High school students touring campus probably don’t know the shortcuts to the top of the Hill or how to get the most out of a meal plan.

But through the university’s recruitment efforts, they might choose to attend Western and find out.

Western had the biggest growth in undergraduate enrollment among Kentucky schools in the past 10 years, and recruitment efforts contributed to the increase, Admissions Director Scott Gordon said.

He said he doesn’t think recruitment techniques are different than they were 10 years ago, though.

“It’s just that more students have realized all that Western has to offer,” he said. “As more people see that Western is a good fit for them, they tell their friends, and word gets out. “

Personal contact between the Admissions staff members and potential students brings students to Western, said Finley Woodard, associate director of Admissions.

“When people hear we are doing great things, then they want to see what we have to offer,” she said.

Admissions staff members recruit students in different stages, depending on what level of connection they have with Western, said Dean Kahler, associate vice president for Academic Affairs.

The first step in recruitment is informing potential students about Western’s academic and athletic success, Kahler said.

The Admissions staff gets Western’s name out by visiting high schools and college fairs and talking to students individually, Woodard said.

Recruiters on and off campus focus on promoting academic programs, small class sizes and the beauty of campus, Woodard said.

After they’ve heard about Western, potential students are encouraged to visit campus, Kahler said.

The campus visits include a tour that’s partly a bus ride and partly on foot, Woodard said.

“Tours give a holistic view of campus,” she said. “We cover the Hill from top to bottom.”

High school senior Nathan Grider from Jamestown toured campus Thursday.

Grider said the most important factor to him when picking a college is the academic program for pre-med, the field he wants to pursue.

He said the atmosphere also makes a difference.

“I want to find out what Western’s all about,” Grider said.

Mackenzie Fox, a Nashville high school senior, also toured campus Thursday.

She said she decided to visit because her cousin went to Western.

Fox said she’s looking at factors such as housing and tuition when deciding on the right college for her.

After potential students visit campus, the Admissions staff sends marketing materials to them that target their specific interests, Kahler said.

Officials constantly re-evaluate their marketing tools and look for ways to make them more effective, he said.

Recruitment materials can now be customized with potential students’ names and are available online, Kahler said.

Gordon said the Internet opened up new recruitment options, such as Twitter and Facebook, in recent years.

Having recruitment materials online is cheaper and makes those materials more accessible, Kahler said.

With so many potential students, the Admissions staff has had a busy fall semester, Woodard said. There have been times this semester when everyone in Admissions was out of the office recruiting.

She said she doesn’t think there’s any one aspect of recruiting that makes students choose Western.

“A combination of everything that we do makes students interested,” she said.