When dealing with a student housing project, the first source of valuable marketing information is the Education Institution.  There you can find the statistics on student attendance, residence guarantees, non-institutional advertising, surveying on campus, off-campus advertising department allowances and other information regarding the rules and regulations of the Educational Institution.  The USC (University Student Council) usually has a large involvement in the area of advertising in school newspapers and poster advertising on campus as well as in student activity venues.  They can be very helpful and in some cases can be incorporated into your building’s operations.

Some Questions to Ask: 

The University or College

• Are all first year students guaranteed residence in the first year?
• What percentages of the second year students live in residence?
• Where can a non-institutional company advertise on campus?
• Are there certain requirements or committees that govern the various student bodies when advertising on campus?
• Is bulk mail accepted at the residences?
• Are there any restrictions to your building’s name being promoted on the campus? 
• When do the enrolled students typically start looking for a residence for the upcoming year?
• When do the first year students find out if they were accepted into residence?
• When do the high school students typically start to come to the campus to see if it is where they want to go to school?
• What paper do the students read most?
• Where is the off campus housing department and when can you begin advertising with them for the next year?

The High Schools

• When does the university you are representing come into the high school to do their annual presentation?
• Can you have a booth at the high school on the same day promoting your property?
• When do students have to decide where they want do their post-secondary education?
• When do the students find out where they were accepted?
• When do they typically have to make their decision on which Institution to go to?
• Will the guidance department allow you to leave brochures with them?