Slate

Slate is a higher education CRM that brings admissions, student success and advancement work into one platform. It is best suited to institutions that need those workflows alongside integrations with campus systems. Its broad capabilities come with substantial annual costs that scale with institutional volume.

Overview

Slate covers much of the student relationship lifecycle, from application processing and enrollment through student support and alumni advancement. Institutions can use it as a cloud-based SaaS platform with mobile-ready interfaces, or connect it to campus systems through scheduled web services, batched file transfers or its API.

Its native toolkit includes forms, surveys, events, interview and appointment scheduling, document management, payment processing, SMS, chatbots, portals and microsites. That breadth can reduce the need to coordinate separate tools, but it also makes Slate a significant institutional platform rather than a lightweight admissions add-on.

Key features

Admissions and enrollment

Application management, reading facilitation, decision release, texting, event management and data integrations support the admissions process from application review through enrollment. Applicant communications, review and decision workflows, enrollment workflows, document collection and SIS integration are all supported. This combination suits institutions looking to manage the full admissions cycle in one system.

Student success and advancement

Student Success supports forms, queries, appointments, events, office hours, email and SMS communications, portals, case workflows and campus-system integrations. Institutions already using a Slate database can use Student Success at no additional cost; a separate license is priced differently. For advancement teams, Slate combines donor management, alumni relations and event management with real-time data insights, communications and automations.

Integrations and security

Slate lists integrations including Common App, Banner, PeopleSoft, OnBase and payment providers. The maker says data is encrypted at rest and in transit, supports multifactor authentication and institutional single sign-on, and keeps each institution in its own private database. Its security page states PCI DSS compliance and says data is hosted solely in the United States, Canada, Europe or Asia.

Pricing

Slate has no free plan. Admissions and Enrollment pricing depends on annual submitted applications, Advancement pricing on active full-time undergraduate enrollment, and a separate Student Success license is available for enrolled-student communications or separate use. Prices below are annual.

• Admissions & Enrollment, fewer than 1,500 applications: $30,000 a year for a single database and license. This is the lowest stated tier, but its application cap makes it relevant only to institutions below that volume.
• Admissions & Enrollment, 1,500–7,500 applications: $50,000 a year for a single database and license.
• Admissions & Enrollment, 7,500–15,000 applications: $75,000 a year for a single database and license.
• Admissions & Enrollment, 15,000–40,000 applications: $100,000 a year for a single database and license.
• Admissions & Enrollment, 40,000–60,000 applications: $125,000 a year for a single database and license.
• Admissions & Enrollment, 60,000–80,000 applications: $150,000 a year for a single database and license.
• Admissions & Enrollment, 80,000–100,000 applications: $175,000 a year for a single database and license.
• Admissions & Enrollment, more than 100,000 applications: custom pricing.
• Separate Student Success license: $30,000 a year. Existing Slate database use for Student Success has no additional cost, making that route materially less expensive for institutions already on Slate.
• Advancement, fewer than 2,500 active full-time undergraduate enrollment: $50,000 a year. The enrollment threshold is central to whether this tier applies.

The annual volume-based structure is a useful budgeting basis for institutions that can estimate application or enrollment totals, but the entry price is a major commitment and costs rise with scale. Institutions should distinguish the included Student Success use on an existing database from the separate license before budgeting.

Platforms

Slate is available on web, iOS and Android, and offers an API. Its responsive, mobile-ready interfaces extend access to modern smartphones and devices; the cloud-based SaaS model is aimed at institutions working across campus systems rather than on a single desktop.

Who it's for

Slate is a strong fit for colleges and universities seeking one system for admissions, student support and advancement, especially where integrations with existing systems and full admissions workflows matter. It is less compelling for a small team seeking a low-cost, narrow-purpose tool: even its lowest stated annual admissions tier is $30,000 a year.

License support includes a knowledge base, community forums and conversations, a dedicated client success team, webinars, Learning Lab and community events. The Knowledge Base is accessible to all, giving institutions a self-service option alongside license support.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad admissions coverage, from application review to enrollment, makes it suitable for institutions managing the complete process.
• Pros: Student Success and Advancement extend the platform beyond recruitment, while existing Slate database use for Student Success carries no additional cost.
• Pros: Multiple integration routes, named campus-system integrations, and mobile support fit institutions with varied systems and device needs.
• Cons: The $30,000 a year entry admissions tier is a high baseline for institutions with limited needs or budgets.
• Cons: Admissions pricing climbs with application volume, so growth can raise the annual license cost.
• Cons: Separate Student Success use costs $30,000 a year; the no-additional-cost option depends on using an existing Slate database.

Alternatives

For an alternative student recruitment shortlist, browse Student Recruitment Software; for the wider CRM category, see Education CRM Software. Institutions focused specifically on application processing can compare the Admissions Software category, while those prioritizing advising can explore Academic Advising Software.

• Gecko is another paid option with Android, iOS, web and API platforms.
• Salesforce Education Cloud is worth considering for institutions seeking learner-lifecycle coverage and willing to assess its $87 a year plan, billed at $87 USD per user per month annually.
• Full Fabric may suit institutions looking for a platform-fee model: its €€12,000 a year fee includes contact management, lifecycles, events, forms, workflows, automations and platform access.
• Creatrix Campus Admissions is a paid admissions-focused alternative with customized quote pricing.
• Element451 is a paid option with annual pricing based on institution size and support tier, with quotes requested.
• Meritto Education CRM offers a Starter Plan at $8,000 a year for up to 15 users and 50,000 emails, with unlimited contacts and SMS as an add-on.
• AdmitCue is a freemium, web-based alternative.
• Azorus CRM is a paid option with fixed contract pricing, no per-user fees and no usage caps.

Verdict

Choose Slate if your institution wants admissions, student success and advancement capabilities connected in one higher education CRM, particularly when admissions workflow depth and campus integrations are priorities. Its main drawback is cost: annual admissions fees start at $30,000.00 USD and rise by volume, so institutions with narrower needs or tighter budgets should compare alternatives before committing.