Competition
What happens when a student transferred from a competitor school and is constantly comparing the two?
I have enjoyed the comparison. They realize that there is no perfect school, but that some make more efforts at improving than others do.
I would refrain from discussing the competitive schools information and highlight what the school in which the student is attending has to offer. Most students tend to realize that it was their choice to attend that specific school for a purpose. It is our job to incorporate improvements and increase our students satisfaction while receiving their training.
Let them compare but always emphasize the benefits of attending Concorde! Such as great teacher student ratio and individualized attention. Public schools do not have this due to budget cuts and suprisingly most competitors in the vocational college arena does not have this either!
I listen to what they have to say. Never speek bad about our competitor school. Just listen. Then they realize themselves which is a better fit for them.
You have to just listen, because it is not our place to speak bad on something or someone we know nothing about, and can only go on hear say. One opinion may not be other's opinions. So it's best to just stay neutral, that way the student doesn't recieve bad or negative information and the school/staff doesn't risk being in trouble.
I too refrain from discussing previous school, one of our core values is integrity so this is a great way to model it. Simply keeping the discussion focused on my school.
I agree with Yvonne. I think it's important to let students vent or express themselves, but equally as important to not join in on any other school "bashing". Our students need to know that we are here to listen, but are professional enough to not talk badly about another school.
Just listen to what the student has to say, i do not speak about competitor schools because that is not my place to be talking or bashing other schools. After all it is ultimately up to the student to make the decision about where he/she wants to get their education from.
I listen to what they have to say and also let them know that i will not be talking bad about any school and i'm sorry to hear that they were treated badly.Then just move on with all the good things about my school.
Yes, just let the student vent. Do not get involved in negative speak. In my experience, schools that speak negatively about other schools end up losing the student. Negativety backfires. Also the negative things the student tells you about the other school may not be true. Sometimes they try to justify why they did not do well by blaming the school.
I take the first opportunity to tactfully avert the conversation to the tasks at hand and to the benefits of Concorde.
When the student compares the two school. Politely saying to the student that we cannot speak for the other school. However, this is how this school does things.
I think this is an opportunity for us as faculty or administrators of another school to demonstrate that we are going to only talk about our school and the benefits and advantages our school has to offer. It is easy to speak ill of another school so it up to us to make sure this does not happen. If a student wants to carry the conversation in that direction I simply redirect the conversation back to our school or our program.
I honestly think that if we belive in our school and now for a fact and come across to all the students that way,, there will never be no comerasion and know that we are one of akind.
I think that this would be a good transition into pointing out the benifits of attending Concorde.
This also happens with staff. I process the new hires and will sometimes hear disparaging remarks about our competitors. I listen and let them speak ,then I tell them positive things about Concorde's history and my experiences with Concorde. We also experience new instructors who will say "Oh we did it this way at XXX". We will explain that our OTM's and policies/procedures are based on specific guidelines defined by governing entities(such as TWC) and we follow them to the letter.
I agree with Magda...
It's important to listen and then redirect the
student to the task at hand. The student will eventually understand that Concorde will not
speak negatively about its competitition.
It's also a great opportunity to discuss Concorde's mission statement!
I would continue sharing and highlightening the positive side of our institution.
I keep my opinions about other schools to myself. I would listen and if other transferring students mentioned similar issue I would share that other students have felt the same.
