How do you take college notes when on tour? Where to keep college tour notes?

Q: How can I make college visit notes and transfer them into CounselMore? I currently use OneNote on my phone to take notes and photos during college visits. Do you have any suggestions for how to streamline this process, including dictating notes and adding photos while on campus? Also, how does Zapier come into play with CounselMore?

A: There are a few methods you can use to transfer and manage your college visit notes within CounselMore. Here’s what I recommend:

  1. Using OneNote:

    • If you're already using OneNote to take notes and photos, you can simply add the link to each OneNote entry directly into the 'Links' column in CounselMore. This is likely the quickest and easiest way to integrate your existing notes into the system.

  2. Taking Notes Directly in CounselMore:

    • When you're on a tour, open Chrome on your phone and log in to CounselMore.

    • Add the college name to your practice student profile.

    • Scroll to the 'Notes' column, double-tap to open the notes section, and use your phone's microphone to dictate your notes directly into CounselMore.

    • If the internet connection is stable, you can even record entire presentations, but remember to press save frequently to avoid losing data if the connection drops.

    • Some counselors find using an iPad easier due to the larger screen, which provides more visual space and makes it easier to manage notes and photos.

  3. Adding Photos:

    • At the start of a tour, take a photo of the school sign and other key campus images. Save these in a folder on your drive and link the folder in CounselMore. Even if you choose not to share your detailed tour notes, sharing the photo folder can be a great way to showcase the visit to families.

  4. Regarding Zapier:

    • While not directly related to note-taking, Zapier can be incredibly valuable for automating and organizing your practice within CounselMore, especially if you are considering long-term storage and organization of information. It can also enhance the value of your practice if you ever consider selling your business, as seen with other counselors who successfully sold their practices after integrating with CounselMore.