Our Process
How We Work With You
Yes, it is higher education administration, but we both know that no two institutions are alike. However, we know there are core functions that have common objectives and needed outcomes. Generally, the structures and protocols each institution uses to achieve their objectives for commonality of outcomes can vary dramatically. We know that. Consequently, to determine and define a scope of work, focusEDU works closely with the appropriate administrator to define objectives to analyze and assess work. Specifically, our skills and experiences differentiate the services focusEDU provides the higher education community. Our goal is to ensure you feel confident in our process and the results.
Our Process Steps
Define the Engagement
Every engagement starts with a confidential discussion to understand the specific facts and circumstances of your situation. Then, we send out a written agreement which outlines the terms of service, the expected time to complete the work and the related fees. The opportunity is provided to meet the professional focusEDU consultant who has been assigned to the project.
Meet the Consultant(s)
Based on the initial engagement, focusEDU will assess institutional needs as were discussed in Step 1 and arrange an audio/visual meeting (usually Zoom, but we do use all similar platforms) with institutional leadership and the selected focusEDU consultant(s)/advisors to best meet the needs of the college.
Proposal for the Engagement
focusEDU will prepare a Proposal for the engagement that will outline objectives, a time-line, scope of services and provide a pricing quote for institutional review. Once there is mutual agreement of the terms of the engagement, the document is mutually signed by the institution and focusEDU and a start date is mutually determined.
Work Starts
Work commences per mutually agreed to schedule.
Continuous Assessment and Evaluation
Scheduled periodic progress reports are provided to the institutional contact leader and discussions of progress are regularly held with the institutional contact leader. Assessments of progress are conducted, and assessments of protocols and practices are discussed.
Finalization of Work
A summary report of the scope of work and an assessment of achievements and goal attainment will be provided by the focusEDU consultant(s) to the institutional contact lead. An objective and fair assessment of work will be shared by both parties.
From engagement kickoff to final assessment — partnership in practice
What We Assess
Core processes across every engagement area
focusEDU evaluates the operating systems, policies, and workflows that drive institutional performance. Below is the scope of processes and functions our consultants assess for transparent, compliant, and high-performing outcomes.
Processes and Functions We Assess for Admissions and Enrollment Operations
The following processes and functions are core Admission and Enrollment Services that consultants of focusEDU will assess and ensure compliance with and best practices delivery for transparent institutional success:
- Organization structure and position descriptions.
- Documentation of user processes.
- Assess institutional goals for student growth and align recruitment activities with measurable enrollment targets.
- Identify and prioritize new recruitment markets and evaluate the viability of emerging majors and academic programs.
- Collaborate with marketing teams to refine and execute recruitment strategies across digital advertising, print materials, personal communications, and institutional websites.
- Evaluate and standardize outreach practices for staff engaging with students, high schools, community organizations, and counselors.
- Review and enhance prospective student experiences on campus, including information sessions, tours, and faculty interactions, to ensure consistency and high-quality engagement.
- Examine the full application workflow, addressing record-keeping, assessment tools, communication timing, and staff efficiency to reduce bottlenecks and improve applicant progression.
- Implement or optimize CRM systems to support automated communications, lead tracking, workflow management, and reporting dashboards.
- Assess staff training, staffing levels, and departmental structure to strengthen productivity, collaboration, and operational clarity.
- Review and standardize processes for managing application data, including reporting timelines, compliance requirements, and data-quality controls.
- Evaluate communication and management of fees, deposits, and financial aid to ensure clarity, transparency, and improved student decision-making.
- Coordinate yield and enrollment transition activities with advising, housing, orientation, and student services to ensure admitted students complete all enrollment steps successfully.
- Seamless and transparent interfaces with financial aid, registrar and student financial services operating systems.
- Associated interactive dashboards for all processes and historical repositories of comparative data.
Processes and Functions We Assess for Financial Aid Operations
The following processes and functions are core Financial Aid operations that the consultants of focusEDU assess to strengthen regulatory compliance, operational effectiveness, student service, and institutional performance:
- Organization structure and position descriptions
- Documentation of user processes
- FAFSA processing, ISIR review, federal match resolution, and student eligibility determination.
- Verification, conflicting information resolution, professional judgment, dependency overrides, and special circumstance reviews.
- Cost of Attendance development, need analysis, and annual financial aid system configuration.
- Federal, state, institutional, athletic, and scholarship packaging and awarding.
- Federal Pell Grant, Direct Loan, TEACH Grant, Federal Work-Study, and FSEOG administration.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress policy implementation, monitoring, notifications, appeals, and reinstatement processes.
- Return of Title IV calculations, withdrawal coordination, post-withdrawal disbursements, and return processing.
- Disbursement controls, cash management, federal and state reconciliation, and coordination with student accounts and the business office.
- COD, NSLDS, enrollment reporting, transfer monitoring, and regulatory reporting processes.
- Financial aid policies and procedures, documentation standards, internal controls, audit readiness, staff training, workflow improvement, and operational stabilization.
- Seamless and transparent interfaces with admissions, registrar, and student financial services operating systems.
- Associated interactive dashboards for all processes and historical repositories of comparative data.
Processes and Functions We Assess for Registrar Operations
The following registrar processes and functions are core and the consultants of focusEDU will assess and ensure compliance and best practices delivery for transparent institutional success:
- Organization structure and position descriptions
- Documentation of user processes
- NSC/NSLDS reporting protocols
- Transfer credit timeliness and workflows
- Grading practices and systems used to collect and report grades
- Degree Audit system alignment to Curriculum Committee program and course creations
- Classroom scheduling optimization and space utilization
- Degree completion and certification processes
- Diploma ordering systems
- Preparation for single-source external audit (A133)
- Military veteran's certification programs
- Appropriate role in commencement activities
- Curriculum committee interfaces and workflow from Catalog to Course Schedule and degree audit systems
- Seamless and transparent interfaces with admissions, financial aid and student financial services operating systems
- Associated interactive dashboards for all processes and historical repositories of comparative data
Processes and Functions We Assess for Student Financial Services Operations
The following processes and functions are core Student Financial Services the consultants of focusEDU will assess and ensure compliance and best practices delivery for transparent institutional success:
- Organization structure and position descriptions.
- Documentation of user processes.
- Identifying and managing collection agencies.
- Collection software for delinquent tuition and fees and student loans.
- Tuition and fee billing.
- Tuition and fee payment plans.
- Managing delinquent tuition and fee accounts.
- Benchmarking "like" institutions.
- Refunding.
- Financial measurements of operational performance.
- Courtesy calls to reduce receivables.
- Monitoring loan default rates.
- 1098T processing.
- Managing Form 8300.
- Seamless and transparent interfaces with admissions, financial aid and student financial services operating systems.
- Associated interactive dashboards for all processes and historical repositories of comparative data.
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