To achieve a learner-centered intake process, graduate programs must move beyond reactive scheduling and adopt “backward design”. By anchoring the intake timeline to the graduation date, programs can map two synchronized critical paths: the Program Critical Path, defining essential internal milestones, and the Learner Critical Path, tracking the student’s journey from problem recognition to advocacy. This alignment is facilitated by the Alignment Map, a tool ensuring program actions correspond to learner needs at every stage. Ultimately, this framework replaces fragmented administrative tasks with a coherent, evidence-based strategy that prioritizes long-term professional outcomes over mere enrollment volume