After A Student Visits, Ask These Questions

During the college search process there are some key moments where a prospective student’s mindset significantly shifts. One of those is immediately after a campus visit.

Students are either more excited or less excited about the idea of being a student at your school. It’s always one or the other.

So, what’s your post-visit communication strategy in those first few days or that first week?

If the answer is to send a survey, I encourage you to consider making a change because it’s hard to make a survey feel personal.

If the student’s admissions counselor or someone else from admissions typically meets 1-on-1 with a student or family as part of a daily visit, make that the final thing you do before everyone departs campus if it’s logistically possible.

During that meeting what I don’t want you to do is bombard the student with a bunch of questions. They haven’t had enough time to process everything they saw and heard. That doesn’t mean you can’t offer to answer any burning questions the student or parent(s)/guardian(s) have, but make it clear that you understand it was a busy day with a lot of people and a lot of information, and you're guessing they’re probably a little tired and ready to hit the road.

When it comes to talking about the next step, there are two particular strategies that continue to work well for numerous schools. Option one is to let the student and family know that you (or their counselor) would like to schedule a short phone call with everyone in a couple of days. Or, you can let the student and parent(s)/guardian(s) know they’re each going to receive an email in the next couple of days.

Either way make it clear the purpose of that phone call or email will be to answer any questions they come up with, to talk more about their visit experience, and to discuss the next step in the student’s process.

In the emails or during the phone call, it's critical you ask one or more direct questions like these:

“What’s one thing you saw or heard during your visit that surprised you?”

“What's something that didn’t get talked about enough or maybe at all that you’re still wondering about?”

“What’s one thing you wish you could change about our campus now that you’ve seen it?”

“If you came back for another visit, what would you want to see or experience again?”

“What’s the biggest concern you have about <College Name>?”

“Walk me through what you see happening next for you (or if it’s the parent(s)/guardian(s) - for <Student’s First Name>) in this whole process”

Questions like those allow you to gain valuable insights into how the student and their family are now viewing your school, as well as their overall visit experience.

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