This guide covers how to set up an email subdomain for your CollegeVine agent, for example agent.yourschool.edu. It walks through choosing the subdomain, adding the DNS records, and verifying the setup.
If you are still deciding between a subdomain and a CollegeVine-managed domain, start with Choosing your agent's email domain.
What your IT team will need to do
Before you start, confirm your IT team can:
Access your domain's DNS management console
Add CNAME, TXT, and MX records
Verify DNS propagation, using
nslookup,dig, or an online DNS checkerDedicate the subdomain to CollegeVine agent email only
Confirm when the records are live, usually within an hour
Step 1: choose your subdomain
Work with your IT team to pick the subdomain. Common choices:
agent.yourschool.eduadmissions.yourschool.educonnect.yourschool.edu
The subdomain should be dedicated to CollegeVine agent email and not used for other sending.
Tip: choose carefully. Changing the subdomain later is possible, but the new one starts building its sending reputation from the beginning.
Step 2: CollegeVine creates the domain
Your CollegeVine team configures the subdomain on our side and generates the four DNS records your IT team needs, then sends them to you.
Step 3: your IT team adds the DNS records
You will receive four DNS records:
A CNAME record for domain verification
A CNAME record for link tracking
A TXT record for SPF/DKIM authentication
An MX record for inbound email routing
Examples of the required four records:
Type | Host / Name | Value / Points to | Purpose |
CNAME | em1234.admissions.yourschool.edu | u1234567.wl123.sendgrid.net | Domain verification |
CNAME | url1234.admissions.yourschool.edu | sendgrid.net | Link tracking |
TXT | admissions.yourschool.edu | v=spf1 include:sendgrid.net ~all | SPF/DKIM authentication |
MX | admissions.yourschool.edu | mx.sendgrid.net | Inbound email (replies) |
Your IT team should:
Log into your DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, GoDaddy, or whichever you use).
Add all four records exactly as provided.
Confirm DNS propagation, which usually takes 15 to 60 minutes. You can check with
nslookup,dig, or an online DNS checker.
Tip: ask your IT team to whitelist the subdomain in your email security settings. This keeps agent email to internal @yourschool.edu recipients from being flagged.
Step 4: verification and completion
Once the DNS records are live:
Let your CollegeVine team know.
We verify the records and complete the domain setup.
We create the final domain mapping.
Setup is complete.
Typical timeline: 1 to 3 business days from start to finish, mostly dependent on DNS propagation and your IT team's turnaround.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use the subdomain for other email?
No. It should be dedicated to CollegeVine agent email. Using it for other sending interferes with inbound email routing and deliverability tracking.
Will this affect our main domain's reputation?
Minimal impact. The subdomain inherits some reputation from the parent domain, but activity on the subdomain is largely isolated. Email providers treat them as related but distinct sending sources.
Can we change the subdomain later?
Technically yes, but the new subdomain starts building its sending reputation from the beginning. Choose carefully up front.
What if emails are going to spam?
For internal recipients at
@yourschool.edu, your IT team may need to whitelist the subdomain in your email security settings.For external recipients, this is usually a question of sending volume ramping faster than current engagement supports.
Some providers, Microsoft in particular, may require additional sender verification.
Our team monitors deliverability and will flag issues proactively.
After setup
Once the subdomain is live, your agent begins sending on it and builds sending reputation over time. A subdomain inherits some of your institution's existing reputation, so it builds capacity faster than a domain starting from scratch.
For how your daily send allowance works and how to read your email metrics, see Understanding email: sending, cadence, and metrics.
Questions? Contact your CollegeVine team or email [email protected].