Campus Visit

Through Tech Prep and the Cooperative Alliance programs the CareerTech System is working to transition more high school students to college and toward degree completion. Through the Academies like Bio Med and Pre-Engineering, students are being exposed to and completing AP level coursework and passing the required exams to get college credit.

We are preparing them for the work, but how are we helping them transition?

Since you can only learn so much from a viewbook or website, one way that counselors, teachers and parents can help encourage students to attend college is by taking them on the College Visit.
Getting the students to campus is just the first step. With prior planning and a little effort, an uneventful trip to a college campus can transform into an event that they will remember, appreciate and that just might encourage them to enroll!

Before the tour takes place, encourage the students to do some research. Find out about the
student body, what majors does the college offer that they are interested in, do Freshmen have to live in the dorms, and what student services does the college offer? The more knowledge that the student has about the campus , the more in depth questions they can ask the admissions counselor or college representative.

Some things to do on a campus tour:

1. Talk to an admissions counselor. Seeing how Cooperative Alliance credits will transfer into their degree, and just how many courses are left to completion, could motivate a student to complete.
2. Take a guided tour of the campus
3. Meet with a professor or academic advisor in your major of interest
4. Meet with student service personnel and learn where you can obtain services like tutoring, guidance, testing and disability services.
5. Tour a residence hall and if it is offered, eat in the cafeteria
6. Take some time to explore the campus on your own
   

During the visit, encourage your students to ask lots of questions, take notes, gather materials and even ask people they meet on campus what they have experienced as a student.

If you can not take the students to a visit, another alternative to experience what a college has to offer is special recruitment events. Oklahoma State University host OSU Experience this year on September 6 and the University of Oklahoma host Sooner Saturday in the fall

If there is a particular college that many of your students matriculate to, build a relationship
with the admissions office, get on the mailing list, attend the counselor days and stay involved with your students. You might just be the difference!