Purpose of information sessions

Info sessions give prospective students a direct opportunity to engage with your program, ask questions, and learn what makes it unique. These events play a key role in recruitment by building personal connections, showcasing program strengths, and helping students make informed decisions about applying.

Responsibilities

The program is responsible for creating and hosting the Zoom event. Please see the timeline below to understand what tasks the program is responsble for and what tasks the TGS marketing team are responsible for. 

4–6 weeks before the session:

• Finalize date/time (Program)
• Establish Zoom event (Program)
• Share Zoom link with panelists (Program)
  • Panelists can include current students, alumni, and/ or faculty members
• Submit session to TGS Info Session Google Form. This form will be emailed at the end of each semester from TGS as a courtesy (Program)
• Program’s will add info sessions to their program home page (Program)

3–4 weeks before the session:

• TGS Marketing builds landing page if digital ads will run for the session – there is an additional fee to run ads – ads will be paid for by the program
• TGS Marketing will create social media posts to share on TGS channels – these can be shared ,upon request, with programs to share via their channels
• Program provides content (speaker bios, session highlights, etc.)

2–3 weeks before the session:

• TGS Marketing sets up email invites (iModules, CollegeNET, etc.)
• TGS Marketing will post Digital Signs to be displayed across campus

1 week before the session:

• Program will confirm panelists 
• Program shares event internally with faculty/students

Day of session:

• Program sends Zoom reminder to registrants
• Program hosts session

After the session:

• Program provides TGS marketing with list of registrants to import into CRM
• Program sends thank-you/follow-up email to registrants 

• Focus on Encouragement and Accessibility
  Prospective students are often intimidated by the time and financial commitment of graduate school. Use the information session to highlight the benefits and outcomes of graduate education, and help students envision how graduate study can fit into their current lifestyle. Avoid opening with discussions about rigor or challenges—those can be introduced later by emphasizing the resources and support available to help students succeed.
• Keep Your Presentation Focused and Engaging
  Your PowerPoint should cover the topics prospective students care about most—such as the program’s delivery format, length, curriculum overview, and career outcomes. The goal isn’t to answer every possible question, but to spark curiosity and build a connection that encourages students to continue engaging and asking questions after the session.
• Prioritize Time for Q&A
  Resist the urge to fill the entire session with presentation content. Instead, allow plenty of time for questions. A thoughtful Q&A helps prospective students feel heard, fosters genuine conversation, and often provides the most valuable insights for attendees.

Please contact grad@jmu.edu with any questions.