How to Automate University Admissions Workflows

The Problem

University admissions offices handle thousands of applications each cycle. Manual processes lead to:

• Lost documents
• Delayed decisions
• Inconsistent review criteria
• Overwhelmed staff

Solution Architecture

We built an automated admissions system using:

• Application portal: Students submit documents
• Document verification: Automated checks for transcripts, test scores
• Review workflows: Assign reviewers, track progress
• Decision automation: Generate acceptance/rejection letters

Implementation Steps

1. Application Intake

async function createApplication(data: ApplicationData) {
  // Store application
  const app = await db.insert(applications).values(data);
  
  // Trigger verification workflow
  await verifyDocuments(app.id);
  
  // Notify admissions team
  await notifyTeam(app.id);
  
  return app;
}

2. Document Verification

Automated checks include:

• Transcript validation: Check format and completeness
• Test score verification: Validate against official APIs
• Recommendation letter tracking: Email reminders to recommenders

3. Review Assignment

Applications are automatically assigned to reviewers based on:

• Academic department
• Reviewer availability
• Application volume

4. Decision Workflow

Once reviews are complete:

1. Calculate composite score
2. Compare against thresholds
3. Generate decision letter
4. Send notifications
5. Update student portal

Automation Benefits

• Faster processing: 2-3 weeks instead of 6-8 weeks
• Reduced errors: Automated checks catch missing documents early
• Better tracking: Real-time visibility into application status
• Scalability: Handle 10x applications without 10x staff

Tools We Used

• Cloudflare Workers for API logic
• D1 for application storage
• Email API for notifications
• Document processing services for verification

This system now handles 50,000+ applications annually with a team of 5.