I can only honestly state what happens at the school where I am currently employed. Even if I was previously employed at a competitor's school, I would not specify the actions that go on there. Not only because it may (or may not) come across as negative, but I would no longer be employed there and things may have changed.
Mark - great and thorough response. I agree that encouraging students to research options first should drive a more committed student wherever they end up enrolling. That is a great example of the "win-win" that occurs when schools demonstrate integrity and compliance in their approach.
Thanks for your thorough response, Sean. Your diligence is a good way to make students responsible for gathering the information needed to make sound decisions.
I tell students that it is good to make comparisons so that they can be confident in their decisions. It is; however, up to them to make contact and ask questions of the other schools first hand. If there are paricular questions they asked me that seemed important to them I'll remind them of the question(s) and its implied importance and suggest that they get clarity from the other school as well. I tell them that they own thier education and need to be satisfied with the answer(s) they recieve.
We can not offer statements about other institutions. We can tell them what our institute has to offer.
The key is to provide information only about your institution. Never provide information or your opinions about another institution. I feel it is important to encourage the student to "do their homework" to investigate ALL schools they are considering so that they can make the best choice, and ultimately be the most committed student possible once their choice is made.
I would inform them that I would be more than happy to discuss information regarding our school.
I simply state that I am not familiar with the programs offered at other institutions. I provide detailed information about our institution, program, etc., and I encourage students to explore all options available, so that they can gather all of the information necessary to make an informed decision.
that would be information that the prospective student would have to gather and assess
I would suggest that the students investigates the school for themselves. I would suggest that I have no knowledge of particular practices or instructional methods of another school.
The more they investigate the better their knowledge will become.
I can't remember ever being asked by a student how "my" institution compares to another. Now, after taking the tutorial, I am sure I would encourage that student to do his own investigating.
I would let this student know that I can only tell him/her on what my institution has to offer. Then proceed to give information on the institution I work for.
We always can stand behind our institution and the programs offered by our institution. It is unethical to make assumptions and/or statements regarding the nature of any other school, regardless of the accuracy of that information, to prospective or currently active students.
"I am familar with the programs offered by our institution and can answer all your questions about our programs."
"I have nothing bad to say about them. I would welcome you to compare program lengths, content, and total cost of the programs to what I have given you.
This sounds like a good, tactful, approach to such questions.
Jennifer - I think that sounds like a good, positive way to address such questions.
My response: "That is a very good question. One that I can't answer because I don't have full knowledge of what the other schools offer compared to what we offer. I can tell you that this school is/has ....etc...."
However, my position in this institution does not cause me to interact with potential students on that level.
I can only answer for what my institution may offer. I am not an employee of the other institution and I wouldn't want to give the student incorrect information regarding the other institutions program.
We need to tell the prospective student that we can only speak for our institution and they should do their own comparisons. Researching all available information will help them to make the best decision for them.
