One System That Stays With Every Student
Uncommon Schools was the first network to adopt Overgrad. A decade later, they became one of the first to extend it through postsecondary completion, replacing legacy systems that had become costly to maintain.
Overgrad's founding partner
Replaced with one unified system
From high school through degree completion
Where They Started
"We hesitated to replace our legacy setup because of the disruption we assumed it would cause."
The Early Days: Spreadsheets That Couldn't Scale
When Uncommon first partnered with Overgrad, their college advising process lived in spreadsheets. Match lists, application tracking, and counselor assignments were all managed manually. As the network grew, the spreadsheet-driven approach became unsustainable. They needed a system that could scale with their ambitions.
The Salesforce Era: Powerful but Expensive
For alumni and postsecondary tracking, Uncommon relied on a decade-old Salesforce setup. While it worked, it required dedicated technical staff to maintain, expensive consultants to modify, and constant manual data entry to keep current. What it actually cost them had grown well beyond the licensing fees.
Two Systems, One Mission
The disconnect between high school advising in Overgrad and alumni tracking in Salesforce meant handoffs, duplicate data entry, and gaps in visibility. Staff couldn't easily see which high school interventions led to college success. The systems served the same students but didn't talk to each other.
The Solution
In 2024, Uncommon became one of the first networks to use Overgrad for the full student journey, from high school advising through postsecondary completion. One platform, one record, one team.
"What surprised us was that Overgrad didn't just simplify our systems. It unified our work. Within weeks, we had a single, end-to-end view of student progress that allowed our teams to operate more efficiently without losing clarity or personalization."
Unified Student Records
Students no longer exist in two separate systems. High school milestones, college applications, enrollment verification, and degree progress all live in one record. Staff can finally see the complete picture.
- Single student record from 9th grade through degree completion
- No more handoffs or duplicate data entry between systems
- Historical context informs current interventions
Automated Postsecondary Tracking
Alumni enrollment, persistence, and graduation data syncs straight from the National Student Clearinghouse, giving the team real-time visibility into outcomes.
- Enrollment and degree progress current without anyone pulling it
- Real-time alerts when alumni stop out or transfer
- Persistence dashboards update daily, not quarterly
Changes Without Consultants
The team configures their own fields, workflows, and reports. What used to mean a consulting engagement and a wait is now something a staff member does the same afternoon.
- Reports and changes self-serve, no outside help needed
- No dedicated technical staff required to keep the system running
- Staff time redirected from system maintenance to student support
The 2024 Migration
Replacing a decade-old system meant bringing the decade with it. The move ran in three phases, and nothing from Salesforce was lost.
Salesforce Data Migration
Overgrad migrated a decade of alumni data from Salesforce, including enrollment history, outreach records, and degree progress. All historical context preserved and linked to existing student records.
NSC Integration Setup
Connected Overgrad directly to the National Student Clearinghouse and retired the monthly manual pulls.
Team Training & Salesforce Sunset
Staff trained on the new system, with workflows configured to match their existing processes. Salesforce subscription cancelled.
The Results
Uncommon now operates with one system, one record per student, and complete visibility from enrollment through employment, all while spending less than they did on Salesforce alone.
"The transition saved us time, money, and headaches. But more importantly, it gave us something we never had before: a complete view of what happens to our students after they graduate."
Consultant Invoices
Retired the decade-old Salesforce setup. No more waiting weeks for simple changes or paying hourly rates for basic reports.
Alumni Visibility
Automatic NSC integration means staff know within days when an alumnus stops enrolling, not months later when it's too late to intervene.
Not Months to Go Live
Staff were productive in the new system within weeks of the switch, against the months of disruption they had braced for.
Uncommon's journey with Overgrad reflects what's possible when a platform grows alongside its partners. From replacing spreadsheets in the early days to unifying their entire K-20 operation in 2024, Uncommon has helped shape Overgrad into the system it is today.
Ready to Keep Every Student in One Place?
See how Overgrad gives each student one record that follows them from advising through their career.