Here are some student orientation strategies and initiatives that your private career college might adopt:

1. Develop a Student Calendar and/or Handbook for your college. There is a good chance that you already have most of the material readily available. Decide what elements are most important to cover and go for it! We would recommend starting small by using a manual or laser printer and by ensuring that the handbook focuses on clearly communicating expectations and responsibilities to students. Once your first calendar and/or handbook are developed, start a file for additions to next year’s version.
2. Give students a pocket folder (Student Passport) to help them keep important documents organized. Request that the folder be brought to any meeting with the college’s financial or business personnel. Develop a “check list” of contents that should be kept in the folder and paste it inside for reference.
3. Incorporate a Student Success Strategies module or course into every program of study. At a minimum, budgeting and study techniques should be covered. For colleges that use self-paced learning, consider holding a one or two day workshop to cover this material. The goal of the course is to give students some basic tools to help them succeed.