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For housing & res life teams

Hall life is where students decide they belong.

You're running programs across 20 halls, and most of your RAs are improvising with a Google Doc and a group text.

Guidebook puts every hall, every program, and every RA in one branded app so you can see what's actually building community.

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Trusted by leading housing and res life teams at top U.S. colleges

Why hall programming misses the students it's meant to reach

RAs print flyers no one reads. Hall events happen and nobody knows who came. The first-year on the fourth floor who never met anyone is invisible until they don't register for spring. And the program that built belonging looks the same as the one that didn't.

Reach the floor that doesn’t read flyers

Push notifications hit the phone every resident already carries. Not the bulletin board. Not the group text they muted after move-in.

Find the disengaged before they don't return

The residents at retention risk aren't at every event. Per-resident activity data shows who's quietly drifting, while you can still do something about it.

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Pricing

Hall life, the way residents actually see it.

“We rely on Guidebook to ensure our Residential Life student staff are fully prepared for their roles. The app includes comprehensive training schedules, contact information for the entire team, departmental procedures, and quick reference details for campus resources and programming tools.”
Breyan Tornifolio
Director of Residential Life, The University of Notre Dame

Key features designed for housing and res life teams in higher education

The housing and res life choice of leading American universities

Guidebook powers res life programs at over 75% of the top 50 U.S. colleges. Housing directors at hall-identity schools (mascots, colors, traditions per building) and large state schools (20+ residence halls on one license) both run on it. Real belonging, measured.

75%

of top 50 U.S. colleges

Unlimited

halls on one institutional license

1 app

from move-in to spring closing

Every hall, its own identity. One platform.

Move-in week, hall socials, study breaks, RA programming, spring closing. Guidebook runs the whole housing calendar from one platform and tells you which programs actually moved residents.

Every hall event, pinned to a real floor

The fourth-floor study break. The hall-wide screening in the lounge. The fire drill staging point. Pin every program, every meeting, every space to the actual building students live in. RAs publish from their phone.

From move-in week to spring closing

Get ready: move-in maps, dorm-prep checklists, and hall assignments land before they pack the car. On campus: RA programming, hall socials, study breaks, and floor meetings in real time. Stay close: end-of-semester checkout, summer storage reminders, fall return prompts. The full residence year in one app.

See which halls actually built community

Average time in app per hall. Items tapped on each RA program. Comments and likes on hall posts. Spot the floor where engagement dropped before the housing officer hears about it from a resignation letter.

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Leading housing teams partner with Guidebook

University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame wanted to make sure their Residential Life student staff were fully prepared for their roles. They turned to Guidebook to simplify training and keep everything organized.

With Guidebook, we created an all-in-one training guide for the Residential Life team. The app features the training schedule, contact info for everyone on the team, and departmental procedures. It also offers quick access to campus resources and programming tools, making it easier for Hall Staff to support residents throughout the year.

By bringing all the key information and resources into one handy app, staff are better prepared and can provide more effective support to residents all year long.
University of Notre Dame

Charleston Southern University

Charleston Southern University

Charleston Southern University

CSU’s Buc Nation app makes it easy for students to stay connected and engaged with campus activities, and each other.

With just one app, students can access:
- A full schedule of events (such as concerts, plays, athletic events, and more).
- Connections to mentors for guidance, support, and academic success.
- Essential campus resources and information.

The end result is a stronger sense of belonging and a more vibrant student experience.
Charleston Southern University

Fairfield University

Fairfield University

Fairfield University

With Guidebook, Fairfield University connects students to essential resources that support their success on campus. The “Fairfield Thrive Guide” offers quick access to campus platforms, including recreation and residence life information, while also providing important public safety updates. Students can easily navigate university services, helping them thrive throughout their time at Fairfield.
Fairfield University

What EDU teams have to say

“With Guidebook, administrators are able to create the app themselves without any IT support and non-technical content creators can easily upload and publish content.”

Meredith Aden

University of Memphis

“With Guidebook, we use an audio tour guide to help prospective students navigate campus, learn more about university offerings, and feel part of the campus community - even if they’re unable to visit in person.”

Steven Kelly

University of Calgary

“With schedules frequently changing, we needed a flexible solution to accommodate updates in real time. The team would print 40,000 programs to hand out at the events, which were costly, bad for the environment, and once printed, couldn’t be updated with constant changes.”

Open Days Team

University of Manchester

“We went from 200 hours and 5 staff members to just 25 hours and 1 person - compared with creating a website and printed programs.”

Kristin Sargeant

University of Edinburgh

“With Guidebook, we use an audio tour guide to help prospective students navigate campus, learn more about university offerings, and feel part of the campus community - even if they’re unable to visit in person.”

Steven Kelly

University of Calgary

“We went from 200 hours and 5 staff members to just 25 hours and 1 person - compared with creating a website and printed programs.”

Kristin Sargeant

University of Edinburgh

“When we started we yielded 40%. After implementing Guidebook our yield grew to 82%. We believe Guidebook had a strong impact on that growth.”

Andrea Crilly

Indiana Tech

“Our app costs 29% less than printing, and our student yield increased by 105% once we began using Guidebook.”

Andrea Crilly

Indiana Tech

“With schedules frequently changing, we needed a flexible solution to accommodate updates in real time. The team would print 40,000 programs to hand out at the events, which were costly, bad for the environment, and once printed, couldn’t be updated with constant changes.”

Open Days Team

University of Manchester

“With Guidebook, administrators are able to create the app themselves without any IT support and non-technical content creators can easily upload and publish content.”

Meredith Aden

University of Memphis

“With Guidebook, we use an audio tour guide to help prospective students navigate campus, learn more about university offerings, and feel part of the campus community - even if they’re unable to visit in person.”

Steven Kelly

University of Calgary

“We went from 200 hours and 5 staff members to just 25 hours and 1 person - compared with creating a website and printed programs.”

Kristin Sargeant

University of Edinburgh

“When we started we yielded 40%. After implementing Guidebook our yield grew to 82%. We believe Guidebook had a strong impact on that growth.”

Andrea Crilly

Indiana Tech

“Our app costs 29% less than printing, and our student yield increased by 105% once we began using Guidebook.”

Andrea Crilly

Indiana Tech

“With schedules frequently changing, we needed a flexible solution to accommodate updates in real time. The team would print 40,000 programs to hand out at the events, which were costly, bad for the environment, and once printed, couldn’t be updated with constant changes.”

Open Days Team

University of Manchester

“With Guidebook, administrators are able to create the app themselves without any IT support and non-technical content creators can easily upload and publish content.”

Meredith Aden

University of Memphis

The hall life app residents actually open

Move-in, RA programs, hall socials, floor meetings. One branded app. Residents see what's happening on their floor and in their hall. You see what's working.

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FAQs

[faq] Q: How does Guidebook help housing and residence life teams build belonging? A: Guidebook gives residents one branded app for move-in, hall events, RA programs, maps, updates, FAQs, and community reminders. Instead of relying on flyers and group texts, res life teams can reach students on the phone they already carry. Q: Can Guidebook support different halls, floors, and resident groups? A: Yes. Content and notifications can be organized around halls, floors, cohorts, learning communities, or student groups. That means a fourth-floor study break, move-in traffic change, or hall meeting reaches the students who actually need it. Q: How does Guidebook help RAs without adding admin work? A: RAs can keep event details, reminders, and updates clear without printing new flyers or sending another message into a muted chat. The app gives them a simple way to promote programming while housing leaders keep a clearer view of engagement. Q: Can Guidebook replace printed move-in packets? A: For many teams, yes. Move-in maps, checklists, schedules, housing contacts, closing instructions, and FAQs can all live in the app. When something changes, your team updates the app instead of reprinting or emailing another PDF. Q: What can residence life teams measure in Guidebook? A: Teams can review app opens, event views, saved programs, push engagement, hall-specific interactions, and survey responses. That helps show which programs are building connection and which communities may need more attention. Q: How is Guidebook different from housing operations software? A: Housing operations software may manage assignments, conduct, or room data. Guidebook supports the resident experience: communication, programming, wayfinding, resources, and engagement. It helps students feel less lost and helps teams see what is working. [/faq]
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