Comparing Advantage Orientation to Learning Management Systems

Glenn Spurlin, Director of Student Transitions

"Canvas works very well for certain things, but it’s not aesthetically pleasing. Giving students access to their specific modules was very tedious. Reporting was pretty limited as well."

That’s why Clemson positioned Advantage Orientation^® as a pre-orientation experience for students after admission but before attending in-person orientation. The IT team quickly became champions, praising the platform’s accessibility features.

Instead of treating orientation as a one-and-done requirement, Clemson encourages students to return to the platform as an ongoing resource throughout their time at the university. Feedback indicates that the strategy is working: students report feeling more prepared, exactly what Glenn and his team had hoped to achieve.

Lisa Hancock, Director, Student Orientation and Transition Services

"We did a pilot program using Canvas to deliver some of our orientation information for our business students. Canvas couldn't dynamically serve up information to the students depending on their campus and their admit type. We needed an enterprise solution..."

With Advantage Orientation^®, Utah State created exactly that. The platform now serves as students’ very first interaction with the university, introducing them to their next steps immediately after admission. To deliver the right information to the right students, Lisa’s team set up member groups that tailor the experience by campus and student type.

This ensures information is always timely, relevant, and personalized, something Canvas couldn’t deliver.

Tabitha Dawes, Director, Eagle View Orientation and Family Programs

"We were forced to figure out what orientation was going to look like in a virtual platform. We ended up using our learning management system, Canvas. Canvas is a terrific LMS, but it is not a terrific orientation program. It was honestly very clunky, wasn't exciting, and gave us more work to do."

When Tabitha looked for a better option, her professional network pointed her toward Advantage Design Group^®, colleagues across the state were already using it successfully and recommended Advantage Orientation^® as the clear solution.

Her team quickly learned why. They love the ability to provide video quizzes, an interactive checklist, and the option to fully brand the platform, making it look and feel like a native FGCU resource. Instead of a clunky, one-size-fits-all LMS, students now engage with an interactive, customized experience that reflects FGCU’s identity and makes orientation much more exciting.

Lindsay Hansen, Director, New Student Orientation

"My predecessor was involved in building a homegrown module built in Canvas. It took me more than three hours to complete and I had some concerns about the overall appearance and functionality of the program. I knew that this was something that we needed to change."

When Lindsay began searching for a better option, her professional network immediately pointed her to Advantage Orientation^®. She needed a solution quickly, and ADG delivered. The result was a state-of-the-art solution that made her team feel like they had finally moved into the 21st century.

The difference has been striking. Analytics are easy to use, auto-generated, and show an almost 100% completion rate. Numbers that Lindsay says she’s never seen before. She explains that the ROI has been tremendous, not just in terms of time saved for her staff, but also in student engagement and overall satisfaction with the orientation experience.

These real-life stories illustrate how Advantage Orientation^® transforms orientation from a clunky course into a powerful first impression. To see exactly how the solution stacks up feature by feature against learning management systems, take a look at this side-by-side comparison chart.

From higher completion rates to personalized experiences, students are more engaged with, and results prove they enjoy, Advantage Orientation^®, setting a new standard for online orientation. Want to see how it can work for your institution?

Use the form to request a live tour for you and your team today!