Are you using one of your best resources to enhance your recruitment efforts? Current students can offer insight, advice and a valuable connection to prospective students. And the best part, these tips will enhance your recruitment efforts while costing you absolutely nothing - or close to it!

Benefits of Student to Student Recruitment:

• High school students love to get the perspective of a student who actually lives on campus and goes to class every day.
• It is easier for high school student to relate to college students
• High school students trust the advice they get from current students. Let’s face it, you work for the college and they know it. They want the input from someone who is not on the payroll.
• If your current students develop a relationship with prospects, those students will already feel like they have a friend on campus - a major benefit!

Student to Student Recruitment Ideas:

• BLOG-BLOG-BLOG! You must get your students blogging. Over half of all colleges currently run student blogs, and if you are not one of them, I encourage you to start as soon as possible. Pick a couple of enthusiastic, invovled students and ask them to write about their life at college. Put the blogs on your website for prospective students to read. You’ll be amazed by the impact they have.
• Have your current students participate in social networks. You know that your student admissions workers are spending a lot of time on popular social networking sites, so why not have them spread the word about your school? Ask them to set up Facebook pages or Twitter accounts to increase the exposure for your school.
• Ask a couple of your student admissions office workers to chat in live time with prospective students. High school students often feel more comfortable talking with a current student. They’ll have the opportunity to ask important questions that can really sway their decision to choose your school.
• Have students follow up with prospective students after visits to campus. One major missed opportunity that I found while in my college search was the follow-up after the campus tour. Many colleges use students to give these tours, but as soon as the prospective student leaves there is no further contact with the tour guide. Have your guide set up a twitter account or student blog to stay in touch with the students who visited. That connection can prove to be very important as decision time draws near.

These small adjustments to your recruitment strategy can go a long way. After students have a list of top schools, they will make their final decision based on the personal connections they make throughout the college search. So use your best resource - your current students. If they love their school, they’ll be happy to help you recruit!

For more information or ideas on how to use students in your college recruitment send me a message. I would be happy to help! Have a VirtualCollegeFairs account? Add your student blogs and more to your booth!