The University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music
is one of the first universities to use locally developed web-based
software to streamline and manage video applications for creative and
sports programs.
Acceptd,
co-founded by Don Hunter of Oakley and Derek Brown of Columbus, manages
digital applications, making them easier to upload, edit and share. It
can be used by potential students and college programs as a central
place to communicate.
"With Acceptd, students
upload their digital audition, which saves them time and money in
travel; and faculty can view and discuss candidates online, which saves
them time and resources that could be spent with the most qualified
applicants," Hunter says.
CCM, along with
The Ohio State University's Department of Dance and
Otterbein University's Department of Theatre and Dance, will be part of a pilot that uses Acceptd for their admissions processes this fall.
The
founders believe the program is game changer for both potential
students and faculty. "It saves the colleges time because universities
can be more selective in whom they ask for a live audition," Brown says.
"Generally, colleges spend hundreds of hours watching live auditions to
select a handful of students. It saves students money, because they
will only need to travel to schools where they are a likely candidate
for admission."
The program contains a
dashboard where applicants can upload their videos and send them to
multiple colleges or universities. Students can add their social media
pages, bios and more. The social media component also lets students
connect through Facebook and see where their friends are applying.
Acceptd will notify students by email or text when their video has been
received, viewed and commented on.
Acceptd has caught the eye of the state's investor community. The company received a $50,000 TechGenesis grant from
TechColumbus, a catalyst for economic growth in Central Ohio, as well as $20,000 from the
10-xelerator, a new venture accelerator designed to attract and retain young entrepreneurs in the state of Ohio.
By Feoshia Henderson
You can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites
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