Interesting, Jihae. So, it sounds like you give your student information about your school through a presentation or a video before taking them on tour of your campus. I find the term "power-walking" an interesting reference to the tour. What are some of the components that you believe are important to show students on tour?
Shannon Gormley
showing them a video or presentation before power-walking.
Thacha,
Great idea! A video is also a wonderful way to appeal to your visual learners. What other ideas do you have for improving tours?
Shannon Gormley
Mike,
Thank you for sharing your approach. I can see that you made it a point of accomodating your student during the visit based on the information that you were able to get from your initial conversations with students! I imagine this is something that you strive to do with every student regardless if you had prior information or not. This level of customization for students is essential to truly understanding what the student wants and how to help them determine true fit.
Shannon Gormley
One thing that I would change about my tour would be to add more of a visual aid like a video. This video would give the potential student an inside look on what they would actually be learning and physically doing throughout our program.
In my previous role, I would make the tour part of my interview process by continually engaging in conversation with the student.
Depending on what I uncovered from prior phone conversations with the student and during the interview, I would focus on what's most important to the student and their needs.
Often times, if they were interested in a particular class, I would either make arrangements for the student to sit in on the class or talk to the instructor for a few minutes.
If they were concerned about fitting in after being out of school for a while, I might have them speak to someone in our student services, to discuss potential extracurricular activities or involvement, in addition to speaking with students who have been in a similar situation.
If it they had questions about employment, I would have them interact with our Career Services personnel and have them look at our student success stories that were placed around the school.
It was important to me that the student felt comfortable, so I wanted to engage them as much as possible during the tour phase and by doing so, the student was able to envision themselves as an enrollee and had an even clearer understanding of how their experience would look to be.
Great awareness, Monique. The tour provides a wonderful opportunity for you to engage your prospective students in a way that helps to enhance your connection and demonstrates that you've heard what is important to them. Customizing the tour to each student is a great place to start.
Shannon Gormley
Belinda,
You're right, the tour is a wonderful time to introduce your prospective students to other individuals they will have the opportunity to work with, from instructors to finanical aid to career services.
Shannon Gormley
I can change the dynamics of the tour to be much more interactive as we go through each room. Explain in more detail each course that is taught in each of our classrooms. Giving more information and detail to each student will enrich them with the knowledge to pass on to other family and friends and to give them a broader scope of the schools educational curriculum.
Beside the School tour is very important for the prospect students to meet their Instructors.
Sylvia,
Thanks for sharing your ideas. Focusing on the areas of your school that the student has demonstrated the most interest is a great way to show that you've been listening as well as deepen your connection with the student!
Shannon Gormley
I think that what I will do is focus a bit more on specific parts of the school that will attract the students attention. I continue to give students information as I give the tour, however, I think by pausing at certain locations of the school it will allow the student to notice more of the powerful assests the school can offer them, such as the job placement center.
Jeff,
These are great practices to incorporate into your tour. How don you find the prospective student's respond to these opportunities?
Shannon Gormley
I'm at a very small school right now, so our tours could literally be a 5 minute walkthrough. To make it more informative as well as interesting for them, I introduce them to all available educators and even have them sit in briefly on an in session class. That way they can see the educational environment and meet their future educators as well. I also address any questions about materials used and equipment.
I want to get more interaction with our faculty and staff on the tour. And also get down a definite tour route and script to increase efficiency and to ensure that no cover everything that needs to be covered.
Omar, that is great awareness. By engaging the students, you will then be able to personalize the tour to meet their needs.
Shannon Gormley
Guy, that is a great tip. Yes, those potential students will then be able to interact with instructors and faculty that they will be working with throughout their education. Keep up the great work.
Shannon Gormley
I think its important to introduce the students to as many faculty members as possible on the tour. For instance, any department I tour I try to introduce the student to someone who works in that department and allow them to see how friendly and helpful that person/department is.
I realize I have not been turning it back to the student during the tour and asking him or her what benefits they saw during the tour. My tours should not just be a "look at what we have" type tour but really should engage the student and be informative so that they see the benefit of our school.
Janet,
This is a great way to keep your prospective students engaged on tour as well as give them some insight as to what it might be like for them at your school. How would you handle a sitution in which the student says something that could be taken the wrong way by the prospective student?
Shannon Gormley
