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Manage the Enrollment Funnel and Accept Students
Manage the Enrollment Funnel and Accept Students

Learn how to manage applications once they've been submitted.

Molly Farber avatar
Written by Molly Farber
Updated over a week ago

Once students have applied to your enrollment listing, you can move them through the enrollment funnel to waitlist, accept, or reject them. When accepting a student, you can confirm details such as their billing plan, schedule, and classroom.

If you have not yet created a listing, be sure to read this article.


View the Enrollment Funnel

Open the Enrollment Funnel

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click Enrollment from the left sidebar.

  2. Click on the listing you want to view, and the enrollment funnel will open.

Understand the Enrollment Funnel

Once a family submits their enrollment application, it will appear in the Enrollment funnel under the specific listing's Applied column. Each application is shown as a card with the student's name and any additional information chosen via your Board options.

Customize the Enrollment Funnel Board

  1. From the enrollment listing, click the blue Board Options button in the upper right corner of the screen.

  2. Click on card properties you'd like to see on a student's card. Properties highlighted in blue will be included on the card. Properties highlighted in gray are not included.

  3. You can also select to sort columns by a specific property, such as the date they applied or the student's age.

  4. Once the card shows the information you'd like to see, click Save.

Hide a Column in the Enrollment Board

  1. Click the three dots at the top right of the column.

  2. Click Hide Column.

  3. The hidden columns will now appear on the far right side of your enrollment board.

  4. To view the column again, click the three dots next to the hidden column and click Show Column.

💡 You can not hide columns that have student applications in them.


Update a Student's Enrollment Status

Prefer to watch a video? Click here.

There are five statuses an application can be in: Applied, Waitlisted, Accepted, Rejected, and Dropped. Each status has its own column in the enrollment funnel. To move a student to a different status, drag and drop the student's card into the correct column. When dragging and dropping into any column, you will be asked to Save Changes at the top of the screen.

🚨 An automatic email will be sent when you change a student's enrollment status. Click here to learn how to edit the automatic email.

💡If you have moved multiple students from one status to another and determine you do not actually want to Save Changes for all students who were moved, click the Undo button in the top right corner of the student card for the student who you want to revert back to the previous status. Now you can Save Changes for all appropriate students.


​Accept a Student

  1. To accept a student, click on your listing from the Enrollment tab to open the enrollment board. You will see a list of the students that have applied to your listing in the Applied column.

  2. Drag and drop the student's contact card from the Applied or Waitlisted column to the Accepted column.

  3. Once you move the student to the Accepted column, the Accepted Window will open. Here, you can confirm, edit, or add the student's details:

    1. Plan (learn more about creating charges here)

    2. Classroom

    3. Start date

    4. Schedule (if applicable)

    5. Student's payment plan(s)

    6. Additional programs

    7. Notes

  4. On the right-hand side, you'll find an Application Overview section where you can prioritize the student's acceptance, indicate subsidy eligibility, adjust billing frequency, and review the application.

  5. At the bottom of this section, you can see which required documents the guardian has Submitted or Not Started. The documents section populates directly from the documents you selected as required when you created or edited the enrollment listing.

  6. Once you've reviewed the application and want to accept the student, click the blue Save button in the top right corner of the screen.

  7. Final confirmation: Once you click Save, you'll be taken back to the Enrollment Funnel. You'll notice the student you just accepted is now in the Accepted column in yellow. If everything looks correct, click the blue Save Changes button at the top of your screen to confirm the student's acceptance.

💡 If you cannot accept a student or create recurring billable items, ensure your session start and end dates are not the same date. These dates determine recurring charges. Edit your enrollment listing to adjust these dates.

Waitlist a Student

  1. From your Enrollment Board, drag the student card from the Applied column to the Waitlisted column.

  2. Click the blue Save Changes button.

💡 Students who have applied to your program can be moved from the Applied column to the Waitlisted column. Students with other statuses (accepted, rejected, or dropped) cannot be moved to the waitlist.

Reject a Student

  1. From your Enrollment Board, drag the student card from the Applied or Waitlisted column to the rejected column.

  2. Click the blue Save Changes button.

💡 Rejected students can be moved back to the Waitlisted or Accepted columns in the future.

Drop a Student

  1. From your Enrollment Board, drag the student card from any column to the Dropped column.

  2. A pop-up will appear to remind you that this is an irreversible action. Click OK to confirm that you understand the implications of this action.

  3. Click the blue Save Changes button.

🚨 Students cannot be moved out of the Dropped column. The Dropped column should only be used if a student is no longer interested, was accepted but decided not to attend, or applied to the wrong center/program.

💡 If you'd like to remove students from the Dropped column of your Enrollment Board, you'll need to delete the student altogether.


Add Program to an Application Before Acceptance

Administrators can edit student applications for Applied and Waitlisted students. Programs can also be added during acceptance.

  1. From the Enrollment Dashboard, click the student card you would like to edit.

  2. You will be taken to the Enrollment tab of the student's profile.

  3. On the far right, under Properties, click the blue Add Program button.

  4. The Add Program window will appear. Select the checkboxes next to the programs you would like to add.

  5. Select the blue Add to Application button. A green pop-up will appear, indicating that the application has been updated.

💡 You can also edit all other application properties using this method.


Edit an Application During Acceptance

To edit an application during acceptance, drag a student card from the Applied or Waitlisted column to the Accepted column. The student's application will open. Here you can edit the billing plan, add a billing plan item, add a program, or delete a program.

Change the Plan, Start Date, and Classroom

Parents cannot change the plan or start date they selected after submitting their application. However, admins can change the student's plan and start date during acceptance, which will update the student's billing accordingly. You can make additional edits to the billing plan if required.

  1. Accept the student by moving their student card to the Accepted column.

  2. The application page will open. Here, you can edit the plan, start date, and classroom.

  3. When you are satisfied with your changes, click the blue Save button. If you need to change the billing plan items, add an item, or add a program, follow the steps below.

Edit the Billing Plan Item(s)

  1. Accept the student by moving their student card to the Accepted column. The application page will open. Here, you can edit the billing items.

  2. Click the pencil icon next to the item to begin editing. The following fields can be edited:

    1. Item name: charge name listed on invoices to guardians

    2. Price: amount of the charge

    3. Discount: any deduction or credit that will reduce the price amount

    4. This charge should be: select if this charge should be

      1. Paid all at once

      2. Recurring with a start and end date

      3. Recurring for a set number of cycles

      4. Split into even installments

    5. This charge will occur: select the billing cadence

      1. Weekly

      2. Every other week

      3. Monthly

    6. Duration (only applicable if selecting Recurring for a Set Number of Cycles): select the number of times the recurring charge should repeat

    7. The first invoice will post: select the date the balance will post to the student's payments tab

    8. The last invoice will be due: select the last due date for payment

    9. Charge first installment immediately: if this box is checked, the payment method on file will be charged the amount listed. If it is a recurring charge, only the first installment will be charged immediately.

  3. When satisfied with your changes, click the blue Save Item button at the bottom of your screen.

  4. Click the blue Save button at the top of the screen to save the student's application. If you need to add an item, add a program, or delete a program, follow the steps below before clicking Save.

Add a Billing Plan Item

  1. Accept the student by moving their student card to the Accepted column. The application page will open. Here, you can add billing items.

  2. Below the item section, click the white Add Item button.

  3. Specify the item settings and click the blue Save Item button.

  4. When you are satisfied with your changes, click the blue Save button at the top of your screen. If you need to change the plan/start date, change the billing plan items, or add a program, follow the appropriate steps before clicking Save.

Add a Program

Parents and Admins can add or remove programs before acceptance. Only Admins can change program enrollments once a student has been accepted.

  1. Accept the student by moving their student card to the Accepted column. The application page will open. Here, you can add a program.

  2. In the Properties section, click the blue Add Program button.

  3. The Add Program window will appear. Select the checkboxes next to the programs you would like to add.

  4. Select the blue Add to Application button. A green pop-up will appear, indicating that the application has been updated.

  5. When you are satisfied with your changes, click the blue Save button at the top of your screen. If you need to change the plan/start date, change the billing plan items, add a billing plan item, or delete a program, follow the appropriate steps before clicking Save.

💡 If the program has a one-time enrollment fee, an item will be added to the billing plan for the enrollment fee. Click here to learn how to edit a program fee.

Delete a Program

  1. Accept the student by moving their student card to the Accepted column. The application page will open. Here, you can add a program.

  2. In the Properties section, click the blue Add Program button.

  3. The Add Program window will appear. De-select the checkboxes next to the programs you would like to delete.

  4. Select the blue Add to Application button. A green pop-up will appear, indicating that the application has been updated.

  5. When satisfied with your changes, click the blue Save button at the top of your screen. If you need to change the plan/start date, change the billing plan items, add a billing plan item, or add a program, follow the appropriate steps before clicking Save.

💡 Programs with a one-time enrollment fee can also be deleted by deleting the billing plan item associated with the program.

Edit a Program Fee to be Recurring

If a program should have a recurring charge, you can set this up when you accept a student. Only programs with One-time Fee pricing can be converted to recurring charges. Click here to learn how to edit a program fee.

  1. Accept the student by moving their student card to the Accepted column. The application page will open. Here, you can edit the program fee.

  2. If the program has not yet been added to the student's application, follow these steps to add it.

  3. Click the pencil icon next to the program fee billing item to edit the charge.

  4. Change This Charge Should Be to Recurring for a Set Number of Cycles or Recurring With a Start Date and End Date.

  5. Adjust the settings to your program's needs.

  6. Click the blue Save button to save the item.

  7. When satisfied with your changes, click the blue Save button at the top of your screen. If you need to change the plan/start date, change the billing plan items, add a billing plan item, or add a program, follow the appropriate steps before clicking Save.


View and Print a Completed Application

Prefer to watch a video? Click here.

  1. From the Admin Dashboard, click on the Enrollment tab on the left-hand side.

  2. Click on the listing to open the Enrollment funnel, and click on the student's card you want to view.

  3. This will open the student's profile page on the Enrollment tab.

    1. If you know the exact student whose application you'd like to view, you can also find the student under the Students tab of the Admin Dashboard and click on their Enrollment tab once you've clicked on their name. Students with no classroom selected may appear inactive, so it's best to set your student filters to All Statuses.

  4. On the right-hand side, under Application Properties, click View Application Form. This will open up the submitted enrollment form so you can review it.

    1. Print the application form: right-click your mouse and click Print.


Enrollment Notifications for Admins

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Admins can choose to receive email notifications when a student applies to a program and/or when their enrollment status changes.

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click on the Enrollment tab.

  2. In the top right corner of the Enrollment homepage, click the Settings button. The Enrollment Email Settings window will appear.

  3. Click the edit button next to each status to add an email to receive notifications. Add the email and click the blue Save button. You can add additional emails by clicking the blue Add Email button.

  4. All emails added will receive an email notification when a student moves to the specified enrollment status. When you are done adding emails, click Save.

  5. Repeat this process for the statuses for which you would like to receive notifications.

  6. When you are finished, click the blue Save button.


Communication with Families in Enrollment

Playground will automate email notifications to prospective families as they progress through your enrollment process. The notification emails can be customized to fit the needs of your school. You can also choose to turn off automatic emails.

Customize Emails to Families

💡 Emails can be customized for each student status (Applied, Waitlisted, Accepted, Rejected, Dropped).

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click the Enrollment tab and then click on an enrollment listing.

  2. At the top of each column, you will see three dots in the right corner. Click the three dots for the status email you want to edit.

  3. Then click Customize Email.

  4. The email editor will open. Click here to learn how to use the email editor.

  5. When you are satisfied with the email, click the white Save button in the top right corner of the screen.

  6. The Save Email Template window will open. You can select the checkboxes next to the listings you would like this email template to apply to.

  7. Click the blue Save button. A green banner will appear indicating that the email has been saved, and you will be returned to the enrollment board.

  8. Repeat this process for all status emails you would like to update.

Turn-off Automatic Emails to Enrolled Families

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click the Enrollment tab and then click on an enrollment listing.

  2. At the top of each column, you will see three dots in the right corner. Click the three dots for the status email you want to edit.

  3. Then click Turn Off Automatic Emails.

💡 Columns with automatic emails turned off will show a small bell with a slash through it.

Copy Family Emails

If you do not want to send automatic emails through Playground, you can copy a list of all family emails for a specific status column. You can then paste these emails into your email application to send updates to families.

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click the Enrollment tab and then click on an enrollment listing.

  2. At the top of each column, you will see three dots in the right corner. Click the three dots for the status email you want to edit.

  3. Click Copy Emails to Clipboard.

Send Texts to Families

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click the Enrollment tab and then click on an enrollment listing.

  2. At the top of each column, you will see three dots in the right corner. Click the three dots for the status email you want to edit.

  3. Click Send SMS Text.

  4. Type the message you would like to send and then click the blue Send button.

  5. The Confirm SMS Pricing window will appear. You will be charged 1 cent per SMS sent. Click Accept & Post to send your message.


Export Enrollment Listing Data

Prefer to watch a video? Click here.

The enrollment data export includes the date the application was submitted, the application properties, and the answers to the questions on the enrollment form.

  1. From your Admin Dashboard, click the Enrollment tab.

  2. Click on the enrollment listing you want to export the report for.

  3. Click the blue Actions button in the top right corner of the screen.

  4. Click Export Data and then select which columns you would like to include in the export.

  5. Click Save, and a CSV file with the application data will be downloaded to your computer.

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