The Campus Visit – Making the Ordinary Extraordinary
Campus Visit
4 Areas to go from Ordinary to Extraordinary
The importance of the campus visit as we reviewed last week is undeniable. But what are the components? What all is included? Is everything beside the tour just window dressing?
The answer is a clear and resounding no. Some have likened the campus visit as a blind date and that every detail from start to finish impacts this critical ‘first impression’ that the student and parents receive and that will contribute to their overall impression and ranking of your university. It has been said, the Campus Visit starts at home and ends at home.
Here are 4 key components surrounding the actual tour that also need to be honed to maximize this most important first impression.
- Scheduling the Visit –
- User friendly websites,
- Summary of the visit that peaks interest and desire to visit campus
- Easy to follow registration, and
- Flexible visitation schedules
- Follow up with scheduling confirmation, maps, local hotels, etc.
- Clear campus map and parking details. It communicates a well-organized, caring and professional attitude.
- HOWEVER in the same studies where the process was difficult and communication was not clear, the university came across as unorganized, uncaring, and even disinterested.
- Coming to Campus –
- Making Signage Specifically for the Campus visitor from the campus entrance to their destination clear and welcoming.
- Have current students welcoming and helping point the way along the route to make the arrival to a new campus as easy and friendly as possible.
- Then at their final destination, having additional students help them to the Welcome Center, pointing out restrooms etc.
- HOWEVER if they get lost or have to keep trying to find someone to point them in the right direction, then the first impression will not be good!
- Check In and Presentation -
- High energy, warm greeting by name, with welcome packet and name tag.
- Warm and welcoming environment
- Ample drinks and snacks for the guests
- Current students along with admissions staff to mingle and welcome each of the guests to build connections showing a sincere interest in getting to know them.
- Regarding the pre-tour presentation – the studies revealed that they are typically:
- Dry, route and boring
- Power Point slides of facts and figures they’ve already seen on your website.
- Typically not that much different than other schools they are visiting. Each school is saying that 90+% of graduates have jobs in the first 6 months
- Instead they recommend stories –
- Stories of life change of current students that are unique or special. Stories that connect.
- Stories that demonstrate how your university impacted their life, because of a sincere interest for that student as a person.
- These are memorable, these are significant. Blending a university of excellence with compassion.
- The Tour (next week’s edition)
- The Follow-up
- An excellent way to continue to build that connection is with a hand written personal message.
- Recounting some interaction
- Encouraging re-connecting with any questions.
- Thanking them for taking the time to visit
- Asking if they were able to get a sense of what it would be like to be part of your university family.
- It is also critical to ask for their feedback about entire visit from beginning to end.
- To know where you succeeded in getting your message out
- To see where you need to improve. We all have blind spots
- But most importantly it communicates we care and value their feedback which builds connection over those who drop all connection after the visit.
From beginning to end, it’s not about stats, but building relationships, showing interest in each of them as a person. Showing you genuinely care for them. All in an effort to maximize not only the Campus Tour but the entire visit as a whole.
Next in our series we’ll cover the tour itself.