<p>What I liked about Caltech was how other students stopped by to say hello to our guide. She also pulled over someone to answer specific Qs. They gave S a list of classes to attend, & encouraged him to return next day to sit in on these classes.</p>
<p>At one college, our tour guide was pretty good at remembering the questions that had been asked. When she didn't know the answer (usually to specific major questions, athletic scholarships, etc) she would say that. However, when we passed that building, she would point out that this was were you could go to find answer... this is the communication building, for the person that asked about the journalism dept, you may want to come back here at the end of the tour. The journalism dept is on the third floor and so you don't get lost, remeber it is next to the auditorium. She also pointed out professors she knew who walked by... That is Dr. Peculiar, she teaches in the graduate gothic program. That was a nice touch, made the campus seem friendly.</p>
<p>Yes, the other students also impressed us at Caltech - they teased the tourguide as she was showing us her room that it was one of the nicest rooms in the House - since she'd already explained that her room was bigger than average because of its location it actually assured us she wasn't trying to pull one over on us.</p>
<p>Nightengale - I am not sure if you have been through the final decision making process re: college choice yet with any of your kids but the emotional connection the student makes to the school during the tour will carry much more weight at that time than the academic information garnered on the tour. The students will definitely remember what the tour guide said about the weekend activities and frankly it is worth asking as it gives parents a clue as to whether this is a campus that primarily drinks on the weekend or has other outlets. I agree that a run through of the fine arts program is unnecessary but I think the campus culture turns out to be a bigger factor in your child's college choice and ultimately, his/her experience, than the other things we parents tend to question and evaluate. I would encourage tour guides to include information about weekend activities. Kids want to imagine their academic and social lives as they are leaving the safety net of home and close knit friends. Tutors, honors programs, etc. can be identified through websites and admissions officers. The tour is the family's chance to get a feel for the culture of the campus.</p>
<p>The ones I've liked the most where when the guide asks the students about their majors, and tries to give more information about those departments, if possible. Also telling stories about the school that give a sense of what it's like to go there, the school spirit, common interests that students have there, what goes on outside of the classrooms. One of the worst was where the guide talked mostly about himself through the tour, and we felt we knew him well, but not the school!</p>
<p>If you were highly qualified for the school/top quarter for admissions, which I suspect many tour guides are, don't discuss your HS prep, stats, APs etc.</p>
<p>It may impress the parents, but the kids can be scared off. Be prepared with a description of the average admit.</p>
<p>A quick thought in response to Jaybee's post:</p>
<p>As a tour guide, I never volunteer my own SAT scores, class rank, etc. However, sometime parents ask (or beg) for this information (particularly one-on-one after tours, or over lunch). Personally, I think it would be best if parents didn't ask this. The information gathered will be useless anyway. But what would other parents want the tour guide to say?</p>
<p>I haven't shared my scores, etc. with a group. But if a parent really wants to know after the tour, I'll tell them. I always caution, however, that I am not the average admit and that there are people with scores far lower and also somewhat higher than mine at my school.</p>
<p>If you are asked your SATs, you should say, "The middle 50% for admitted students was , for example, 1250-1400, my scores were in the top 20%, but many factors apart from SATs are taken into account."</p>
<p>Slightly off topic but funny... our hs had an 8th grade open house this week. One of my son's senior friends has toured at least a dozen colleges. He was leading an 8th grade tour and was walking backward throught the hs! He was the only hs tourguide I saw doing that. I thought, "Zach's been on too many college tours!"</p>
<p>My number one quality for tour guides is honesty. If the answer to one of my questions might show a somewhat negative side to the college, answer truthfully and cheerfully. Otherwise, I won't believe much of the rest of what you say.</p>
<p>As for questions about why you chose your college, you don't have to go into the gory details. Just say that you found everyone there warm and friendly. Follow that up by being warm and friendly yourself.</p>
<p>As a colllege tour guide, if someone asked me about SAT scores, I wouldn't even give the middle 50% (as I don't know them and am not expected to know stats at all). I might say that my school has a diverse applicant pool with regard to high school preparation, and that diversity is represented in the student body, but I'd leave the actual stats doling out to an admissions officer or a viewbook.</p>
<p>Besides, it usually takes me awhile to think of what my SAT scores were. It's not something that comes up much in life after high school.</p>