Get Your Students Hired
I'm asked that question by perspective students, I tell them that I'm not fimiliar with their programs, but I would encourage them to do their homework and compare apples to apples. My main concern is to give the student all the information they will need to make informed decision and find out program what will work best for them and their educational goals.
Erin - great comparison to handling a question as you would when asked about a prior employer. Such professionalism should benefit your institution.
I have actually been asked that fairly often. I always answer that I am not familiar with what other schools are like but that I do know that Concorde is a wonderful school and that they will get a top rate education if they attend here.
I think it as if I am on an interview. If my interviewer asks me about my previous employment and what I liked and didn't like about it. You would ALWAYS answer with a positive answer, putting down a previous employer is never a good idea. Instead of making me look good, it actually makes me look bad.
It is the same situation here. If I mention anything negative about another school, with the intention of making us look good by comparison. It will end up doing the opposite, making my school look negative and overly competitive.
The employees make the company, and if we at Concorde ever say something negative about another organization (no matter how small) will make a bit impact on our image in the community and with our student body.
I would respond by stating "well I can't speak for the other schools however these are some of the great things that our school has to offer."
The best response for this student is to provide information strictly on our own institution and what is provided. The information must also be factual and accurate. By refraining from comparing the competitor to our own institution, we can alleviate misrepresentation of our competitor.
Excellent suggestion about sharing information on staff and faculty. Factual references to their backgrounds can be a motivator for students to select your institution.
Stick to what we know about our own institution and state the facts clearly. Provide the student with a catalog and emphasize the positives regarding our own institution.
The very most important concept in making a comparison between our college and our competitors is to be honest, truthful and accurate in all information. Statistics about graduation rates, board passing rates and employment rates must be clearly delineated and accurate to the reporting period. No information should be misrepresented or embellished. Students should be aware of the institutions mission and program mission and goals. Students should be made aware of the caliber of instructors the types of facility and equipment and the resources available to enhance learning and educational success.
I don't compare institutions. I simply tell them what we have to offer as a school. If they want more information regarding other schools they will have to do their own research.
Although we do not have information on other schools or the way they may operate their school researching other schools yourself would be solely your decision.
Simply relate to the other school's accreditation status. Do not compare the "quality" of the competition with the "quality" of your program. Do not make comparative evaluations.
Encourage the student to shop the other schools. Ask the student what they will be looking for as they are shopping, and then discuss what your school has to offer in those areas. Encourage them to then do their research and find out which institution is the best fit.
At this time there are no other private career colleges in the area offering the same program so I have not had to speak to other programs in the private sector. However, I have been asked to compare our program to community colleges that have a similar program. My response is kept to the specifics of our program and then to encourage them to explore the other options and then make their decision based on their own personal preferences.
By giving information specific to your institution and letting the student draw the comparisons or differences.
Students frequently ask about our competitors, either because they have been trying to determine the best fit, or because they are attending/have attended another school where their experience has not been what they had expected.
Rather than comparing schools, we should focus solely on the benefits that attending our school offers.
Even though there is a competing program directly accross the street from our campus, I can only respond to the content and quality of our program. I give information relating to the course content and expectations to achieve a successful completion of the program. I also indentify additional staff and adjunct faculty and their backgrounds so that the potential student can make an informed decision regarding which program to choose.
Advise the student that this is an admirable question. Then refocus the student back to the benefits and strengths of our programs and invite them to engage in a thorough comparison in order to determine which educational choice will be optimal for his/her goals. It is paramount that all attempts made by the student to solicit a direct comparison are met with redirecting the student to investigate for him/herself which institution will be best suited for him/her after s/he has done a complete side-by-side analysis.
Providing students with detailed explanations of how the program shall prepare them for a competetive edge over other students from other schools usually will make the prospective student realize that you are the better institution without the need for providing opinions about other schools.