Be Friendly to Prospective Students

A few years ago, I visited my current school for the weekend. At the beginning, I didn’t feel right. For one, I was homesick and it was my first time staying overnight on a college campus. The more students that loosened me up, the better I felt. By the end of the trip, I knew this was the school I would attend. If not for those friendly students, who knows what my feelings would’ve been?

Students, welcome prospective students with open arms. They are in the same position you were in a short while ago. On your campus visits, you wanted to see friendliness; so put yourself in their shoes and provide them with it. All prospectives have a tough choice to make regarding what school to attend. But we have the power to influence their decision. When seeing them on tours, smile at or speak to them. Most importantly, act mature. It’s frustrating watching students act crazy in front of tour groups. It’s an embarrassment on the campus community’s part.

Every year, many schools host prospectives for a weekend. Administrators constantly look for volunteers to host them. Be one of those students. It’s an excellent opportunity to take someone under your wing. You want someone to look up to you and this is the chance for it to happen. Prospectives have a lot of questions. Whether you host one or not, take the time to answer them. And don’t give half-answers. Thoroughly explain with sense. On my visit, some students didn’t know what to say when I asked them questions. As you would expect, the answer didn’t make sense. If you don’t know the answer, refer them to someone else.

When hosting, make the prospective comfortable. Clean your apartments before they arrive. It’s probably the only time you’ll clean anyway. As previously stated, students graciously welcomed me on my visit. They wouldn’t allow me to keep my head down or distance myself. Most prospectives are sad on visits. It’s important to keep their minds off of home because that’s where they’d rather be. Keep them busy. Even if it’s a break in the itinerary, do something. Take them to the bookstore, gym, whatever. Or better yet, ask what they like to do and base your schedule around that.

Don’t put prospectives in danger situations. Like you, they may like to drink. Don’t allow them to overdo. And make sure to keep an eye on them. The visit is not about you. It’s not the time to party with your friends or treat your girlfriend/boyfriend to a movie. Remember: parents are entrusting their child’s care in your hands.