By Jeremy Tiers, Senior Director of Admissions Services
2 minute read
This month I’ve shared multiple articles that discuss the value of asking direct questions. If you missed those or want a quick review, go here.
A couple of weeks ago I received a message from a newsletter reader who was frustrated by the lack of responses she was getting from her outreach to students.
After reading through a few of her emails I noticed that she was doing a lot of ‘checking in.’
On the surface that may seem helpful, but please understand that checking in is a bad habit that needs to be broken.
There’s no substance to checking in. It’s not intentional enough.
Prospective students tell us they’re not really sure what they’re supposed to say when they see or hear those words. It’s confusing and it’s not exciting for them either.
There should always be a clear purpose to every conversation you initiate.
That could include learning something about a student to help them figure out if the student experience your school offers aligns with their wants and needs.
Or, asking a direct question to better understand how a student feels about something, what their biggest concern is, or why they haven’t taken the next step in the process.
So, instead of checking in with students who have incomplete applications, ask:
“Can you help me understand what’s keeping you from finishing your application.”
Instead of checking in with inquiries who live out of state, ask:
“How do you feel when you think about moving away from home and going out of state for college?”
And instead of checking in with inquiries who have visited campus but haven’t started their application, ask:
“What’s the biggest concern you have about <College Name>?”
Want to talk more about something I said in this article? I’m happy to connect. Simply reply back, or email me here.
And if you found this article helpful, forward it to someone else on your campus who could also benefit from reading it.