Recruiting Students

Recruiting Students: Tips and Tricks for Faculty

Increasingly, faculty are seen as playing an important role in the recruitment of prospective students. This is important for several reasons:

  • Students often meet faculty at other institutions. They will be looking for a similar experience here at Peru.
  • The recruiting meeting can be the beginning of your relationship with the student, which can be beneficial for them and rewarding for you.
  • You are the content experts at the institution and students want to hear an authentic voice talk about what they will learn and the opportunities they will have.

Documentation of visits conducted with students can certainly be included in annual PAR reports and tenure and promotion portfolios. This is important service work for the College.

Student Visit Process

Students who wish to visit campus are directed and highly encouraged to complete the Campus Visit Request Form at www.peru.edu/admissions/visit . If you have a student that would like to visit campus, please direct them to this site. By doing so, we’re ensured we get the correct information and that they are included in EMP/Liaison, our CRM. This is how we track and communicate with students at all stages.

Once the request is submitted, appointment requests are sent to faculty and coaches relating to the student’s interests. An Outlook Calendar appointment will be sent to you from MyVisit@peru.edu with the date and time as well as the student’s information.

Should you receive an appointment request, please accept or decline the appointment at your earliest convenience. You are welcome to suggest an alternate time or another faculty, in fact, this would be appreciated. If a student cancels or does not arrive for their visit, the calendar appointment will be deleted as soon as possible to free up your schedule.

If it’s not clear on the request if the student would be an incoming first-year student or transfer, feel free to ask Admissions about their status.

Typical Visit Schedule

10:00 a.m. - Overview with Admissions (Information on Peru State College history, Admissions, Scholarships, Financial Aid, Housing, preparing for college, etc…)
11:00 a.m. - Tour with Student Ambassador
12:00 p.m. - Lunch (meal covered by Admissions)
12:30 p.m. - Potential class visit
1:00 p.m. - Academic Appointment
1:30 p.m. - Athletic Appointment

The 10:00 a.m. overview and 11:00 a.m. tour is not flexible. However, beginning at 12:00 p.m. the schedule can be modified to accommodate your availability if needed.

Materials to Share
You should have the following handouts for prospective students:

  • A two page color handout about your program
  • The list of requirements from the catalog
  • Four-year course rotation
  • Your business card
  • Any other documentation that students might find useful

It is useful to have packets prepared ahead of time with this information.

Talking Points with Students

  • Review the request you receive for information about the student.
  • Begin by clarifying where the student is at in the recruitment process: Are they a high school senior? Junior? Potential transfer student?
  • Be ready to talk about successful graduates of your program. Specific examples can help students and their parents see the value of our programs.
  • Be ready to discuss potential career options for your graduates. This is particularly important for some programs more than others.
  • Talk about your research, work you do with students, field trips you have taken with students, etc.
  • Look to form a connection with the student and their families.
  • You might create a script that includes these points so you are ready to make a strong impression.
  • In general, try to answer the question, “Why Peru?”

Prospective Transfer Students

Prospective transfer students present some unique scenarios. Be ready to review the following:

  • Ask if they have transcripts from other institutions. Review with them how courses they have taken at other institutions will transfer into your program.
  • Transfer students often want to know how long it will take for them to graduate. You may not be able to determine this on the spot, but work with your Dean to provide an answer as soon as possible after the visit.

Following the Visit

A handwritten note or email to the student after the visit has been well-received.