In this article, we cover the following
How to Configure Single Best Offer
What is Single Best First Offer
How to Configure Single Best First Offer
What is Single Best Offer?
Single Best Offer (SBO) is a lottery configuration in Enroll that ensures each student ultimately receives one offer, and that offer reflects the highest-placed choice available to them based on ranked choices and lottery results.
SBO is designed to:
Honor family preference by using each program’s choice ranking
Prevent students from holding multiple seats at the same time
Automatically move students up waitlists before results are published
Accelerate seat placement so more students receive offers efficiently
To achieve this, Enroll uses a set of auto-decline rules during lottery execution and offer acceptance. These rules automatically decline lower-priority offers or waitlist positions once a better option becomes available, freeing seats for other students.
How Single Best Offer Works
This option allows students to move up to a higher-ranked choice before lottery results are published. Students keep higher-ranked waitlist positions until a better offer becomes available.
Initial Lottery Run
A student ranks five programs. After the first lottery run, they receive the following placements:
| Initial Lottery Run |
| Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending |
| Choice 2 - Waitlist - Pending |
| Choice 3 - Offered - Pending |
| Choice 4 - Waitlist - Pending |
| Choice 5 - Offered - Pending |
Auto-Decline Logic (Round 1)
Because the student received an offer to Choice 3, Enroll automatically declines lower-ranked options.
Choice 4: Waitlist – Declined
Choice 5: Offered – Declined
Higher-ranked waitlists (Choices 1 and 2) remain active.
| Initial Lottery Run | Auto-Decline Round 1 |
| Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending |
| Choice 2 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 2 - Waitlist - Pending |
| Choice 3 - Offered - Pending | Choice 3 - Offered - Pending |
| Choice 4 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 4 - Waitlist - Declined |
| Choice 5 - Offered - Pending | Choice 5 - Offered - Declined |
Additional Auto-Decline Rounds
As additional rounds run and seats open:
The student moves up from the Choice 2 waitlist
The Choice 2 offer replaces the Choice 3 offer
Choice 3 is automatically declined
| Initial Lottery Run | Auto-Decline Round 1 | Auto-Decline Round 2 |
| Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending |
| Choice 2 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 2 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 2 - Offered - Pending |
| Choice 3 - Offered - Pending | Choice 3 - Offered - Pending | Choice 3 - Offered - Declined |
| Choice 4 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 4 - Waitlist - Declined | Choice 4 - Waitlist - Declined |
| Choice 5 - Offered - Pending | Choice 5 - Offered - Declined | Choice 5 - Offered - Declined |
Final Result Before Publishing
The student finishes the lottery with:
One offer to their highest possible ranked choice
No lower-priority offers holding seats
This ensures the student receives their single best offer from the lottery.
Post-Lottery Behavior
After offers are published:
-
If the family accepts an offer, Enroll can be configured to:
Keep the student on higher-ranked waitlists, or
Automatically decline all other pending offers and waitlists
Example:
If the student accepts Choice 2 and later receives an offer to Choice 1, accepting Choice 1 will automatically decline Choice 2.
How to Configure Single Best Offer
Global Lottery Settings
Auto-decline a student’s other applications on Offered Lists once a seat is accepted: ENABLED
By Form Process
Auto-Decline on Lottery Execution
Auto-decline applications on offered lists ranked as lower choice if offered a higher ranked choice: ENABLED
Auto-decline applications on waiting lists ranked as lower choice if offered a higher ranked choice: ENABLED
Auto-Decline on Offer Acceptance
Auto-decline applications on waiting lists ranked as lower choice upon accepting a higher ranked seat: ENABLED
What is Single Best First Offer?
This option is more restrictive. Once a student receives any offer in the initial lottery, all other waitlist positions are declined immediately.
Initial Lottery Run with Auto-Decline
Using the same ranked choices from the first example
| Initial Lottery Run | Auto-Decline Round 1 |
| Choice 1 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 1 - Waitlist - Declined |
| Choice 2 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 2 - Waitlist - Declined |
| Choice 3 - Offered - Pending | Choice 3 - Offered - Pending |
| Choice 4 - Waitlist - Pending | Choice 4 - Waitlist - Declined |
| Choice 5 - Offered - Pending | Choice 5 - Offered - Declined |
Final Result
The student keeps only their first offer
They are not eligible to move up to higher-ranked choices later
This approach prioritizes faster final placement over upward waitlist movement
How to Configure Single Best First Offer
Global Lottery Settings
Auto-decline a student’s other applications on Offered Lists once a seat is accepted: ENABLED
By Form Process
Auto-Decline on Lottery Execution
Auto-decline applications on offered lists ranked as lower choice if offered a higher ranked choice: ENABLED
Auto-decline applications on waiting lists ranked as lower choice if offered a higher ranked choice: ENABLED
Auto-decline applications on waiting lists ranked as higher choice if offered a lower ranked choice: ENABLED
Auto-Decline on Offer Acceptance
Auto-decline applications on waiting lists ranked as lower choice upon accepting a higher ranked seat: ENABLED
Auto-decline applications on waiting lists ranked as higher choice upon accepting a lower ranked seat: ENABLED
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