Last night during #CampusChat I noticed a new participant–@applykit. Naturally it peaked my interest and after the chat I did a little research about them. As luck would have it, the founder Bobby Touran emailed me with the 411 about their service.
Heads up parents and students–there’s another tool available to help organize the college planning process. The app manages all aspects of the college application process, including recommendations.
ApplyKit, the online personal assistant for the entire college application process, today announced the beta release of its ApplyKit service, cloud-based software that helps high school seniors manage their own efforts as well as those of interested stakeholders such as recommenders and parents. ApplyKit manages the college selection process by bringing the entire process online, and connecting everyone involved.
The ApplyKit software includes the following features:
- Add a desired school with one click, and ApplyKit will automatically load its deadlines and requirements in checklist form
- Personalized dashboard tracks a senior’s progress against all applications, as well as any upcoming deadlines
- A single, secure online space for students to work on application materials with collaborators like recommenders, consultants, and parents
“I’ve built a business around the inefficiencies of college applications,” said Craig Plummer, a professional college counselor. “ApplyKit will help me manage the application process for my students in a way not previously possible.”
When a student creates an ApplyKit account, she can search for schools and add them to her dashboard. ApplyKit automatically adds dates and deadlines to a student’s master timeline for each school she chooses. These dates and deadlines trigger email reminders to make sure she doesn’t forget a single step in the process.
ApplyKit then provides an online “Folder” for each school to keep materials and workflow clear and organized. A student can use the “Collaborators” feature to involve others in the application process as appropriate. For example, a teacher can compose and submit a letter of recommendation online. If desired, ApplyKit will even automatically send newsletters to parents to keep them in the loop, including analytics on their student’s overall progress.
ApplyKit was founded by Bobby Touran, a serial entrepreneur from a family of educators, who was stunned by the hassle and manual grunt work required to manage his business school applications. “At ApplyKit, we plan to disrupt the archaic college application process,” said Touran. “We have launched our product, we have new customers signing up daily, and we will be announcing a number of key relationships in the coming months.”
Touran built ApplyKit as part of Wasabi Ventures’ Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, based in both Nashua, New Hampshire, and Baltimore, Maryland. Said Touran, “This is a fantastic time for EduTech innovation, thanks to all the great resources available. For example, in addition to the Wasabi Ventures EIR program, we are an applicant for Pearson’s “Catalyst” program. Catalyst exposes startups to Pearson’s API and arranges sessions with Pearson advisors.”
Pricing and Availability
ApplyKit uses a Freemium pricing model. Any student can sign up and manage a single college application for free; a Basic plan that covers 5 applications is $12 per month, and a Premium plan that allows unlimited applications is only $25 per month. Discounts are available for students who pay for 6 or 12 months in advance.
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About ApplyKit
ApplyKit manages a student’s college selection process. Students can access, track and share all research and application materials in one place. Applications to undergraduate institutions are at record highs, and students need an advantage more than ever. ApplyKit is positioned at the heart of the college prep industry. Bobby Touran—an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Wasabi Ventures, started the company in 2012. Visit http://www.applykit.com/about for more information.