Online Orientation Success & Onboarding Software Reviews

Rhodes College is a small, liberal arts institution, onboarding distinct student populations including student athletes, international students, and transfer students. Each of these groups have different onboarding processes, so it was important to make sure students received information within their online orientation that was personalized and relevant to them.

The University of Arizona is a large, public flagship univeristy, with total enrollment of about 50,000 students. So, when it came to helping new students tap into information and providing them with resources always available to them, it was time to get creative and deliver content in a new and exciting way. Video provided the solution to give students an inside look into what their experience as a Wildcat was going to be.

Knowing new students come to college with challenges beyond their coursework, the leaders at Sinclair Community College wanted to present all the resources students would need to register in a way that they can go back and reference anytime. They wanted a high-quality and engaging presentation to help students take the next steps independently, with greater confidence.

After delivering orientation online through their learning management system, orientation leaders at Cal State San Bernardino sought a more empowering and engaging solution. Since launching an optional, customized virtual pre-orientation platform completion rates soared, from less than 25% to over 65%.

Ready to implement a virtual orientation in early April 2020, this director of new student and family programs leaned on the institution’s Brand principles to develop a curated digital experience for first-year students, transfers, and their families. Since launch, virtual orientation data reveals how students are recognizing educational opportunities, building momentum through engagement, and finding a sense of belonging through connection.

When family engagement begins with online orientation, it is proving to be one of the best ways to help students have a winning college start. Online orientation for families fills in an essential information gap delivered in an interactive and video-rich experience accessible anytime. Families can take their time to learn what to expect and what their student needs to be successful.

With over 50K students on campus and approximately 10K new students each year, Rutgers needed an orientation system to reach a larger audience of transfer students. After experimenting with orientation delivery through their LMS, they realized they lacked the time and resources to produce a better orientation experience on their own. Today, with Advantage Orientation, Rutgers is serving 30% more transfers students while also reaching first-year students and their families.

Online orientation is something campus leaders wanted students to feel excited about. They chose Advantage Design Group to produce it based on the company's reputation for professionalism and the recommendation from colleagues. After a flawless production experience, online orientation is today showing students the kind of quality experience students can expect.

Replacing our on-campus program, the online orientation provided an element of convenience that we were missing before. Now, our students can complete the orientation at any time, at their own pace, on a platform that establishes a common student experience, fosters a deep sense of community, and provides a solid foundation. The response has been unbelievably positive.

When The University of Tampa launched its online orientation, it became the university’s first Student Affairs hybrid program. The new student experience progressed seamlessly. Students and their families arrived on campus more confident and ready for a successful transition to college.

After initially discovering Advantage Design Group’s online orientation solution by attending a webinar, Megan was impressed by the customization options. She was able to choose the right balance of product features and creative services that met both her institutional and student experience needs.

We wanted an orientation that included how-to videos. ADG had that capability and the look our university wanted. They filmed everything in a two-day shoot, and our chancellor was so impressed that he wished all his other shoots were just as quick and efficient.

Just a quick note to say thank you for sending us such a fantastic crew. Bobby and Dustin are incredibly skilled professionals. Even more so, they are great people. They made us feel comfortable throughout the process, were patient when we worked through the inevitable bumps, and provided creativity, energy and inspiration when needed. It was also cool to have the grandson of an alumna be part of this project. Dustin shared that his grandmother graduated from the ‘Ville in 1929. During a short break, I was able to find a copy of the 1929 Touchstone Yearbook online and showed Dustin his grandmother’s yearbook entry. What a great experience!

The product is such high quality and so unique - it gets better the more you learn about it.

After researching several companies, Sonoma State University chose Advantage Design Group and was thrilled with their decision. They didn’t know what to expect when developing a new student online orientation and Advantage Design Group was informative, organized and ensured the entire process, from technical issues to videography, went smoothly. They brought a comfort level to the team that was unsurpassed.