Giving Memorable Tours
What can you change about your tour to make it more memorable and/or more of an "experience" instead of just a power-walk?
We make it interactive. Working for an Aviation school, we have engines and planes. We have students take a photo in front of some interesting piece of equipment. We have had students add the photo to their face book page. This has lead to a referral.
The tour should always be engaging. Introduce them to members of the campus. Allow them to see not only the classrooms, but other students in the classroom in available. Ask questions to keep them engaged. Your tone should also be exciting and upbeat as you're touring them.
We have started asking students if they would like to come back and audit a class in the field that they are interested in. We do this especially if the student is unsure about which program he/she is interested in. The student usually is able to make an informed decision after attending a laboratory class in our medical or dental assisting program. Rather than have a student start a program and realize several weeks into the program that this was not a good fit.
Maria, Thank you for posting. The most important thing to remember is to customize the tour to the student. How can you do this?
Elizabeth Wheeler
Lisandra, Thank you for posting. The one important thing to remember about tours is to customize the information to what the student's want to see/hear/experience.
Elizabeth Wheeler
I think that it will be a great experience to show a class with the students and the professor interacting at the same time so the prospective student will be able to have a good impression and a positive feedback.
While providing a tour we can get the professors involved and also have prospect witness a class such a as a lab for example!
We have our students sit in classrooms as well, that way they get to know the professors and ask questions. Try to make the student feel as comfortable as possible.
showing them the classrooms and labs, machines, and explaining them were is loated each department.
showing a classroom with the students interacting .
I take the students to meet the professors and I offer them to Audit a class.
They really like it, because they get to spend time with actual students and feel like they are getting the "real" scoop.
However, I always make sure that their mentor is a great supporter of the school, a good student, well liked, involved, and understands the message that needs to be conveyed.
Again, only a handful of prospects get this "honor" since I don't use it that often.
Thanks,
Antonio
Antonio,
Love it! How do students typically react to having a shadow day?
Elizabeth Wheeler
I have always encouraged students to do a "shadow day" which entails having a full time student be their mentor while they sit in on actual classes.
Through the shadow day, I make sure to engage the student, first upon the arrival, to welcome and introduce them to the school and their mentor, and second, as they are leaving, to ask them how it went, and whether they have any questions or concerns I can (and will) address.
I only encourage shadow days to prospects who are an almost definite enrollment. I don't offer this to all prospects.
I can let them stay longer inside a live class room as the Professor Giving Lecture.
I usually just go in and out of the class rooms and labs
Giovanna,
Interesting! By allowing prospective students to attend a class in session, they can get a real feel for what the classroom experience will be like. Is this something you have done at your institution or something you would like to do but haven't yet tried?
Elizabeth Wheeler
Let them audit a class so they can get a feel of what the program consist of.
NATALIA,
Great idea! Sounds like you have your tour process dialed in to the prospective student's needs.
Elizabeth Wheeler
Iza,
Sounds like a great plan! Customizing your tour to showcase the features and benefits that are important to each student is an excellent place to start. Thank you for posting in the forum!
Elizabeth Wheeler
