Planning a successful preview day presented by: Todd koch

1. Planning a successful preview daypresented by: Todd koch University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Admissions

2. UAFS Background • 4-year, public university • 1928 – 2002: Junior College • 2003 Enrollment: 3,400 • 2012 Enrollment: 7,500 • Fort Smith is 2nd largest city in Ark with population of 90,000 • High percentage of Non-Trad students

3. Ask Yourself: • Who are you trying to target? • HS seniors, HS juniors, HS sophomores, HS students in general, College transfers • When do you want them on your campus? • First Saturday of month, weekday, weekend, etc. • What type of information do you feel is important? • Fin Aid, Admissions requirements, Degree programs, etc • Why is this important to the prospective students? • How often do you need Preview Days?

4. WHO? • Are you trying to target locally or regionally? • Market your Preview Days for specific classes: seniors, juniors, sophomores, transfers

5. WHEN? • You want to set up your preview day around major holidays, sporting events, organizational trips to avoid conflicts of interest amongst students. • For instance, avoid Fridays in the Fall semester due to football games; avoid “Fall break”, Thanksgiving break; FBLA, etc. • UAFS selects first Tuesday or Thursday in November and April. • This allows greater population to attend: it is between holidays, after Spring Break, after EOC exams

6. WHAT? • Pertinent information that needs to be covered: • Fin Aid: university scholarships, FAFSA, Academic Challenge Scholarship • Admissions Req: App fee, deadlines, NSO’s • Advisors: Degree programs, Undecided • Housing: Benefits of living on-campus

7. WHY? • This gives students the opportunity to walk onto campus, maybe for the first time • Get a feel for the campus environment, class settings, buildings • This could be the final checkpoint in their decision-making process

8. HOW OFTEN? • Decide what works best for your staff and the prospective students • If multiple dates throughout semester/year seem plausible • Maybe only have time for 1 or 2 dates a year • UAFS selects 1 day per semester: Seniors in Fall, Juniors in Spring

9. Planning • Create a checklist of everything that needs to get done before the event • Contacts for speakers • Marketing publications • PR and media releases • Room Setup • Allow catering/food services for meals • Nametags and lanyards

10. Day of Event Students Parents • Sign-in: • Stubblefield Center • Welcome from Chancellor, Admissons • Informational Sessions: • Fin Aid, Advising, Admissions deadlines, Housing, decision-making process • Lunch on Campus Green • Sign-in: • Stubblefield Center • Separated from students, welcome from Chancellor • Information Session: • Admissions, Fin Aid, Student Services, Advising, Student Panel • Campus Tour • Lunch on Campus Green

11. Senior Den Day 2012

12. Measuring Success • Keep record of registration • Compare to actual number that attended • Offer incentive for coming!! • Lanyards, T-shirts, Free FOOD! • Attendance correlates to Enrollment • Students that show expressed interest

13. Den Day Attendance Senior Den Days Junior Den Days

14. Making Improvements for Future • Surveys • Include a survey for attendees to fill out at end of day • This will let you know what they liked, didn’t like • Word-of-mouth • Ask parents and students to spread word about information given • Include more University offices in event • Input from staff/speakers is key • What they saw/heard could improve next year’s event

15. QUESTIONS / INPUT Thank you for attending this session! Hopefully, some of the information will be beneficial for you and your University!