CollegeNET, Inc. announced today it has been granted a patent covering its widely used system for automating both the online college application process and other web forms processing within an institution, namely U.S. Patent No. 6,345,278 B1 entitled "Universal Forms Engine." The patented technology includes a forms engine that enables data sharing between customizable online forms, such as college admissions applications. Each university or institution can use its own branded application, and each application can differ in appearance and content. Information entered by an applicant on an application is stored in an extensible database, and can be automatically inserted into a subsequently selected application of another university or institution or into another customized form served on behalf of the same institution. Additional information entered into any subsequent form is also automatically stored in the extensible database without requiring alterations of the database field structure, existing forms, or programs that access the database. Each customized form can be changed by modifying the stored descriptive information relating to that form, without rewriting the computer program that generates the customized form. CollegeNET's technology also provides a system for verifying the information on a form and paying any necessary application fees.

Additional features and aspects of CollegeNET's patented technology are detailed in the awarded patent. The patent was issued with 42 claims covering various embodiments and aspects of CollegeNET's technology. As part of its plan to seek broad and comprehensive patent coverage for its technology, CollegeNET has applied for foreign patent protection and has a continuing U.S. patent application pending.

According to CollegeNET's director of corporate communications, Paul Casey, "Hundreds of colleges and universities now benefit from CollegeNET's patented technology. The Universal Forms Engine enables each of our institutional clients to more efficiently process online admissions, inquiries, parking forms, housing forms, enrollment deposits, graduation forms, and donations. By using our technology, institutional clients save their prospects and students from retyping common information as they move from form to form. Extensible data sharing also benefits our state system clients as they seek to improve the admissions process. Students filling out multiple admissions applications need not retype common information even when each member campus' application form is tailored differently from the others."

About CollegeNET, Inc.
CollegeNET, Inc. (corp.collegenet.com) is focused on providing technologies that save institutions money and improve educational access and affordability. The company provides innovations in admissions, forms commerce, alumni development, email management, and event and resource scheduling to colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations worldwide.

CollegeNET e-solutions are now used by more than 800 institutions including Virginia Tech, M.I.T., The Ohio State University, Boston University, Ohio University, University of Washington, and University of Nebraska.

For more information, inquiries should be made to: Paul Casey, director of corporate communications, CollegeNET, telephone: (503) 973-5200; facsimile: (503) 973-5252