Dive Brief:
- Some campuses are layering their own data sets on virtual maps making them highly personal, letting students locate construction projects, map out unsafe areas and lit paths at night.
- Other schools, such as Texas A&M, have built sophisticated 3-D campus tours, allowing prospective students to tour campus spaces and buildings before they visit.
- During a storm last winter, the University of Oregon created a map outlining hazards so students could get actionable updates in real time.
Dive Insight:
Technology is already upgrading the way maps are used by schools in unique ways, from digitizing historical campus maps to providing detailed information about buildings and points of interest right online. Maps are also helping other schools, such as UC Davis, build more inclusive cultures by highlighting gender-inclusive restrooms and wheelchair accessible entrances around its campus.
As virtual tours become increasingly common as a recruitment tool for schools, some are taking it a step further, turning to virtual reality technology to give students truly immersive views of their campuses. Schools like Yale, Stony Brook and Savannah College of Art and Design are also experimenting with sending virtual headsets or Google Cardboard-like devices to students already accepted for admission as an extra push to encourage them to enroll.