As junior, soon-to-be-senior, high school students around the country start to evaluate their college choices and begin working on applications, admission offices are creating campus visit-day schedules to give students a view into what their lives could be like, getting them comfortable with the school, and answering any questions they might have about student life. The most popular feature of visit-days are the interactive panels that feature students or key administrators fielding a live array of questions.
But what about students who are unable to visit campus? They should also have the opportunity to ask their questions to the on-campus panels and glean the same information of those who were able to visit campus. The following list provides ideas for how a Phonecast can provide the same abilities as an in-person meeting—hearing from a selected group of students or advisors, listening to others’ questions—with the advantage of the simplicity of students and parents being able to join a phone call.
FAFSA and financial aid – Most students and parents don’t know the ins and outs of FAFSA and will have lots of questions. Some will be general, while others will be very specific to their situation. During an on-campus visit it is very easy to hold parents’ hands through the often confusing and frustrating process. And frequently asked questions sections on your university’s website might address the broad questions a parent or student might have. But a Phonecast is a way to allow parents and students who need help, but are unable to attend the in-person meeting to have a more personalized experience than reading answers on a webpage. And often, the nuance of language and dialogue is the only way to explain the complexities of a form most have never seen before. Similar to the in-person panel, Phonecast participants can ask their specific questions in real time on the call.
Current student panels – Nothing about a campus visit is as popular or effective as the student panel. The unfiltered and authentic dialogue that occurs during an in-person panel is integral to giving prospective students insight and confidence in an eventual decision to apply and enroll. A Phonecast isn’t limited by geography like an in-person event is; it allows for thousands of prospective students and their parents to be on the line at the same time. And it also allows for the kind of authentic dialogue and access to real students, which underlies decisions to apply.
Department speakers – With a Phonecast, prospective students and their parents from around the country can come together to hear from department heads and professors who are subject matter experts and ask them questions about the specific program.
Adding Phonecasts to your admissions process, your university can create authentic, unfiltered, and accessible conversations that visitors would expect from an in-person. You can overcome the challenges of time and geography to effectively reach a vital audience. Phonecasts are also recorded, so the call can be added to the website for those who were unavailable for both the call and in-person meeting, or those who simply want to hear an answer to a question again.