CollegeWeekLive | Update

In a previous post, I mentioned Lasell was planning to participate in CollegeWeekLive on March 25 and 26. Curious how it went?

Just a quick review, CollegeWeekLive was billed as the "largest virtual college fair...with more than 200 colleges and universities from around the world exhibiting and more than 25,000 attendees".

CollegeWeekLive provided Lasell a unique opportunity to interact with interested students from all over the country. How you might ask? The software offers an IM-like chat feature, where interested students and college representatives can virtually connect. We hosted our chat sessions from 3-10, both days. As expected, the later in the evening the busier we got.

Chat is an interesting conversation vehicle. At one point in the evening, I was chatting with two students for almost an hour - one from CO and the other from TX. What about? We chatted about everything Lasell. Our class sizes, our facilities, and our academic programs. And if you're wondering if the conversation looked like this "OMG R U FR RL" you would be wrong. LOL.

My take, the students enjoyed it. It's anonymous and it's care-free (meaning no peer pressure). Students are free to explore institutions they may not take the time to learn about in other environments. And the students are in control. They can come and go as they please. They can engage, chat, or simply read other people's posts.

An avatar-like experience, I think the ease of scrolling through the "College Hall" to visit Colleges and Universities from all over the country is itself worth-while. Sure the canned video and campus photographs that adorn the booths will never replace an actual campus visit. But, the value and exposure this FREE to students service provides is timely, especially as the country's current economic belt continues to tighten. From my side of the screen, it was an economic and "greener" way to connect with prospective students from around the country (no driving or flying required).

Combining many resources - live streaming video, real-time chat, and more importantly a platform for students to learn about their higher education options in a way they are comfortable - definitely works for me.

Have you visited CollegeWeekLive? Check it out and let me know what you think.