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Event and engagement app for Student Affairs teams

Orientation, Welcome Week, Family Weekend and everything in between. One place for students to find what’s on, where to go and who to ask.

Get a demo for your Student Affairs team

The Only Event App Built For Higher Ed

Guidebook was a great solution because it helped students customize their own schedule, get connected to other offices on campus, and connect to each other. Right away it felt like the right fit.
Cameron Hill
Former Associate Director of New Student Programs, NC State
NC State University

Every event pointed at Student Success

Student records flow from Slate into the app. Engagement flows back. No double entry, no manual imports - both tools stay on the data you already trust.

  • See what landed

    Check-in scans and end-of-event surveys show who showed up and what to sharpen next time.

  • Help them find their place

    Groups, events and who to ask, in one place from day one.

  • Start the first weeks well

    The first few weeks on campus are critical for a student's success over the next 4 years.

Starting in 2023, UNLV made the bold decision to go completely paperless for their week-long required orientation serving over 5,000 students.

What began as a cost-saving measure to eliminate printing evolved into a comprehensive digital student experience tool.

See how UNLV ran NSO for 5,000+ students

Fewer surprises for students. Less scrambling for staff.

Events rarely go exactly to plan, there's always surprises. Your app can stop a change of plan becoming a bad experience for students.

A schedule that shifts without the panic

A venue floods and you move the session. Every phone knows before the first student walks the wrong way.

Push notifications that cut through the noise

One message hits every screen instantly. A lockdown, a weather close, a room change lands without delay.

Offline access when the network fails

The basement hall has no signal. The schedule and map still work. No one is stranded.

Check-in that takes a single second

A quick scan and they are through. Lines dissolve and the event starts on time.

Everything they need at their fingertips

From campus activities, to clubs, to who to ask for help, your app gives new students the resources to help them feel they belong.

Personal tracks built in seconds

A student picks their sessions and the app builds their week. No one stands at a printed board squinting.

A branded look from the first tap

Your crest, your colors. It already starts to feel like home before they've even found their dorm.

Feedback captured before they leave

A quick survey on the last day. You know what landed and what to sharpen for next year.

Accessible for every student on campus

Accessibility isn't an add-on. Guidebook is built so every student can find their way, read their schedule, and stay connected, whatever tools they rely on to use their phone.

Works with screen readers

Works with the screen reader on every phone, and follows Apple and Google's guidelines, so students who navigate by voice or touch aren't left out.

Built to recognized standards

Built to WCAG 2.1 AA, with Section 508 and EN 301 549 in mind, so campuses can meet the standards they are asked to meet.

Shaped by accessibility experts

Developed with accessibility specialists at the College Board, AUCD, and Knowbility. Not added after the fact.

Transparent by design

View the report

We publish an Accessibility Conformance Report so your team can see exactly what's supported, and what isn't.

One app. Every moment that matters.

From the first schedule to the first week, students get one place to look and your team gets one place to run it from.

Book a Demo for your Student Affairs team
Orientation

Questions answered before they arrive

Their schedule, their group and who to ask are already on their phone before they set foot on campus. Your team gets to welcome students instead of pointing them in the right direction.

Move in

Move-in day, sorted in one place

Parking zones, check-in stations and residence hall locations are all in the app. Families spend less time circling the block and more time unpacking the car.

Welcome week

Find their people in week one

Groups, events and the right person to ask are a tap away. Students start finding their people in the first week, not the first month.

Engage your Campus with a Mobile App

A short guide to running the whole student journey in one app. No fluff, just what works.

Download playbook

The results campus teams actually see

Indiana Tech more than doubled their student yield, cut costs by nearly a third, and reduced staff admin time by 90%. The numbers tell a story your director will want to hear.

Guidebook has become the heartbeat of our campus communication

VP of Enrollment, Indiana Tech

105%

Yield increase

at Indiana Tech

29%

Cost reduction

saved annually

98%

Student adoption

in week one

View case study
DATA THAT STAYS IN SYNC

Your Slate records and in-app activity stay in sync.

Student records flow from Slate into the app. Engagement flows back. No double entry, no manual imports - both tools stay on the data you already trust.

How guidebook connects with slate
Actionable data

App activity feeds back into Slate for outreach.

Always Up to Date

A change in Slate shows in the app instantly.

Data You Can Trust

Encrypted and protected at every step of the flow.

No double entry

Update once. Both tools stay on the same records.

resources

Make every new student feel like they belong.

What works, what fails and how you can excel in the education space

Webinar
30 min watch

Hand them the keys: How Cleveland State lets a student build the orientation app and why it works

An event and engagement app for Student Affairs teams. Orientation, Welcome Week, Family Weekend and more, in one branded app students carry.
Blog
5 min read

How to Maximize Engagement in Your Event App

An event and engagement app for Student Affairs teams. Orientation, Welcome Week, Family Weekend and more, in one branded app students carry.
Campus Notes episode 7 with Mackenzie Sullivan of the University of Akron
Campus Notes
20 minute watch

How Akron builds visit days that last past day one

An event and engagement app for Student Affairs teams. Orientation, Welcome Week, Family Weekend and more, in one branded app students carry.

75% of the top US colleges use Guidebook

See how real campus teams put it to work

Louisiana Tech University

‍

Louisiana Tech University brings orientation to life with Bulldog’s First Bite, a Guidebook-powered app that welcomes new students with everything they need in one place.



‍

Inside the app, students can:



  • Explore session-specific schedules and interactive campus maps.
  • Access handbooks, directories, and key campus resources.
  • Connect with campus culture through photos and social feeds.
  • Stay organized with built-in notes and real-time notifications.

Louisiana Tech University

‍

Louisiana Tech University brings orientation to life with Bulldog’s First Bite, a Guidebook-powered app that welcomes new students with everything they need in one place.



‍

Inside the app, students can:



  • Explore session-specific schedules and interactive campus maps.
  • Access handbooks, directories, and key campus resources.
  • Connect with campus culture through photos and social feeds.
  • Stay organized with built-in notes and real-time notifications.

Louisiana Tech University

‍

Louisiana Tech University brings orientation to life with Bulldog’s First Bite, a Guidebook-powered app that welcomes new students with everything they need in one place.



‍

Inside the app, students can:



  • Explore session-specific schedules and interactive campus maps.
  • Access handbooks, directories, and key campus resources.
  • Connect with campus culture through photos and social feeds.
  • Stay organized with built-in notes and real-time notifications.

Louisiana Tech University

‍

Louisiana Tech University brings orientation to life with Bulldog’s First Bite, a Guidebook-powered app that welcomes new students with everything they need in one place.



‍

Inside the app, students can:



  • Explore session-specific schedules and interactive campus maps.
  • Access handbooks, directories, and key campus resources.
  • Connect with campus culture through photos and social feeds.
  • Stay organized with built-in notes and real-time notifications.

Iowa State University

Iowa State's orientation app helps students to get familiar with the campus, and to ease into university life. Orientation is required, but Iowa State's app allows students to choose the options that work best for them:

- Specific orientation schedules for whichever program the student chooses.
- Interactive campus maps to help with getting around.
- Academic advising resources, guest services info, and more.

Their app contains everything a student needs, and answers all of their questions before having to ask.

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Gulf Coast University welcomes new students to campus with their own branded app that guides them through their first weeks on campus during EagleView Orientation. Their app includes:

- Full program agenda, with specific tracks for families, students, and guests.
- Push notifications that keep everyone informed and up to date.
- University advising services, business services, and campus life resources.

The EVO app becomes the hub that students rely on during orientation, and students know where to check when they have questions about anything.

NC State University

New students are welcomed to NC State's campus with a detailed orientation app that feels like it was built specifically for each student. Some highlights in the app include:

- Specific schedules for first-year students, transfer students, and families.
- New student checklists to help every student have a successful start.
- Profiles and contacts for all of the OLs.

It's become a crucial part of welcoming new students for NC State, and helps to set new students up for success.

Messiah University

Messiah University uses their app to welcome new students and provide a smooth experience for students during their first week on campus. Students can:

- See their personalized schedule in advance.
- Explore the full schedule and register for additional sessions.
- Connect with various offices on campus.
- And so much more

It's a powerful tool that Messiah uses to help new students to 'Take Flight' as a Messiah University Falcon.

FAQs

Can we make changes during orientation?
Of course. You can make and publish changes anytime that go live in seconds, from your desktop or from the app itself with our mobile admin tools. Jump in, edit, and hit publish. If a schedule or activity changes during the day, you can send a notification to every student straight from your phone.
We're a small team and not very technical, can we still build this?
Yes. If you can send an email or put together a few slides, you can build a Guidebook app. No developers and no code required. It's all drag and drop. Most of our customers wouldn't describe themselves as especially technical, and teams of one or two regularly run orientation for thousands of students.
Can each student get a personalized schedule?
Yes. Students build their own schedule and pick the sessions and tracks that matter to them, so every student gets the orientation that fits them, whether they're transferring in or starting their first year. You can also assign schedules to students yourself depending on their school, major, or other grouping.
How do you support accessibility?
Accessibility is built in. We've worked directly with accessibility specialists at the College Board, AUCD, and Knowbility to make sure Guidebook can be navigated with your phone's screen reader. We build our apps to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, with Section 508 and EN 301 549 requirements in mind, and we publish an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) per the VPAT so your team can review exactly what's supported.
Do you offer real support?
Yes. We have an award winning customer support team who are known for fast responses and for acting as a genuine partner to your team.
Will this help new students feel like they belong?
That's exactly what it's built for. When students can see their schedule, find their way, and know who to ask from day one, the first few weeks feel less overwhelming and more like a place they fit. Guidebook puts all of that in one place so no one gets lost in the crowd.
How do new students get the app before orientation?
Once you have published your app, you get a custom landing page and a unique QR code to drop into welcome emails, orientation confirmations, social media, and signage. Guidebook also gives you email, poster, and social templates, so getting new students to download before orientation is simple. You can also direct people to your app store listing directly.
Does the app work offline?
Most of what students need, schedules, maps, and lists, works even without a signal, so a campus dead zone during an activity won't leave anyone stranded. Features like photos and messaging return once they reconnect.
Can one app cover orientation, move in day, welcome week, and everything after?
Yes, and it's one of the most common setups for new student programs. One branded app can hold unlimited guides, so orientation and everything that follows all live under your institution's brand. Students download once and find every experience inside.
What happens if students and families don’t want to download the app?
Not everyone can download an app, we get it. Those individuals can access your app content through their phone’s browser or desktop computer on Guidebook Web, so everyone can feel connected to the experience.

Still have questions?

Speak to us