RECEPTIONIST TRAINING MANUAL FALL 2014 Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 1 September 2014 Dear Receptionists, Welcome to the Admissions Office! We are glad that you are here. To mimic a common phone phrase, “your call is very important to us.” Because of your efforts, you enable the Visit Coordinator to coordinate visits, Admissions Counselors to conduct interviews, and our team of Student Ambassadors to provide tours and host overnight experiences for prospective students searching for the best college choice. We are all part of a great team each with an important responsibility. We are counting on you! If at any time you have a question, large or small, please do not hesitate to ask. We are here to help you. Best regards, Karen Berkin Assistant Director of Admissions Krystle Cozad Visit Coordinator Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 2 STUDENT AMBASSADOR – RECEPTIONIST TRAINING MANUAL DRESS CODE You are expected to dress appropriately when representing the Admissions Office. Please follow the Dress Code Guidelines below. Clothing must be neatly pressed. No frayed hems or hems touching the ground. If you have any questions regarding please contact the Assistant Director or Visit Coordinator. WOMEN Slacks, Pants and Pant Suits Appropriate - Cotton or synthetic material pants, wool dress slacks, flannel dress slacks. Dressy capris are acceptable during summer months. Inappropriate - Jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts, shorts, leggings and any spandex or other form-fitting pants such as people wear for biking. Skirts, Dresses, and Skirted Suits Appropriate – Dresses, skirts, and suits. Skirts that are split at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Dresses with shoulder straps may be worn if a sweater or jacket is worn at all times. Inappropriate - Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh, mini-skirts, short sun dresses, beach dresses, and spaghetti-strap dresses are inappropriate. Shirts, Tops, Blouses, and Jackets Appropriate – Casual shirts, blouses, sweaters, tops, jackets and blazers are acceptable attire for work. Inappropriate - Clothing that reveals cleavage, your back, your chest or your stomach. T-shirts unless worn under another blouse, shirt, jacket, or dress is inappropriate for office work. MEN Slacks, Pants, and Suit Pants Appropriate – Dockers style cotton or synthetic material pants, wool dress slacks, flannel dress slacks. Slacks should be neatly pressed and unwrinkled. Inappropriate - Jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, and any spandex or other form-fitting pants such as people wear for biking. Shirts, Sweaters, and Turtlenecks, and Blazers Appropriate - Dress shirts (long or short sleeve) and ties are acceptable attire for work. Most suit jackets or sport jackets are also acceptable attire for the office. Suits are appropriate choices if Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 3 preferred. Shirts should be neatly tucked into men’s slacks, front and back. When school is NOT in session, Polo shirts, or collared shirts without a tie are permissible. Sweaters or sport coats with turtlenecks shirts are appropriate attire. Inappropriate - Shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans; tops with bare shoulders; sweatshirts. GENERAL DRESS GUIDELINES Shoes and Footwear Appropriate - Dress, loafers, boots, flats, dress heels, shoes are acceptable for work. Men must wear socks at all times. In warm weather women are not required to wear hosiery. Dressy sandals for women are appropriate during summer months. Inappropriate - Athletic shoes, thongs, flip-flops, slippers are not acceptable in the office. Men’s sandals are also considered inappropriate for the office. Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume, and Cologne Jewelry should be in good taste. No more than 3 rings on one hand. Remember, that some employees are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and make-up, so wear these substances with restraint. Hats and Head Covering Hats are not appropriate in the office. LANGUAGE How we communicate is as important as what we communicate. Please remember that most of our guests will not be familiar with “campus slang,” so you will need to explain what certain words mean. The following guidelines should be followed. Use PROPER names When talking about buildings, make sure you explain what they are Examples: North is the residence hall where freshmen women live; STEM HALL is the main science building Examples: TLC (technological learning center); PLC (the physical learning center); the “Gee” or “Gedunk” (located in the Breen Student Union); “intervis” is intervisitation (this is the GCC visitation policy for men and women) etc. Note: When using the terms RA/RD please use them in conjunction with their full titles as well. Many people know either the full name or just the abbreviation. Use the full names of majors to ease confusion Examples: Elementary Education rather than “El Ed;” Political Science rather than “Poli Sci”). Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 4 Use PROPER language We must strive to use professional language and have a professional tone while speaking with families on the phone or in person. For example, saying “yes” instead of “yep” or “yeah” always sounds appropriate. You are working at an institute of higher education, we must sound like we are educated. PERSONAL OPINION Please maintain a professional and objective attitude toward campus policies, programs, or activities whether or not you entirely agree or personally endorse them. Any person representing the College should offer an objective and positive view of campus life and the College. Please be candid and honest but use your common sense and tact. Always strive to highlight the areas of the College that you like rather than focusing on aspects that you do not like about GCC. Be ready to answer questions like “what is your favorite and least favorite thing about GCC.” In responding to questions about issues like the car policy, Greek life, or inter-visitation, please respond in an accurate and positive manner. If families have intricate questions, always refer them to the appropriate department (Ex. Tell them to contact Campus Safety Office regarding parking). Remember, you may always refer difficult or uncomfortable questions to the Admissions staff. 1. SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS a. Interviews i. Description 1. A one-time only opportunity- students may never re-interview 2. Plays a key role in the holistic admissions process- gives students the opportunity to highlight his/her accomplishments and involvements, goals for the future and other areas of interest 3. Consists of a student meeting with an admissions counselor one-on-one for about 15 to 20 minutes. Following the interview, the counselor also invites the parents, or whoever accompanied the student, into the office to answer any questions they may have. The interview will be evaluated and become a part of the student’s application file. 4. Plays a significant role in the application process – stress that they are not required, but highly recommended. To emphasize this point, you can point out that we normally interview 90% of the students who are accepted. Not interviewing can negatively affect your chances in the admissions process, particularly if you easily live within a day’s drive of the campus (8 hours). Having an interview is almost always an advantage to the student because it gives us the opportunity to know Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 5 him or her beyond paper and it can demonstrate effort and enthusiasm on the student’s part. ii. Process 1. We interview different classes at different times: a. Rising seniors in the summer b. Seniors in the fall, winter and early spring c. Current juniors in the spring (beginning April 1) d. Sophomores are only granted a Q&A 2. For any students who don’t meet our age requirements who are traveling a great distance or who will only be in the Grove City area this one time, please, refer them to the Visit Coordinator- exceptions can sometimes be made. 3. The student need not bring anything with him or her (but resumes, etc. are fine to contribute). If a student/parent asks about dress, mention that “church” or business like clothes are encouraged. 4. Deadlines- same as application deadlines a. Early Decision( GCC 1st choice, ethically binding) i. November 1- Deadline ii. December 15- Notification iii. January 15- Deposit deadline ($250) b. Early Action (Notified earlier, incentives) i. December 1- Deadline ii. January 15- Notification iii. May 1- Deposit deadline ($250) c. Regular Decision i. February 1- Deadline ii. March 15- Notification iii. May 1- Deposit deadline ($250) iii. Scheduling 1. School Year a. On the half an hour from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.- Refer to the Visit Coordinator for any other time requests 2. Summer Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 6 a. On the half an hour from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. - Refer to the Visit Coordinator for any other time requests. 3. Saturday appointment days a. When the Admissions Office is open on Saturdays, we are open for interviews ONLY. We do not schedule Q&A sessions. A family can request a Q&A, and the Visit Coordinator will notify the family a few days before the visit day if we have openings. b. When the Admissions Office is open on Saturdays, we schedule by time slots. You will only offer the earliest available time slot and schedule families at that time until it is full; then you can move on to the next time slot. 4. Open House Interviews a. Take place on Senior Crimson Days and STEM Day i. We now have 3 hours set aside after Senior Crimson Days for interviews only. These interviews are reserved for students who live at least 6 hours away from campus. They are filled by time first, so the entire 11:00 a.m. slot would be filled before moving onto 11:30 a.m. and so on. If a student wants to interview on Senior Crimson Day who lives closer than 6 hours to campus, we can put them on a waiting list. To reserve a waitlist appointment, take the pink sheet as usual and write “waitlist” on the top. Do not enter the visit into JRM. If there are spots available after we have taken reservations for those living farther away from campus, they will be notified 3 days prior to the event. b. Question and Answer Sessions (Q&A’s) i. Description 1. An informal option to an interview where both the students and parents are invited into the counselor’s office. During this time, the counselor presents an overview of the campus and answers any questions that the student or parents may have. This is an individual appointment for the student and their family. These are not group sessions. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 7 a. This is a great alternative for a junior who is serious about Grove City College but isn’t ready to interview. ii. Process 1. We can schedule a Q&A for any student who is a sophomore or junior... Freshman should only go on the campus tour. Seniors should interview, not do a Q&A. 2. There is not a recommended dress code for the Q&A iii. Scheduling 1. On the half an hour from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.Refer to the Visit Coordinator for any other time requests a. Try to encourage families to schedule their Q&As AFTER their tour time if they are doing a tour. Of course, whatever schedule works best for the family is acceptable. 2. Exceptions a. On the Fridays before any of our event days, we will not be scheduling individual Q&A sessions. In place of the Q&A, we will have group information sessions. You can sign the family up for a group session as well as a campus tour if they are interested. There will be tours leaving from the information sessions. i. September 12 ii. September 19 iii. October 24 iv. October 31 v. April 10 c. Campus Tours i. Description 1. Student led (occasionally Admissions Counselor led) walking tour of campus that lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes ii. Process 1. Designed to educate and inform students and families about Grove City College, the Admissions process, academics, campus culture, history, and traditions. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 8 2. Includes many of the main academic, spiritual, and social locations on campus. Both men’s and women’s residence halls, a dining hall, and Harbison Chapel will be shown. iii. Scheduling 1. Campus tours can be scheduled on the half an hour from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. due to availability. 2. During the summer months and when students are not in session, tours occur at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. every week day unless noted otherwise in the department calendar. 3. Remember to always mention scheduling an appointment when scheduling a tour. d. Skype Interviews i. Description 1. An opportunity for students to interview who are unable to come to campus. ii. Process 1. These interviews are typically for students who live at least 6 hours away from campus. 2. This is still an interview. The student should be by himself in a quiet location, not in a room with parents. The parents would still be “invited in” after the formal interview time is over. iii. Scheduling 1. Skype interviews can be scheduled at the same times as regular appointments. These times are in our time zone EST. When scheduling, please make the students aware of any time differences. 2. If a student requests a Skype interview, pass them along to their Admissions Counselor to schedule their appointment. 3. Always get the student’s Skype username. If they do not know it, please encourage them to respond ASAP with the username. e. Class Visits i. Description 1. This experience should give them an accurate portrayal of the academic life of the campus. We will typically send them to a class in their major and then we’ll also let them sit in on a humanities class. If a student is Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 9 undecided, we can send them to two different major area classes, but it is up to all of us to explain to the family that attending one class is not the time to determine a major ii. Process 1. Must be a senior (or a junior if insistent). 2. Must schedule either an interview or Q&A with the office to do a class visit (or have previously completed one). 3. We will gladly schedule class visits upon requests but we do not need to advertise the opportunity to every single caller. Use your judgment on whether or not the student would benefit from the experience. 4. Because of limited seating, only the student is permitted into the classroom (occasionally, however, professors will allow the whole family to sit in on their classes - this has to be arranged by the family directly to the professor). iii. Scheduling 1. We require at least two weeks’ notice for these visits in order to arrange schedules with professors and receive their permission. 2. Please, take down the caller’s information and pass it along to the Visit Coordinator who will respond to the inquiry. Do not make any guarantees or confirmations. 3. Students can only visit up to 2 classes f. Department Visits i. Description 1. An opportunity for the student and his/her family to speak with a faculty member in their desired major. ii. Process 1. Must be a senior or junior 2. Must schedule either an interview or Q&A with the office to do a department visit (or have previously completed one). 3. We will gladly schedule department visits upon requests but we do not need to advertise the opportunity to every single caller. Use your judgment on whether or not the student would benefit from the experience iii. Scheduling Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 10 1. We require at least two weeks’ notice for these visits in order to arrange schedules with professors and receive their permission 2. Please, take down the caller’s information and pass it along to the Visit Coordinator who will respond to the inquiry. Do not make any guarantees or confirmations. g. Visiting Chapel i. Description 1. An opportunity for the student and his/her family to attend chapel. ii. Process 1. This opportunity is open to any and all visitors. There is no class restriction. 2. No prior arrangements need to made, they can go directly to Harbison. iii. Scheduling 1. Please remember to remind all visitors who schedule on Tuesday or Thursday that they would be welcome at chapel. There is a space on the pink sheet for you to circle what they plan on attending for chapel. Either worship only, service only, or both service and worship. If they are not attending, you can leave everything blank. If they do plan to attend, I need to know so that I don’t schedule something else while they are planning to be in chapel. h. Overnight Visits i. Description 1. An opportunity for a student to experience student life at Grove City College by staying overnight on campus with a prearranged Overnight Host who is selected by the Overnight Coordinator, Student Life & Learning, and the Admissions Office. ii. Process 1. Fall overnight visits are for current seniors only - Juniors are only permitted to stay overnight in the spring 2. Must schedule either an interview or Q&A with the office to stay overnight (or have previously completed one) 3. The Overnight Hosts and Visitors both MUST sign a contract that is returned to the Visit Coordinator at least three days prior to their stay. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 11 4. Visitors and families are required to check in with the Admissions Office at 4:15 p.m. on the day of their visit to meet their Overnight Host, exchange information, and to receive their meal vouchers for dinner and the next day’s breakfast (lunch upon request) 5. Student’s parents will NOT be able to stay on campus with their student; they must find other accommodation. 6. If a student mentions that they already know a current student on campus or that they want to stay with a specific person, they DO NOT have to arrange their overnight stay with our office. The current student can arrange the stay through their Resident Assistant and Resident Director. We DO NOT provide meal passes for these students unless they have an appointment or tour scheduled with our office. iii. Scheduling 1. We require at least two weeks’ notice for these visits in order to arrange schedules 2. Please, take down the caller’s information and pass it along to the Visit Coordinator who will respond to the inquiry. Do not make any guarantees or confirmations 3. We will gladly schedule overnight visits upon request but we do not need to advertise the opportunity to every single caller. Use your judgment on whether or not the student would benefit from the experience. 4. We only offer overnight visits on certain Thursdays & Fridays during the school year. We cannot accommodate other overnight visit requests. Please refer to the Admissions Special Events Calendar for those dates. 5. Remember to schedule any other appointments with the Admissions Office keeping in mind that check-in for overnight visits is at 4:15 p.m. 6. Admitted Student Day- Saturday, March 28, 2015 a. We will not be having an Overnight Visit Date for Admitted Student Day this year. Students who call and ask/request an overnight for Friday or Saturday night can be transferred to me. Again, we are NOT advertising or suggesting any overnight visits for Admitted Student Day. i. Music Visit Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 12 i. We direct all music related questions about auditions to Mr. Jeff Tedford. Although, the Visit Coordinator can schedule department visit requests. ii. Students who apply for a music degree must audition (either in person or via video) with faculty members of the Music Department by the application deadline. They encourage students to audition on the Music Audition Saturday events but are sometimes able to accommodate other situations. iii. In order to be accepted into Grove City College as Music major or minor of any kind, both the Music Department and the Admissions Office must accept the student. iv. If a student wants to meet with the music department, please ask them what instrument they play or what vocal part they sing v. For students who are interested in participating in the band, flag corps, or danceline, there is an opportunity for freshman to be involved. Please, pass on this information to the Music Department. j. Athletic Visit i. If a student mentions that they are interested in meeting with a specific coach, the Admissions Office does not arrange those visits; they can contact the coach directly. Please, provide the family with any applicable names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. The coaches have very busy schedules, and it is to the family’s advantage to speak directly with them. k. Group Visits i. Description 1. Sometimes groups will schedule a visit to campus. They are typically church groups or school groups that come to see campus. ii. Process 1. The Visit Coordinator and Assistant Director are in charge of setting up these visits and have established the following policies. a. All students must be in high school. b. There must be at least one chaperone per 15 students. c. Lunch will be given only when arranged beforehand – we must make reservations with our food service. iii. Scheduling 1. Please, take down the caller’s information and pass it along to the Visit Coordinator or Assistant Director who will respond to the inquiry. Do not make any guarantees or confirmations. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 13 l. Career Services Visit i. Options: 1. General Visit- Families who are interested in meeting with the Career Services Office a. They can schedule a general overview of Career Services (CSO) with a quick tour by Linda Reash (the CSO Office Manager) preferable with at least a week’s notice 2. CSO meeting related to internships/job placements a. Have them schedule a department visit with our faculty through our office first since the faculty have great contacts and information that specifically relates to their interests 3. One on one meeting (i.e. to learn about CSO’s mission, services, tests, etc.) 4. Education Career Services Office (ECS) a. Contact Deb Snyder ([email protected] or 724.458.3397) ii. Scheduling 1. Please note the family’s interest on the pink sheet so the Visit Coordinator can contact Linda in advance. a. Depending on the CSO schedule- they may or may not be able to accommodate visitors. Their hours are 8-5 (closed 12-1) iii. Education Career Services Office (ECS) 1. If a prospective student/family wants you to meet with Education Career Services, please provide as much advanced notice as possible. Please contact Deb Snyder, via phone or email at [email protected], 724-4583397 2. APPOINTMENT TAKING PROCESS/CONFIRMATIONS a. General i. The Visit Coordinator is the only person who puts appointment details in the calendar. 1. You will enter a “place holder” in the calendar summary field. (Ex. 1)John Smith-I*). The Visit Coordinator will enter in the details. a. Because, I am very detail oriented, please enter the “place holder” exactly like this: “1)Name-B%-“ Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 14 b. Note the lack of spaces as well! ii. When taking an appointment, you will enter the student’s information/visit information into JRM at the time of the call. Please see the data entry section for more information. iii. Receptionists are responsible for taking the appointment request, filling out pink sheets, and placing them in the unconfirmed slot on Visit Coordinator’s desk 1. Accuracy is very important. The information you take is entered into our records. Misspelled names, addresses, etc. create confusing and/or inaccurate records. Mailings are duplicated and extra work and expense is the result. iv. The Visit Coordinator will confirm these appointments via email that includes a letter, directions to campus, and itinerary. b. While on the phone i. While we do have set rules and policies it is in our best interest to be accommodating to all families. We want to avoid saying no to a family when they are scheduling. Always offer alternatives or transfer them to the Visit Coordinator if they are difficult or have special requests. ii. There is no set greeting when you answer the phone. As long as your name and the phrase “Grove City College Admissions Office” is spoken- your greeting is appropriate. 1. When calling out from the office for any reason, it is appropriate to state your name and where you are calling from. Example- “Hello?” “Good morning, this is Krystle from the Grove City College Admissions Office, how are you?” 2. Gentlemen, this is especially important for you when calling female students. Parents may not appreciate an unknown young male voice asking about their daughter. iii. When callers want to schedule a campus visit, first ask them if they have a particular date in mind. iv. The IN/OUT schedule is posted on the daily departmental calendar. Pay close attention to how many counselors are OUT when taking appointment requests!!! v. Before scheduling an appointment, find out what year the student is in high school or college (if a transfer). By determining this information you will be able to recommend the type of appointment that will best suit their needs. Also, be Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 15 sure to be aware of the distance they are traveling to visit the campus. For example, a student coming from Hawaii should not be scheduled for a Q&A, but rather an interview since this is most likely the only time they will be able to visit the campus. vi. When taking appointment requests you will need the following information to fill out a pink sheet 1. First and last name – be sure no nicknames are used (i.e. Samuel rather than “Sammy”, however, you may make a note of their preferred name) 2. Home Address 3. Email Address 4. Phone Number(s) 5. Cell Phone Number 6. High School name 7. High school graduation year 8. Major 9. If the student is a Transfer, please include the college they attended and year. We still must know a transfer’s high school and graduation date. 10. If there is additional information that should be made known about a student please put this in the notes section. 11. Record any alumni relationships – parents, siblings or grandparents vii. Always remember to ask the family if there is anything else that we can do for them while they are visiting campus before you end the call. Verbally confirm the time with the caller and retrace your steps to be sure that the appointment is accurate. Tell him/her that we will be emailing out a confirmation which will remind him/her of the date and that there are several links in the email including a campus map and a link that gives directions right to our building AND THAT THEIR APPOINTMENT IS NOT CONFIRMED UNTIL THEY RECEIVE COMMUNICATION FROM THE VISIT COORDINATOR. viii. Note that while it is important to make families feel welcome and connect with them on the phone, do not neglect your other responsibilities by idly chatting with a family for an extended period of time. It is imperative that you get the CORRECT spelling of the student’s information. This information is processed into Jenzabar Recruitment Manager to create their record and must be accurate. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 16 ix. Any questions about the transfer process should go to Danielle at ext. 2179. 3. GREETING FAMILIES a. Process i. An important rule to remember is face before phone- yes, it is your job to answer the phone, but the visitors checking into the office take precedence over the phone. ii. Welcome and greet the family- I find that asking them how we can help them works better than assuming that every person who walks through our doors is here for an appointment. We receive many students who are looking for other offices. iii. ANYONE who comes into our office is our ‘customer’. If someone is asking for directions they should be treated with the same courtesy as a visiting family. 1. Be sure to stand up and greet the visitor. Offer your hand for handshake. 2. Mark their name off the printed department calendar- this is very important so that the Visit Coordinator knows who is here even if she is away from her desk at the time of their check in 3. If they aren’t on our schedule- just write them in on the calendar, find out the nature of their visit- communicate this to the Visit Coordinator, and have them fill out a purple sheet. 4. Give the student his/her packet 5. Confirm what they are doing with our office by going over their itinerary 6. Offer meal passes (If applicable due to time of year) a. Please see any staff member in the office to sign the pass b. We only give meal passes for the day of student’s appointment with us. If the student does not have an appointment or tour with our office, we cannot give them a meal pass. 7. If they are here for a tour only, have the student fill out a purple sheet. 8. Offer them our refreshments -- be aware that they may not know how to use the Keurig. If they appear to be struggling – help them! 9. They are here for an appointment, assure them that we will be with them soon and notify the appropriate counselor that their appointment is here if possible. 4. GENERAL OFFICE INFORMATION Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 17 a. Phone i. To dial an internal number- just use the last 4 numbers. ii. To dial an external number- press 9- 1- then the area code and number 1. Please do not dial 911 by accident! iii. To transfer a call the line must be in use and NOT on hold- hit transfer- dial the extension- the other party can then pick up your call and speak to you- once you hit connect you have transferred the call. iv. To place a call on hold you simply press the hold button- to retrieve a call off of hold you must press the active line. Do not just put the receiver down. v. If a student calls and asks to speak to an Admissions Counselor, please ask them where they are calling from because our counselors are responsible for certain areas of the US. If they are calling from PA, each counselor has particular counties- if they are calling from any other state- the territories are assigned by state. vi. If you receive a call and the student/parent mentions Financial Aid please transfer the call to the Financial Aid office. If it’s between 12:00 – 1:00 take their name and number and let them know that someone from Financial Aid will call them right back. Send the message (name and number) to [email protected] and anyone in the financial aid office will be able to receive it to return the call. The Admissions Office (Receptionist) should not give out any information regarding Financial Aid or forms relating to that. We cannot answer their questions. b. Admissions Calendar i. Symbols 1. B= an interview followed by a tour 2. I= an interview 3. T= a tour 4. Q&A= a question and answer session 5. Q&A/T= a question and answer session followed by a tour 6. T/Q&A= a tour followed by a question and answer session Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 18 a. The information would be entered twice into the calendar. The “T/Q&A” symbol at the tour time and the “Q&A” symbol at the Q&A time. 7. Transfer students are marked in parenthesis 8. IBO=In but out- the person is in the office, but they are not available for appointments 9. Appointments are numbered, ex. 1)Joe Smith-B- tours are not numbered, ex. Joe Smith-T ii. Tour times 1. When tours on listed on the bottom of the daily calendar that is the only tours time we have scheduled for that day. So, when you are taking appointments for a day with pre-scheduled tours, please match those tour times if at all possible. 2. You will be given access to the Admissions Department Calendar by the Admissions Office. 3. To find the calendar in Outlook a. Go to Public Folders; All Public Folders, Offices-Admin; Admissions; Click on Admissions Department Calendar. b. You will now be able to view the calendar. If you right click and add it to your favorites, it will be easier to access. Then you can view it easily in your calendar module. 5. Frequently Asked Questions a. Academic i. Student to Faculty Ratio 1. 15:1 ii. Average Class size 1. 25 students a. Introductory HUMA classes are often larger iii. Most popular majors 1. Biology, Mechanical Engineering, English, Communication, History Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 19 iv. Faculty information 1. 158 full time or adjunct 2. 93% hold the highest degrees in their field 3. Retention? b. Admissions i. Application review 1. Holistic review process includes class rank, GPA, curriculum, SAT or ACT scores, the college interview, activities, essays, and letters of recommendation ii. Deadlines 1. Early Decision( GCC 1st choice, ethically binding) a. November 1- Deadline b. December 15- Notification c. January 15- Deposit deadline ($250) 2. Early Action (Notified earlier, incentives) a. December 1- Deadline b. January 15- Notification c. May 1- Deposit deadline ($250) 3. Regular Decision a. February 1- Deadline b. March 15- Notification c. May 1- Deposit deadline ($250) iii. Statistics 1. Class of 2017 Incoming (No minimum scores required) a. GPA 3.72/4.00 unweighted, 4.00 weighted b. SAT 1205/1600 c. ACT 27 iv. Foreign language requirement 1. Exit requirement, not an entrance requirement a. Generally speaking, students who take at least 3 years of a foreign language in high school with a B average or better meet the requirement. Since the College’s desire is for students to Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 20 broaden global understanding and international communication we will only accept modern, spoken languages – we do not accept Latin/Greek/Hebrew or American Sign Language. This may cause quite a bit of concern among families, so be sensitive to this. Students who do not meet the requirement in high school will be required to take language courses at GCC. They must take the equivalent of 2 years at the college level (1 year of high school equals 1 semester of college). See page 61 of the Bulletin for more details. b. All pure Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Music majors are exempt from this requirement (their schedules are already very full). Computer Information Systems majors are still required to complete the foreign language requirements. c. Spiritual i. What does it mean to GCC to be a Christian college? 1. The Christian affiliation of GCC is something that permeates the environment here – the classes, the social life, the organizations students are in, the life in the residence halls, etc. 2. A specific doctrine isn’t taught- we are broadly evangelical and support students in their walk with Christ. 3. GCC believes in the self -governance of the student – that a student’s relationship with Christ governs their behavior ii. Why doesn’t your faculty sign a statement of faith like other Christian colleges? 1. Former Provost, Dr. Bill Anderson: “Actually, our faculty and students are not asked to sign a statement of faith. It is our belief, since the College’s mission is broadly evangelical rather than sectarian, that the basic essentials of the Christian faith should be our emphasis. For that reason, our focus is upon two basic tents: our faculty, do profess a personal faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and, secondly, that the Scriptures are, at the very minimum, the inspired word of God. Many institutions, we know, do require specific and detailed faith statements, extending from Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 21 soteriology to eschatology, and that is in keeping with their institutional missions. GCC, however, being more inclusive in its Mission, gives its faculty liberty of conscience apart from those two key doctrinal points….Yet, all are one in Christ Jesus. We have found that far from loosening our grip on the Faith that our approach has promoted harmony and collaboration on our campus.” iii. Do students have to be Christian to attend? 1. Grove City College does endeavor to integrate the principles of Christian faith into all aspects of college life. However, we anticipate that some students will wrestle with the components of Christian belief, and they are welcome to do so while recognizing that as an institution we are committed to an outward expression of our Christian faith. d. Student Life i. Study Abroad 1. The Office of International Education (OIE) has spent the past few years researching ways to expand our study abroad program. If a program to study abroad is not offered through the college in a specific location the OIE will work with the student to find a program that they can go with. It is encouraged by our administration for students to study abroad. We have Professor-led trips, exchange programs, satellite campus (Nantes, France), and mission trips. Typically 50% of graduating class will spend time overseas in international study or activities. 2. Career Services Office a. Four year vision including self-assessment testing, job shadowing, job searching, on campus interview, etc. b. Internship Opportunities i. Internship fair, connections with local organizations, departmental, independent c. 96% of the class of 2013 6 month job placement rate i. 95% response rate to survey Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 22 3. Numbers a. Freshman retention rate- 88% b. 4 year graduation rate- 77% i. National average is 41% c. 52% of students are from out of state d. 33% of students participate in Greek groups i. Fraternities ii. Sororities iii. Housing groups e. 6% minority students e. Financial Aid i. Costs (2014-2015) 1. Tuition-$15,550 2. Room & Board-$8,472 3. Total- $24,022 4. Other a. Estimate of $1,000 books b. Tuition includes tablet PC and all in one printer f. Items you need to be ready to explain i. Academic Calendar 1. Semester, intercessions, breaks ii. Typical class schedules iii. Advantage of GCC over another school 1. It is not appropriate or profession to speak poorly of another school. You are not a student from XYZ School, answer by focusing on what you know about GCC. iv. Government Independence 1. In 1979, Grove City College was sued by the Department of Health and Human Services for refusing to sign a routine form forbidding colleges to discriminate against women. Discrimination wasn’t the problem for GCC; we had never discriminated against women or minorities. It was Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 23 the principle of control. [The hand that gives is the hand that ultimately controls!] GCC had never depended on government support. How could the government control an institution that operated independently? After litigation went to the Supreme Court, GCC chose to refuse all government funding, which includes Pell Grants and Stafford Loans. v. Campus Safety 1. The campus is monitored and evaluated 24 hours a day by safety personnel on foot, in vehicles, on bicycles, and via closed circuit television cameras. Campus Safety personnel on duty are equipped with portable radios which provide constant communication to all parts and constituencies of the campus, as well as direct communication with the local police department and Ambulance Company. vi. Your opinion about….. 1. Be professional. Do not lie, but emphasis the positives as well vii. Why did you choose GCC? 6. Data Entry (Updated 5/19/14) a. Checking for duplicates i. Check first to see if the name is a duplicate under “Students” tab. Try parts of both first and last name, because the full name could be misspelled (or nickname) as another entry. 1. When searching for students who have multiple last names (or contain special characters), please make sure that you take this into consideration before creating a new record. 2. Use the * symbol to do a “wildcard” search. JRM will then search for any entry containing those characters, not an exact match. a. Example: Susan Brownsmith came from SAT scores and the name Susan Brown-Smith came from another source, the BEST thing to do, in this case would be to search for “Susan Brown*”. That way you might get multiple results but you will find the existing record Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 24 3. If the words at the bottom of your results say ‘show more, there are more names in your search that are not visible. Click on show more to view the complete list of names of your search. ii. If the student already exists in JRM, check to see that all the information aligns with what you have on the paper you are checking it against. Any new information can be added by clicking on the person and then click the edit button. (Ex:email addresses) and information can be updated (schools or majors). Do not change Lead Source and Lead Source Detail if currently in JRM. 1. Do not ever change the lead source of an existing record 2. Add the additional source to an existing record: go to the source or source 2 or source 3 box and find the additional source from the list and click the right arrow (which is the add button) to move that source over to the chosen box on the right, then click save iii. If student is not found, Click on HOME Create New “Student” b. Student Information (use upper and lower case letters) i. Prefix (Mr or Miss) ii. First Name (example: Deborah – not “DEBORAH” or deborah)- Only full names, not “RJ” 1. If R. John—put both in First Name box iii. Last Name 1. Examples: McConnell, O’Dell, Smith-Weston etc.- no spaces (example: St. John should have a period after St followed with a space) iv. Middle Name – If you only have an initial, put that in followed by a period v. Nickname/Preferred name – Put that information in only if it is provided vi. Suffix (Jr, II, III, etc.) vii. School Name 1. You must enter a school name because it is a required field 2. Click on the magnifying glass, type in the school name, click go, search from the list at the bottom and pick the correct school. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 25 3. If you do not find the school name, you will need to select unknown viii. Student Reported High School – place the name of the school here if it doesn’t exist from the search field ix. Student Stage (Inquiry)- this field is automatic x. Legacy – is checked only if the student has a mother and/or father are alums of GCC xi. E-Mail- (if available – all lowercase) xii. Parent Email-(if available) xiii. Gender xiv. Phone Numbers- Do not use dashes, spaces, or dots 1. Enter in the applicable numbers: parent’s mobile phone, phone, home, mobile, other phone xv. US Citizen box- check if US citizen xvi. Graduation Year c. Address Information i. Click in the Mailing street box ii. QAS – Address Validation box will open iii. Enter zip code— hit enter iv. Enter house number and street, choose the correct address from your results—hit enter v. If apartment/suite/unit/floor is applicable, enter the number vi. Click accept to confirm your results vii. If at any time in the address search you have a discrepancy with the system, where it cannot find the street/etc., attempt to find the address information online. Do an address lookup, reverse lookup if you have the phone number, etc. 1. Helpful sites: www.whitepages.com or www.anywho.com viii. If for some reason we need to enter the address without verifying it through QAS, you must type out the entire address (Example: not Campus Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 26 Dr. but Campus Drive). Always use the state abbreviation, not the full name. Enter the mailing county from the drop down. 1. When you enter an unvalidated address, JRM will give you an option to update it after you save the record d. Transfers i. Transfer Institution 1. If the student is a transfer student, type the full name of the institution 2. Phi Theta Kappa member- click on box e. Inquiry Information i. Anticipated Start Term (Fall or Spring only) ii. Anticipated Start Year (based upon graduation – unless they are a transfer) iii. Anticipated Major (if you do not know their anticipated major or it is something we do not offer put it under “Undeclared Liberal Arts”) iv. Student Type (Use only First-Time Freshman/September Transfer/January Transfer) f. Sources i. Lead Source (Ex. Other, College Fair, Advertisement- (If file already exists, DO NOT change Lead Source)) ii. Lead Source Detail (Ex. High School Visit- green cards- this is for new records only) iii. Source 1. Additional sources are added only if the record already exists in JRM (Ex. HSV, ACT, MAIL) iv. Pink & Purple sheets are under the Lead source of other g. Biographic/Demographic Information i. Birthdate (if available) (Ex. 10/9/1999 – no leading zeros) ii. Citizenship (Ex. United States is at the bottom of the list) iii. Ethnicity (assume White) h. SAVE RECORD NOW - now that you have saved the record you may add the following information if applicable Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 27 i. Extra-Curricular Actitives i. Click “New Extra Curricular Activity” and enter the necessary information – extra- curricular activity (should be the same as what is in the category field: the exception would be for those students that have given us information on what instrument they play – flute, piano, cello, etc.), type (Academic, Athletics, Clubs/Org etc.), category (selections are different for each type). If there is more than one activity hit “Save & New” after each activity entered. Add as many as you need to for each student. Save j. Vists i. Applies to entering in pink phone appointment sheets and purple sheets only: 1. Click on the “Visits” options at the top of the student record or scroll down to the visit option in the record 2. Click on new visit and highlight which visit options the student has chosen to complete. Enter the date these items will take place and click the right arrow button to select those fields. Save 3. If their visit spans 2 days, you must enter the dates in separately k. Relationships- Alumni Information i. Alumni relationships 1. If the student has a sibling, parent, or grandparent alumnus of Grove City College 2. Go to Relationships- new relationship- the relationship name is the full name of the alumni. Use the drop down box to determine the relationship. Only enter a title if you know for certain. Then enter the last name and first name of the alumni, phone, and gender and college graduation year found under the education/employment section at the bottom. 3. This applies to siblings who apply as well even though they aren’t graduates yet. Student Ambassador -- Receptionist Page 28
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