Surprised that nobody has started a thread to share 2016 Revisit Day impressions (TheStig2 had used this template from 2011 for last year’s revisit days). The purpose of this thread is to capture thoughts AFTER you’ve been to one or more of your revisit days.
For students and parents: please post any thoughts you’ve had from Spring 2016 revisits here. Thought it might be helpful to have a single clearinghouse for observations.
Some guiding questions to get you started:
- Basic format/schedule of your revisit day
- Did the revisit confirm your interest in the school or did it dissuade you from matriculating?
- What specific things about the revisit pushed you in either direction?
- Did you learn anything new/surprising about the school?
- Something you wish you had learned which you didn't
- How was the food?
- How were the classes you sat in on?
Obviously, it’s still pre-April 10, so you may want to be more circumspect about protecting your identity/identity of school…
I’ll start, after a great revisit day yesterday at Governor’s Academy.
- Basic format/schedule of your revisit day:
arrived at 8 am, welcome speech from AD to parents and students. Then students were paired with hosts and went to 3 morning classes and lunch. Meanwhile parents went to 2 classes chosen from a list of 8 for each class period, then heard a panel discussion with faculty and student panelists. Parents had lunch with a few teachers, students, and current parents at the different tables, then kids came back to join parents to hear a speech from the student body president (blew us away, amazing young woman) and the head of school. Then there was a period where students and parents could meet coaches, arts teachers, and representatives from various clubs, followed by performances in the theater by the jazz ensemble, the select chorus, and a group of 4 senior dancers. After that, we all went to the head of school's house for dessert and mingling, then tour of a dorm. Program ended at 2:30.
- Did the revisit confirm your interest in the school or did it dissuade you from matriculating? Definitely confirmed interest. We accepted the admissions offer when we got home that night!
- What specific things about the revisit pushed you in either direction? This was the only school which we hadn't been to for the open house, only for the interview/tour, so we didn't know as much about the atmosphere, faculty, or administration as we did for the other schools on our list. Seeing the school in action, and hearing from the wonderful, warm admissions director about what they value in the admitted students, and meeting some more parents of current students, plus hearing the student body president's speech, all were very positive experiences.
- Did you learn anything new/surprising about the school? I learned a lot, see above. Also, I visited the health center and was happy with what I learned there.
- Something you wish you had learned which you didn't? Nothing specific. I had a few questions which I forgot to ask about taking time off for religious holidays, but I feel like I can call and ask them.
- How was the food? My daughter said the food was great. The food for the parents was wonderful, but I don't think that's what the kids eat, LOL! Steak, salmon, nice salads, etc.
- How were the classes you sat in on? I definitely learned things in the marine science class and the US history class I sat in on! The classes were 7 and 10 students, very interactive format with good student participation. My husband went to AP statistics and a physics class where they were making things out of LEDs for a fashion show, and my daughter went to honors geometry, public speaking, and US Government with a 9th grade host. We all liked the classes and thought they would be at an appropriate level for our daughter. Not way too hard, as I had worried about a bit, since her SSAT score was quite a bit below the school's median.