Always remember that you are a representative of the Office of Admission and may be the only impression of NDSU that a student receives during their visit. Be proud and represent yourself and this community well! Tours are incredibly important and play a very large role in the recruitment process.
A recent freshman class was surveyed and here are some of the results:
65% of all visitors said that the tour was the most important part of their visit
Ranked second was meeting with a counselor at 19%
More than half of the respondents shared that the tour guide did a great job! (Without even being asked)
90% of students say family members played a role in the decision process. Keep this in mind. The student is the reason for the tour, but it is also very important for their guests to have a positive experience, too!
Be relaxed, friendly, and funny! Maintain professionalism and have fun!
Know your audience – Is it a student’s second visit to NDSU or a group's first visit to any college? Cater your message to meet their interest/wants.
Know how to spin a narrative. We all have a thing or two we don’t like about campus and you may get asked about those things. Remain positive and talk about how you might have bypassed issues or learned from them.
Always repeat the questions. If visitors in the front of the tour ask questions, other visitors on the tour often cannot hear them. That is why it is important to repeat the question.
Recognize if you are using filler words and work to avoid them: Umm, I think, like, obviously, stuff like that, always, never, you know, etc.
Don't use acronyms on tour until you give the full name of the building the first time (RDC, SHAC, QBB, etc.).
You are not only an ambassador of our NDSU campus but also the community of Fargo-Moorhead and the great state of North Dakota. Be sure to represent all in a positive manner.
DON’T LIE! It is always okay to say that you do not know the answer to a question, but be proactive in helping them find the answer after their tour. Ask the admission staff and ensure that they do not leave until they are taken care of.
Information on our tours is important, but it shouldn't be the only thing. Find engaging ways to deliver your information. Listing off bullet points about residence life vs. sharing your freshman experience in your residence hall.
We don’t have a best major – all of our programs are strong programs.
We don’t have a best residence hall– by the end of their freshmen year, most students say that the best residence hall is the one they're living in.
Don't refer to the lower level of buildings as "basements". That make them think it's musty and dirt floor. Call them "lower level".
Don't refer to free services on campus. Almost anything that is "free" to students is covered by student fees, so reference that.
Your visitors don't know what content will be covered on a tour, so don't try to fit everything in. The depth of content is far more important than the breadth of content.
Asking visitors questions should be a central activity during the tour. It helps you get to know them more and cater the tour to their interests and needs. It also helps to make the tour more interactive and allows you a break from talking.
Ask the group at least one question in every building or long walk during your tour.
Instead of repeatedly asking your group if they have any questions, ask them open-ended ones such as:
Where is everyone from?
What high school did you go to?
Why are you interested in NDSU?
Are there any alumni on tour?
What activities are you involved in?
What is your favorite school food?
What are you most excited/anxious about college?
Why are you interested in your possible major choice?
Visitors to campus come for a wide variety of walks of life, and so we should be as inclusive as possible. This includes not making assumptions about campus life based on our own experiences. Things to keep in mind:
Half of NDSU students have their own computer and car on campus.
Students on your tour might be in a class of 5 students or 500, so using terms like "big" or "small" to describe" class size might mean something different to you than it does to them. Be specific in numbers if at all possible, and when working with students from smaller communities, stress student resources with bigger classes.
Not all visitors have parents or families, so use the terms visitors and guests instead of families.
NDSU welcomes students from all backgrounds and diversity is valued on campus.
Always mention all of our resources on campus no matter who is on your tour. This includes the Center for Community & Belonging, the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources, LGBTQ+ Resources, and ACE Tutoring Services.
No gum, drink, or food on tour.
Think about the flow of your tour route ahead of your tour, especially which entrance and exit will be best for buildings.
When entering and exiting buildings, use automatic door openers so that you can stay at the head of the tour. You do not need to hold the door for visitors, it will just slow the tour down.
Do not lean against the walls or sit down at any time on tour. This will slow down your tour. Not stopping is also very important with larger tour groups, which tend to slow down if you let them.
NEVER cut through a parking lot or walk on grass. Stay safe and clean by staying on the sidewalks at all times.
When crossing the street or going into doorways, please face forward (safety first). This is also an opportunity for a quick break from talking.
Keep an eye on the time. A tour should be no longer than one hour and 15 minutes.
Fire/Fire Drills
In the event of a fire alarm while you are on tour, leave the building and resume your tour. If the alarm is happening in a building that you have not yet entered, skip that building and go to the next stop on the tour.
Rain/High Winds/Tornado
We will not send you out on tour if there is a torrential downpour, lightning storm, or tornado alarm/warning. Stay inside the nearest building and message Shea/Zeb on Band if bad weather happens during your tour. We may have you wait inside for a few minutes, or pick up your group with the shuttle bus.
Accessible Tours
We will brief you if someone on your tour has a wheelchair or is on crutches Avoid buildings with stairs and use the elevator in the Memorial Union if you are showing the lower level. Communication is key for these tours, so make sure to announce at the start of your tour that the tour will be about 75 minutes and cover around 2 miles of walking. If anyone is concerned about the length/distance, consult with admission staff to talk about options. Along with making sure that the mechanical aspects of your tour are accessible for your guests, you need to make sure that they are doing ok throughout the tour. Check-in regularly and make adjustments as necessary.
Smoking/Vaping on Tour
Smoking and vaping are prohibited on the North Dakota State University grounds and in University buildings, residence halls, apartments, and enclosed structures. If a guest starts smoking or vaping during the tour, let them know that it is prohibited on campus, and if they continue, they will need to leave the tour. If a guest does not listen, you may call the Office of Admission to get support or call campus police (701-231-8998).
Accidents
If an accident occurs during a tour and one of our guests, another student, faculty, staff member, or you are injured, you need to find an admission staff member at the end of the tour and fill out paperwork with the injured person. If the accident is serious, call campus police to help. Accidents to NDSU staff and guests are covered by NDSU’s insurance, so it is important to get this taken care of right away. Other things you should report to Shea/Zeb, even if accident/injury doesn't occur:
Icy sidewalk
Water main breaking
Tour route blocked
Building locked
Any potentially unsafe activity or situation for tour participants
Anything Else
If anything happens during a tour that you are unsure of, please let Shea/Zeb know immediately or after the tour is done, depending on how severe/urgent it is. If it involves any dangerous activity, go into a building where other NDSU staff are present (e.g. library, Memorial Union, residence hall, wellness center, classroom building) and call campus police immediately (701-231-8998). If you feel unsafe, enter the closest building IMMEDIATELY. You can always enter a building and find a staff or faculty member to help you.