The most critical component of any high-functioning school is data collection. You want to be able to access and organize all information about the way your school runs: funding, admin, and most importantly, the student population. This, among other reasons, makes data collection essential.
In the past, all this information was kept in paper form, and usually not well. Even excellent tangible filing systems are inefficient and costly in terms of manpower, supplies, and storage space.
Today, schools can keep all of their data at their fingertips with excellent software systems that will allow you to input, analyze, and share data. Among the critical component of all types of data collection, a student information system is perhaps the most important of all.
Not All SIS’ Are Created Equal
While a Student Information System (SIS) can be a game changer for schools, it is important to note that they aren’t all going to provide the same level of value.
Some systems merely act as a placeholder for your data and do not provide additional support in the processes of organizing or finding data. Other systems, like FAME’s SIS, are automated applications that not only give your data a place to live but also manage the workflow and ensure critical tasks are completed in a timely manner.
Make sure when you’re selecting a SIS that you consider the full range of value that the software will provide to the institution once it is fully implemented.
Automation Is No Longer the Future
For decades we have been saying that automation is the future, and that is simply no longer true. Automation is the present. It is here to stay, and it is time we all stepped into these processes that make our lives, and our jobs much easier.
Now that we have experienced the effects of a pandemic that sent our paperwork and data collection into an uproar of missing information, it is time to automate these systems, especially for the sake of our students and the health of our schools.
With an automated Student Information System, we can better track student information, meaning we have more time to focus on our students. This ability to meet students where they are, and get them the resources they need quickly, will keep schools running more efficiently and more robustly.
Automation also allows all of us to be on the same page. We no longer need a single specialist who has all of our information under paperwork lock and key. In this day and age of rapid technological change, putting a single person, or even a handful of people, in charge of managing and tracking all of our paperwork, is not only outdated but also dangerous. If anything were to happen to that gatekeeper, the school would fall short of its ability to meet the needs of its student body.
Use School and Student-Specific Solutions
Thus, it is essential that our schools fully embrace the present and move past our pen and paper ways to software that serves us. However, you do not want to just place your emphasis on simply the latest technology – you want the latest tech that has been created specifically for your niche industry.
This is particularly important when considering the level of automation that is offered by the software. You’ll want software that provides additional support for the data functions that your institution needs and uses daily – not just a digital “stack of clutter.”
It is without a doubt that a Student Information System is an important investment that will pay itself off by adding immense value over the years.
About FAME
FAME has been a leader in the higher education industry for more than 40 years. We offer a wide variety of software and services, including financial aid software, lead management solutions, consulting, and much more.
If you are ready to leap into automation, contact us. We have consultants available that are eager to help you figure out your school-specific solutions that will ensure your study body is thriving and well served.
