BU College of Fine Arts Program User Guide

Important Contact Information

Contact or refer applicants to the BU College of Fine Arts Application Support team at:

Email: cfa-info.bu@liaisoncas.com
Phone: 857-304-2000

Contact the Client Support Specialist team for assistance with WebAdMIT at:

Cycle Timeframes

Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal opens in mid-July and closes in early November.

Configuration Portal

Between early April and early June, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment.

WebAdMIT

You can view new applicants and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in mid-July.

Program Participation Requirements

BU requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from BU and BU College of Fine Arts, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.

Applicant Portal

The first three sections of the BU College of Fine Arts application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).

You can access the BU College of Fine Arts application and BU College of Fine Arts Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).

For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:

Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the BU College of Fine Arts Complete application status.

You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to BU College of Fine Arts Application Support.

Configuration Portal

Use the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide to make sure you configure your program(s) efficiently and completely in the prelaunch environment. Be sure to check out your CAS's configuration options and review the best practices found throughout. If any optional sections of the application are required for your program (e.g., experiences, test scores, etc.), you'll want to note this on your program home page.

WebAdMIT

Review the WebAdMIT Manual for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:

API Overview: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
Application Coupons Reference Guide: learn how to request coupons to offset application fees and disperse them to applicants.
Data Dictionaries and Master Code Lists: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager and Report Manager, including associated lookup tables.
Deferring Applicants via the Liaison-assisted Deferral Process: learn how to transfer deferred applicants from one cycle to the next.
Invitation Codes Reference Guide: learn how to offer individual deadline extensions directly to applicants.
Manual Designations: learn how to add additional programs (i.e., designations) to an application in WebAdMIT.
Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.

The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the Applicant Portal, Applicant Gateway, Configuration Portal, Letters by Liaison, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.

For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.

Cycle Enhancements

2022-2023

The table below contains enhancements for BU College of Fine Arts for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Login Page	The background image was updated.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Biographic Information	The Preferred Name question was added. Additionally, the Preferred Pronouns and Gender Identity questions were updated.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Race & Ethnicity	The answer options were updated.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	The First Generation Students question was updated. Additionally, Email Communication was added as an answer option to the How did you become interested in Boston University question.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Academic History	The sections were reordered, with GPA Entries now under Colleges Attended.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended	If an applicant selects Unlisted French Speaking Canadian or Other Foreign Institution, they must complete a new required field for the college’s country. If you created exports to pull a college's country data, you must edit and select the new college country fields. Review the Country Field for Manually Entered Foreign Institutions release note for more information. Additionally, the instruction text was updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Standardized Tests	The instruction text was updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Organization Details	You can only access the Add Program and Copy Program buttons in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Organization Details	Instead of rebuilding your program in the prelaunch environment, you can import your program from a previous cycle's production environment into the prelaunch environment. You can access the Import from Previous Cycle button in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment. Visit the Import Your Programs page for more information.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	You can view TOEFL MyBest scores in the Standardized Tests panel of the Applicant Details page. Additionally, you can view scores in the Full Application PDF under the Documents panel of the Applicant Details page. All TOEFL iBT score reports sent after August 1, 2019, will include the applicant's MyBest scores as well as the individual scores from each test date.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Clipboard	You can now add multiple applicants to your Clipboard by uploading a CSV file of their CAS IDs. Review the Using the Clipboard page for more information.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	PDF Manager	If you create a list that searches for applicants based on any field in the Designations field grouping (e.g., Designation, Application Status, etc.), you can now extract the full application PDFs that adhere to your list's criteria. For more information, see the PDF Manager page.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Export Manager List Manager	The Applicant Gateway Activities field grouping and associated fields were removed. Be sure to review your existing lists and exports to review and update your criteria, if applicable.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2021-2022

The table below contains enhancements for BU College of Fine Arts for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Standardized Tests	Depending on an applicant's answers on the Extended Profile page, they will see specific standardized test types. For example, if an applicant reports that they live outside the US, then the CAS can display the TOEFL, PTE, and/or IELTS standardized test types.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Background Image	The application's background image was updated.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Extended Profile	A new Extended Profile feature was added, which are question(s) an applicant must answer after they create their application and before they can select programs or complete any part of the application. The Extended Profile has only one question: Are you a current Boston University College of Fine Arts Student?	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Biographic Information	A new Preferred Pronouns question was added. Additionally, the Sex question text was updated to While we understand that your sex may not necessarily be binary, this information is required for reporting purposes to the U.S. Federal Government using these values only. What is your sex?	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Question Rules	You can now use the following question rules when configuring your programs: Change Fee Question Rule: create alternate fees for applicants. Program Availability Question Rule: show or hide your programs based on an applicant’s response to an Extended Profile or program-level question. Show Document Question Rule: request or require a document upload based on an applicant’s response to an Extended Profile or program-level question.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	You can now view which applicants reapplied from a previous cycle in WebAdMIT. The Applicant Previously Applied to CAS field populates as Yes or No.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2020-2021

The table below contains enhancements for BU College of Fine Arts for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended	The workflow for entering colleges has been improved. Enhancements include: The option to employ an e-transcript vendor from within the application (e.g., Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, or Credential Solutions, where applicable) An improved process for uploading and previewing unofficial transcripts Enhanced display of requirements	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended Academic History – Standardized Tests Login Page Supporting Information – Documents	The login page and various section instructions text are updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Email	When applicants request a recommendation, the email sent to recommenders now comes from a CollegeofFineArts-Info.bu email address. Previously, these emails came from a CFA-Info.BU address.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Login Page	The background image has been updated.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Release Statement	A new Privacy Statement has been added.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Submit Application Page	The Submit Application page lists the term on each program’s tile. Previously, applicants needed to click the additional information icon to view the program’s term.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Question Rules	When applicants select a program and answer a program-specific or Extended Profile question, their deadline date can update based on the program’s configurations. If an applicant selects an answer that offers multiple deadlines, then the deadline that the program selected as highest priority displays. If an applicant’s answer is linked to only expired programs, the applicant receives a warning message, advising them to select an alternate program or to contact their program.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Questions	When you create a question in the Configuration Portal, you can choose to hide the question in the full application PDF in WebAdMIT. These questions will still display on the Applicant Details page in WebAdMIT and be available in the List Manager and Export Manager.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Assignments	Previously, when a reviewer was assigned an Assignment in WebAdMIT, they received an email the next day, listing all Assignments given to them, regardless if the reviewer already completed them. Now reviewers only receive the daily Assignment email if they have incomplete Assignments from the previous day.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Export Manager	The Hispanic field in WebAdMIT aligns with the Do you consider yourself to be of Hispanic/Latino Origin? optional question from the Applicant Portal. Currently, when users export this field from WebAdMIT, an applicant’s response populates as: Yes (if the applicant selected Yes) or No (if the applicant selected No or didn’t answer the question). A new Hispanic (Yes / No / Blank) field has been created to accurately reflect an applicant’s response to this Do you consider yourself to be of Hispanic/Latino Origin? question: Yes (if the applicant selected Yes), No (if the applicant selected No), or Blank (if the applicant didn’t answer the question). The Hispanic (Yes / No / Blank) field is available in the: Applicant Header List Manager Export Manager Race and Ethnicity subpanel under the Personal Information panel (note that this field is labeled as Hispanic) The original Hispanic field is still available in WebAdMIT.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Report Manager	A new Applicant-based report is available: Local Status History. This report includes the applicant’s: CAS ID Name Designation Designation WebAdMIT Label Local Status Local Status Changed Date Local Status Changed By Decision Code Decision Code Changed Date Decision Code Changed By Every Local Status change for an applicant is listed on one row. If an applicant has multiple Local Status changes, the report will include multiple rows with this information. This information can still be accessed under the History panel on the Applicant Details page.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch