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Approval Chart - Case Study
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How Climb’s High-Approval Loan Helped One School Increase Conversion, Enrollment, and Student Access

Climb’s mission has always been focused on increasing access to career-focused education. So when a partner needed help increasing the amount of students who could be approved to attend their programs, we were excited to step into problem-solving mode and support their goals.

It started with a reduction in approvals

In 2022 a long-established partner school noticed a reduction in loan approvals for their students. This was a problem in many ways—specifically because more than 50% of students who had expressed interest in their program were ultimately unable to enroll due to lack of financial access. This school also had been running  marketing campaigns to increase awareness of their programs, and was disappointed to see that there was a financial barrier blocking these interested students from enrollment. 

Once this issue was identified, Climb got in contact with the school’s Chief Revenue Officer—who was committed to finding a solution to improve conversion of the overall enrollment funnel and ultimately justify the lead acquisition costs. 

An analysis identified key areas for improvement

Through some quick analysis, Climb identified some core places for improvement and—in a matter of days—presented several product solutions to improve the approval rate and confirm an advance rate that the school was comfortable with. 

Because Climb has products that can span the credit spectrum, they were able to use the full product suite to put together options which both increased approvals, and provided up-front cash flows.  

A solution was implemented in a matter of days

With the school’s approval for the solution, Climb was able to execute on this quickly by leveraging a mix of advance-rate products & payment plan products—which cover the full breadth of customer payment needs. Within weeks, the school saw approval rates increase significantly, and 83% of people were now getting approved for payment options. 

Learn More about Climb’s High-Approval Options

 

1 Comparing April 2023 approval rates (before the changes were made) with May 2023 approval rates (after the changes were made).

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What to Expect: Realistic Outcomes

Climb’s Comprehensive Access Solution can offer a strategic balance of increased enrollments and upfront cashflows compared to traditional lenders. While no financing solution guarantees 100% collection, our data-driven approach maximizes both upfront cash and long-term repayment rates.

Typical Partner Results:

  • 15-30% of students qualify for Climb Loans with upfront tuition delivered to the school shortly after course start
  • 45-60% of students qualify for 0% APR* payment plans
  • Enrollment increases of 20%+ reported by partner schools**

**Results vary by school and student demographics. This represents performance reported by individual school partners and should not be considered a guarantee of your specific outcomes.

The bottom line: CAS is designed to maximize your net tuition recovery while eliminating the administrative headaches of student financing.

Maximizing Your Results

Pro Tip: Schools that require student deposits and set up automatic payments during enrollment see significantly better repayment performance across all financing options. These simple steps can meaningfully improve your outcomes.

FAQs

We use a comprehensive, AI-driven assessment that goes beyond traditional FICO scores to better serve career training students:

  • Climb Credit Score: Over 150 data points specifically designed for vocational students
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio: Reliable predictor of payment performance
  • FICO Score: Used primarily for interest rate assignment

Key advantages of our approach:

  • Soft credit pull until loan funding (no credit impact during application)
  • The majority of students receive instant decisions
  • Students can apply with co-borrowers directly in the application
  • More accurate placement into appropriate financing products

We use a comprehensive, AI-driven assessment that goes beyond traditional FICO scores to better serve career training students:

  • Climb Credit Score: Over 150 data points specifically designed for vocational students
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio: Reliable predictor of payment performance
  • FICO Score: Used primarily for interest rate assignment

Key advantages of our approach:

  • Soft credit pull until loan funding (no credit impact during application)
  • The majority of students receive instant decisions
  • Students can apply with co-borrowers directly in the application
  • More accurate placement into appropriate financing products

Students are placed into funding brackets (Elite, Standard, Enhanced) based on our AI assessment. Higher-credit students generate higher upfront payments to your school, while students with limited credit are seamlessly directed to our 0% Payment Plan.

These brackets are established using data from over $1 billion in career training loan originations and may be adjusted periodically based on updated repayment trends.

Important note: Regardless of which bracket a student falls into, they are considered fully paid by your school once funded. The student’s repayment obligation exists exclusively between Climb and the student.

Elite Access not available for Computer Science programs. Upfront percentages vary by industry and loan terms.

Once Climb disburses upfront funding for a student loan, that student is considered fully paid by your school. You will not receive any additional payments for that student—the single upfront payment is complete and final.

From that point forward, the student’s repayment obligation exists exclusively between Climb and the student. Your school has zero liability if the student defaults, and you keep the full upfront payment regardless of the student’s future payment performance.

They’re automatically offered our 0% Interest Payment Plan, ensuring no student is turned away while maintaining steady monthly cash flow for your school.

Higher-credit students generate larger upfront payments (75-100% of tuition), while students with limited credit use our 0% APR* Payment Plan for consistent monthly revenue. Both options are risk-free for your school

Absolutely. Climb complements existing payment options like scholarships, employer-sponsored programs, and internal financing.

Absolutely. Climb complements existing payment options like scholarships, employer-sponsored programs, and internal financing.

Typically, within 5-10 business days after your partnership agreement is signed.

Comprehensive onboarding webinar, continuous partner support via AI-assisted chat and live email—and real-time borrower assistance with our live-chat-available student success team.

No. Climb fully manages the administrative responsibilities—your team simply monitors your school’s performance via our intuitive School Portal.

Your school is fully protected either way. For Climb Loans, you keep the entire upfront payment with zero liability. For Payment Plans, you only receive what students actually pay, with no risk to your school.