<p>D has gotten invitations to several of these days at the schools where she has been accepted EA. We went to each school's Fall Open House days, so we were wondering what, if anything, may be different about these programs? H feels that we can easily go to the ones nearby, but to spend another weekend away if it is going to be basically the same would be just an unnecessary expense. Any thoughts on the pros and cons? We plan on contacting the schools to see what the programs will be, but thought I would ask the veteran parents here for advice!</p>
<p>We're sort of in the same boat. Mostly due to time constraints (and partly due to being very tired of campus tours etc.), we'll do the ones where we haven't visited at all yet (!) and then only re-do schools where we didn't get a good feel for the place the first time. I honestly never thought my son would have as many choices as it looks like he's going to have, but there are a couple of schools where I'm glad we didn't make a huge effort to visit earlier as they are out of the running now.</p>
<p>This thread is a great idea. We are in the same position. We vistied a number of schools in the summer and our k did not have a chance to meet many other current students. We figured that it would be a good idea to at least revisit those schools.</p>
<p>We're going to one that we hadn't visited before applying. I think it'll be really interesting to see if we look at schools with a different "eye". Previously, we were going with the idea of "Please take me!" (assuming we liked it) and "What are you, the school, looking for?". Now, it's "What am I, the student, looking for?" and "Why should I go here?" </p>
<p>I'm wondering if it'll be similar to house-hunting before offer and after acceptance of your offer. I think we'll now be looking more closely for the "cracks in the foundation" and whether "the closets are too small."</p>
<p>A long while back, when my two middle kids applied for college and acceptance flowed in, I would go over several school’s catalogs and map out their four years plan and see how they likely do match out with what each school may offer. From these exercises, it become clear each school would gear them toward somewhat different path. We did a lot of college visit, but often as part of our summer touring vacation. Therefore we have a general feeling about each school. Only one of my daughters went to prefrosh weekend, but mainly to enjoy the excitement. She made up her mind before she went.</p>
<p>We only saw colleges after S accepted, doing 5 flights. I can not compare to what it might have been like to leisurely tour. This felt more intense. S would plan which classes he would attend, and ask me to sit in on others. He would ask to visit with a professor. After an overnight at one school, he skipped some activities to sit and talk with a few other accepted students, at least one of whom was deciding between S's top choices. S sent me to look at dorms at one place, as that was of minimal concern to him.</p>
<p>Like Chedva says, one does look to see how one fits. In our case, it was comparing a few houses. I was glad to be along, to add a separate pair of eyes.</p>
<p>Admissions departments everywhere were wonderful. In one case, they helped me secure a hotel room. At a breakfast meeting for parents, I met a few nice people. One had rented a car, and we met up later to drive around this unfamiliar city and have dinner together. </p>
<p>Its a big purchase, and one really wants to see the nooks & crannies in the prospective house.</p>
<p>We saw some campuses last Feb and April when schools were in session. The ones we saw in the summer, it might be good for him to see again, but I'm wondering if that would give those schools an "unfair advantage" over the ones he saw so long ago.Like maybe the recency of the visit will give them more weight or the fact that he knows he's already accepted. We certainly won't have time to revisit them all (assuming he gets into several). Since they're all great schools, maybe it doesn't matter.</p>
<p>We're in the same boat too and have the same concerns as those noted above. After much "back and forth" with D we turned the decision over to her. At this point it looks like we'll be revisiting the three schools that are (currently) at the top of her list, but NOT on Accepted Students Days because those are in her terminology "inconvenient."</p>
<p>We were in your shoes this time last year. For what it's worth, here's how it worked for us.</p>
<p>After the acceptances came in and the finances/scholarhips/aid component was analyzed, S had narrowed his choices to 2 very different places. Going to the accepted-student weekends and spending a night in the dorms was very helpful to his decision-making. </p>
<p>A main difference between the two weekends, as far as I could tell, is that all the time that is spent during the pre-application visits to go over admission-related info and general information about the school is now available for class visits, departmental activities, time with current students, etc. S and I split up for a good portion of the weekend (I couldn't very well tag along on the dorm stay, now could I?) so that, collectively, we saw and did more. I also thought it was a good idea for him to be on his own to "try on" the schools without any influence, no matter how unintended, from me.</p>
<p>It worked for us. S was quite confident of his decision in the end, and is still thrilled with his choice. Well, I guess "thrilled" is not a word he would use--that's my word. This is how he put it over winter break: "I know I shouldn't be anywhere else."</p>
<p>We attended 2 of these. One school was on the top of his list, and the other was somewhere in the middle. We really learned a tremendous amount from the school that was in the middle of the list. It was a small LAC. They reviewed their student abroad program. We were able to meet all professors that teach in the department of son's major. We had a lunch with a professor in the department (everyone did, it was set up by the school). Students went elsewhere, parents had their program, and some of it was a combined. They offered Q and A with students (and answers were honest). We would have missed a lot by not attending. The other one we attended was at a larger U and it was worthwhile, but not nearly as informative. We felt better about attending, but frankly it could have been missed. We did not meet at length with 1:1 with faculty, there was a skit, the president spoke, there were some giveways, opportunity to sample the food (which in this case was representative of an average meal, they did not pull out the steaks for parents), another chance to view the campus, and speak with students.</p>
<p>We just attended an accepted students day for the Comm. school at Penn State this past Friday. This time, we got to see the broadcast and the print journalism facilities that were not part of the general tour we took a few months back. We also got to speak with many current students in the Comm. school, some at length. The students had a separate Q&A session with current Comm. school students while the parents had a Financial Aid session.</p>
<p>This time, we didn't do it all in one day, we stayed over 2 nights, ate our meals in several campus dining facilities or restaurants in State College. This time, instead of being wishywashy, my D knows now this is her first choice.</p>
<p>I recommend you spend at least an overnight at each school your child is considering, if not two. We spent both a weekday (thurs) and weekend (fri) night; even better if your child can stay in a dorm (my D did). This helps them to get a better "feel" for the place.</p>
<p>D attended accepted students' day at her first choice school 5 years ago. The program was exactly the same as their open houses, so we really didn't pick up anything new. She also did the overnight visit which included sitting in on classes. That took place prior to the accepted students' day and had cemented her thought that this was where she wanted to go. S will be doing both of these events shortly.</p>
<p>DD only attended accepted student days for the three schools that were the top three...and for the two on the opposite coast, she also did an accepted student overnight at the same time. We insisted she do an overnight at these schools before making a decision. Good thing...she absolutely HATED one school and loved the other (which is where she is going to college now). We had visited both schools in April of her junior year also. DD is now a student ambassador and will be helping with the hosting of the accepted student days. She says she is very excited about that...and knows how important those days are for some students in making up their minds about the schools. I will say...DS went to the schools before acceptance, and visited the final school for a full day after acceptance. He didn't spend an overnight anywhere, and he loves the school where he is now a senior. I don't think these accepted student events are "make or break". I have heard others suggest that visiting on days OTHER than accepted student days is a good idea because the accepted student days are "events" very orchestrated, and perhaps not typical of a day on the campus.</p>
<p>My son attended two accepted student events and found that they very much helped him make up his mind. He had two others that he was considering attending but ruled them out before the date of the event came up. He also did an overnight at Roanoke (the college he is now attending) because the date for the accepted student weekend was not logistically possible. One of the student accepted events had an overnight component and I think that helped him make up his mind that he didn't want to attend there. By pouring over the catalogs and looking at financial offers both of my kids had narrowed down their choices to three schools by April anyway.</p>
<p>I guess I am a veteran at this by now. At the accepted students events the schools will make the maximum effort to close the deal with you. They know they want you, do you want them? A grade A effort as opposed to the grade B effort given to mere potential applicants. The best tour guides, the most impressive speakers, free meals, lots of good free stuff -- they know your time to decide is short and they will show you the love.</p>
<p>So, you have to be real careful in comparing your reactions to this to your memories of prior non-accepted students events at other colleges. There is nothing particularly misleading about the accepted students days, just that it is not comparable to the standard tour given 5 days a week to anyone.</p>
<p>My son attended accepted students days for the three schools which he was deciding between. Two were on the east coast, which is where we live, and he had visited them previously (briefly), while he had not visited the one on the west coast, as we felt it was too big a trip to make unless he was accepted. It was a very hard decision, but he did end up choosing the west coast school (he has now graduated), and it turned out to be the right school for him. So in his case, attending the accepted students days was a very good thing to do !</p>
<p>There's something to be said for meeting and spending time with a broad selection of likely classmates. Unlike the typical open house, these students all got in, and, depending on the school, many or most will probably be there in the fall.</p>
<p>And, as dt123 points out, most schools put out a far better effort on accepted student events, since now they hope to close the deal with as many prospective students as possible. Some of these are really outstanding events for both students and parents.</p>
<p>We found accepted student days/honors days/scholarship weekends and other "special events" to be misleading. Great to meet other students who are making the same decisions you are and the administration and faculty are sooooo accomodating so you definately feel the love. However, my kid felt that staying overnite after acceptance outside of special days without the college being on their "best" behavior was far more telling of how easy the faculty and administration would be to approach over the four years of college.</p>
<p>Ah, but some of them have an overnight with the accepted students event. At many schools you can probably arrange an overnight at the same time. The best of both worlds!</p>
<p>Although these events may be misleading, they can also tell you a lot about the school if they don't live up to your expectations. I visited Ohio State for an Honors Day for accepted students, and I was extremely disappointed about the lack of communication between departments, students, and the people running the event. I went to the accepted tour hoping to feel like I wouldn't be just another number at a large university, but sadly I felt exactly like a number. The program was poorly prepared and nothing was extremely special. I was left with the feeling like if this is how they treat me when they're are trying to "recruit" me, then how am I going to feel going to school here. Needless to say I'm counting down to April 1st hoping I have more schools to attend admit days.</p>