We Want You to Know Us: How Clark can help educate perspective students

One of the biggest decisions one makes in one's life is where they are going to go to college, but with so many colleges out there how does one choose the one that is best for them? For many there is not enough time or it is not possible financially possible to visit every college they may be interested in. So, now the question that arises is how can colleges help perspective students get a feel for the college?

Blogs and videos are a good way to start. College websites are constantly improving. Many websites include blogs by enrolled students and videos. Clark does this through their Clark Diaries. This is something that perspective students can read to get a sense of the students and campus life of the university. Clark also has videos of students talking about campus life. Still blogs and videos won't give a perspective student the whole picture of what their time at that college would be like. A perspective college student won't ever know exactly how they will fit into the college because it is such a change in lifestyle. Clark tries to help students see how they will fit into the college by putting as much information as they can on the website and on pamphlets, brochures, etc. They also are very much integrated with social media, for instance they have a Facebook page made especially for accepted students. This gives accepted students a chance to connect with fellow accepted students before they actually commit to the school. Clark not only tries to reach out through media. Check out their visiting options they have posted on the website, such as lunch/coffee with a Clarkie. These visiting options are what will really show the perspective student what life will be like.

It is evident that Clark has already tried to give perspective students as much information as they can to make a good decision. What else can they do? Perhaps they can have more student videos that show what student life it like. These videos would have to be brief and insightful. A couple videos on what classes are like, dorm life is like, food, and clubs easily accessed on the main admissions page would help prospective students connect with current students. They could also have several schedules of the day and life of a Clarkie. They could also give students a chance to talk to professors before they come. One thing that I wasn't aware of much until I can here was that there are a lot of international students. I was at a slight disadvantage of getting a feel for campus life because I was unable to visit the campus before I chose this college. Through this experience I realize that the best way to get a feel for college life is to spend a day or couple going through the motions of college. Sleeping in a dorm, going to the cafeteria for meals, watching TV in the lounge, talking to professors, interacting with fellow students, going to classes, and finding social events to go to.

College is a whole new experience. Every college has a different atmosphere. Perspective students need to visit the colleges they are interested in and spend some time there to figure out if that is the place they want to spend the next few years of their life. A website helps, but it can't replace the actual experience of visiting a college.