner.
On-Call Support
Reliable and efficient technical support and troubleshooting, including nights and weekends.
Robust Customizations
Option to add custom features to forms and reports to fit the school’s special enrollment and programs.
Plentiful Integrations
Ability to integrate a variety of third-party apps, including electronic documents and signatures.
Flexible and Scalable
The system is capable of accommodating the school’s growing population and steady increase in data and users.
Responsive Training
Our team helps new and existing users learn the system and optimize the modules for each department.
Mutual Partnership
We establish a strong working relationship with a commitment to the school’s success.
The Results
Improved Operations, Accuracy and Support, With Room to Grow
Since partnering with Campus Cafe, ICHS’s enrollment has increased 650%. The system has seamlessly handled increased data and usage, including processing more than 1,000 new accounts along with student records, registration and billing.
650% INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT
As ICHS continues to expand, Campus Cafe provides daily support for the school’s operations while adapting to its evolving needs.
Ober says ICHS is moving toward unlocking the full potential of Campus Cafe. As the school continues to grow, it will expand its use of Campus Cafe’s additional modules, including communications tools for calling and texting students, the built-in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and advanced reporting options.
“There is great access to customer service and we can make custom changes without it being a big deal.”
Jay Ober
President & CEO