I always give them as much information as possible concerning our school and our programs and tell them the person who could give them the best information about another school is the other school.
I always tell the student that I will answer all questions regarding our school and any questions regarding any other school will have to be answered by that school.
Always refer them to the school. Much of the information they are looking for is available on the school's website so I suggest they look there if they do not want to contact the school or want a quick answer.
I let the student do the research as well. Our institute works in the mechanical industry so I almost make it a "why wouldnt you" question in regards to the competition. With that i point out that they should attend the program that they feel will help them succeed the most. We dont want a student that spends every day wanting to be somewhere else. We want students that see the benefits of attending our school.
Encourage the prospective student to research the information he/she is looking for from the competitor institution. Provide all factual information about my institution and point out benefits of our programs. Refrain from providing any information about competitors, speak to the details of the programs we offer.
I believe the key is to avoid mentioning other schools and focusing on what my college offers. If a student asks for a comparison between schools, I state that I only represent my college and if they need information about another school, they should contact that institution. I feel even if the student asks me to compare my school with another, they appreciate my position on their questions and look at it as an ethical way of operating - as opposed to bashing other schools. Speaking from experience, I am very skeptical of businesses that bash their competition.
I think it is important to maintain professionalism and not speak about other schools because you do not work for them, therefore you are not the best person to answer questions about them. I encourage students to do some research if they have questions.
Focus on the benefits of your own institution and recommend talking to an admissions rep at the competitor if they continue with specific questions about them.
Let them know that every school has it's plusses and minuses and that they need to visit other schools to get their detailed info so that they can make an informed decision.
I always tell students that I can only speak of my school, as I am not qualified or trained on the other school in question. I suggest that they seek out information on the other school through a qualified source, such as an admission representative or school website.
Speaking in negative terms about competitors is usually a sign of insecurity. I do not wish to convey any insecurities to a potential student.
Dealing with Nursing students, I make the suggestion that they all "test drive the car before they buy it" to make sure it is a comfortable fit and make the decision that is in their best interest.
This is a very touchy subject. I have been working as an admissions representative for years. You absolutely must keep all of your information contained to the school that you work for in order to remain ethical and to deliver the best customer service to the student.
However, it is important to not rub the student the wrong way. You want the prospect to feel as though you can answer all of their questions; but you want them to understand exactly why you cannot comment on the services at another institution.
I agree that your approach is simple but it is the best way to approach the conversation in my opinion. We simply do not work for the other institutions that they are asking about. Therefore, we are unable to give fair and accurate information about the school. It makes us and our institutions look even more credible in recommending that they do some additional research and compare to make an educated, informed decision.
I agree that they should check out other schools. This a big decision and they have to make sure they are making the best choice for themselves.
I actually encourage them to visit the other school and make the decision for themselves. if they see I am comfortable with them doing that, it usually pays off for me in the long run.
Focus on the benefits of your school versus the other school without disclosing what they do. One must keep the intergrity of the institution by not speaking about any other schools besides your own.
I highlight what our school offers and always give them the option to contact admissions directly and get the info. they need and make that decision on their own.
Robert,
I think this is a great approach!
Kimberly Stein
I suggest the same thing. Schools must disclose more imformation now on thier websites. I tell the student when they are shopping to look for three things. These three things are; price, service and quality. It is up to them do do thier own research.
It's doing what I wish politicians would do. Don't tell me what a rat the other candidate is. Tell me what you are going to do for me. I don't make comparisons with other schools. I just tell students what we can do for them. We have a lot to offer at our school.
