Have the prospect sit in on a class.
The tour is something that I do take my time with as much as possible. I stop by every office and introduce every staff member and instructor that I see giving the department on view an opportunity to showcase their contributions the prospective student can anticipate during their matriculation. By the end of the tour, they not only have a layout of the facility but also a working knowledge of the staff and how they will help them.
I would ask the student to sit down and participate in the class as much as possible. Talk with current students about their experiences to get a much better feel for the program, instead of just speed walking through campus
I think inviting them into classrooms that have active classes going is a good idea for our tours. Allowing the potential students to be able to view our instructors and students in action would be a benefit for us.
I would change the way we begin I would begin with the staff so it would allow me to talk to them along the way when we do have more time alone to ask probing questions.
In my school while touring a prospective student I take the students up the main hall where there are allowed to meet each staff member and we explain throughly what we do here.
Sit in a class while it is session for awhile with the potential student and get their feedback on the experience.
Have them speak with a faculty member in their area of interest.
A change that we have implemented during the tour is to take a picture of the prospective student in a cap and gown and when they are finished, give them the picture that says future graduate for keepsake.
Susan, it sounds like you have a great plan in order to improve your tours. Great job and keep us posted with the results.
Dr. Jean Norris
I give information about the school, point out graduation photos, awards, tour through our clinic areas and invite them to have a complementary treatment at their convenience. We look at classrooms and I introduce the prospective when appropriate to staff and students. I work on making it an inviting tour and what I would like to change is to stop and ask more questions of the prospective.
Great point Josh. Keep us posted with how your tours go with this new "feature."
Dr. Jean Norris
I agree that getting the faculty involved would make a student more at ease and prone to looking forward to the first day instead of having something else to be worried about.
Guilyne, that is a great point and so hands-on. I wonder, what do you do when there isn't a class going on in the lab?
Dr. Jean Norris
I love when I give a tour other students are in the midst of doing something in our labs. I bring the prospect closer to that environment and ask them do they like hands on learning in a college and also ask can they visualize themselves doing this.
Sandra, this is a great way to tailor the tour to the prospective student. Great job.
Dr. Jean Norris
I would like to have potential student meet an instructor or dept chair for their field of interest. This keeps the staff as well as their prospective student excited. It will also allow the prospetive student to get specific questions answered that I'm unable to answer as an admissions rep.
I would like to engage the different departments and especially the department chairpersons during the tour. I feel that if the potential student can interact with the person in charge of their program of interest it would have a positive impact.
Cameron, that is a great point. It sounds like your tours give allow the ability to engage different learning styles too. Keep up the good work.
Dr. Jean Norris
Our school is very hands on and gear oriented, so I could sit down in a studio with them and show them an example of the type of thing they will be learning. And I could even let them take a turn. I could take their picture sitting at the gear and email them the picture later, which might in turn give them a little more confidence and get them even more excited at the possibility of this career change.
Great idea Jessica. I would love to hear how your next tour goes with the staff introductions.
Dr. Jean Norris
