Student employees in admissions offices are undoubtedly valuable: they know your campus better than anyone and have the authentic answers prospective students want about what it is like to attend your institution. While they serve as tour guides on many campuses, are you involving them in all the projects you could be, particularly when many admissions teams are currently short-staffed? Read on for more ways to leverage the skills of your current student workers beyond campus tours to enhance the college search process for prospective students.
1. Video
No admissions video content is complete without current students. Update your video content by including their stories, interviews, or Q&A sessions. Prospective students are looking for short, authentic, and informative videos that stand out, and using your student tour guides is a simple way to make this happen.
2. Live Chat
In a world where prospective students prefer text-based communication over phone calls and crave instant responses, live chat is a great option for answering questions. Integrated live chat can have both chat bots that are available at any hour for answering simple questions, and hours where live representatives are available. Consider having student employees answer questions over live chat a few hours a week, and letting prospective students know when these times are so those who cannot visit in person still have a chance to interact with a current student.
3. Social Media Takeovers
Day-in-the-life videos are the number one thing prospective students look for on college and university social media channels. Have student employees use social media stories to take prospective students through their typical day on your campus in real-time. This also provides another space where prospective students can ask any questions they may have.
4. Feedback
Current students have firsthand experience on your campus and going through your admissions process. When implementing something new or reevaluating an old tactic, ask for their feedback! Maybe they have a different opinion on which videos should be most prominent on the website, or think different spots on campus should be pinpointed on your new interactive campus map. Student tour guides know what questions are being asked the most, and can help you find the best way to implement the answers in your admissions materials.
