5 Waze For Higher Ed Ideas

Waze is fantastic. For those of you that have not switched over to navigating by Waze I say drop what you are doing, download the app, and go and find some traffic. You will be amazed at the power of community sourced traffic notifications, real time rerouting, warnings of upcoming speed traps and disabled vehicles. 

 

Google paid $1.1 billion for Waze in 2013, and for once I think that this much money for an 80 person app company with minimal revenues actually makes sense.

 

What could a Waze for higher ed possibly look like?  

 

 

Applying to college is somewhat like trying to get off the Cape on a Sunday. Everyone is trying to get over the same narrow bridge. A Waze Admissions app would show you applicant flow in real time, and automatically re-route your application to those schools that are getting less traffic but would still be a good match.

 

 

Getting the right classes to graduate on time is a challenge. Balancing distribution requirements with major requirements can lead to degree progress congestion, and even breakdown.  A real time class signup and switching app (rerouting) based on demand and availability could get enrollees more efficiently to the graduation destination.

 

 

Why should every graduate apply to the same place? Wouldn’t dynamic rerouting of resumes and cover letters to those companies that are hiring, but have less applicants, make this process smoother for all concerned?

 

 

The customs and cultures around that first academic appointment resemble ancient tribal bonding rituals more than an efficient labor market. Who needs job talks and hotel rooms at academic conferences if academic appointments could be handled by a Waze like app?  Promising applicants are automatically routed to the open position. User data provides real time information on obnoxious hiring committees and toxic departmental politics.

 

 

Enough said.