<p>We did not attend any school D&P shows, though my D may have attended some at her school. My D did apply to UVA and, in fairness to DeanJ, their process was a bit different than the others- not earth-shatteringly so, but it sticks out in my mind as unusual. DH and I were sad when DD did not choose to attend, as DH fell in love with all the history when they went to visit (after acceptance.)</p>
<p>Ah, but as for showing interest????? It isn't the message that is so all-out important as getting that name on the list for some people.</p>
<p>We went to Villanova's local presentation - and that is what decided us against it for our sons!!! The adcom man kept wiping his nose on his sleeve and wouldn't make eye contact with anyone! This about drove my DH and I to distraction. S remarked later that he never trusted anyone who wouldn't look straight at him. If the poor man was there to sell 'Nova - it didn't work. In fact, everyone leaving the presentation remarked about the nose/sleeve thing and I doubt they'll find too many applications from that group.</p>
<p>So, for us, the d&p may not sell us, but it sure can ruin things.</p>
<p>Dean J; how does UVA treat kids who come from atypical educational backgrounds (homeschoolers, cyber-schoolers, kids who go to college early and call it highschool,etc.)? When I have mentioned the latter two to some admissions folks, their eyes glaze over, or they just say, "What's that?" or "Why?" or, the worst, "Is there something wrong with your kid?"</p>
<p>I am surprised to learn that UVA (and UNC?) reps travel to other states making presentations to interested OOS students! I take it that means they are actively recruiting OOS applicants?</p>
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Dean J; how does UVA treat kids who come from atypical educational backgrounds (homeschoolers, cyber-schoolers, kids who go to college early and call it highschool,etc.)?
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In Virginia, the number of students who are doing something a little different during their high school years is growing, so I don't think the admission officers here would react with surprise to questions about home schooling, virtual schooling or something along those lines, which might have been considered non-traditional about five years ago.</p>
<p>In the admission process, I imagine that we're probably similar to most schools in that we want as much documentation about curriculum as we can get.
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I am surprised to learn that UVA (and UNC?) reps travel to other states making presentations to interested OOS students! I take it that means they are actively recruiting OOS applicants?
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About 1/3 of UVa students are from out of state. On top of that, because a lot of jobs in this state are with the government or military, some of our residents are stationed outside the state (it's not a huge number, but I have run into VA residents elsewhere).</p>
<p>That's nice to hear. I think there are a lot more kids who have non-traditional ed. backgrounds. It must be tough, especially for large state schools to sort through all that.</p>
<p>Is Bay correct? Is UVA actively recruiting OOS? Are they offering aid to OOS students?</p>
<p>Virginia is need-blind for admission and offers full financial aid based on need, right? (I recall that was the commonality a couple years ago when I saw Virginia travel with Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth to my town).</p>
<p>I have to second momrath and twinmom here. I have posted before (so sorry to repeat myself) that even the settings of the info. sessions gave us insight into the way things were handled at each school.</p>
<p>Both kids knew from admissions office/interview or info. session which was "their" school, and even though these were reaches, they were both admitted, so I guess they were right.</p>
<p>Dean J: I would love to see your presentation, but no more kids!
Also we told them they could apply north, not south, because LI south meant so many bridges! (Just kidding.)</p>
<p>Of course Cheers is right, some advertising is going on, but I appreciate a really good commercial, and just maybe it tells me a bit about the outfit commissioning it.</p>
<p>The student reps at info. sessions also are revealing.</p>
<p>As for questions whose answers are on website, yeah, that was annoying.
Also annoying were parents at an Amherst info. session challenging a student about their open curriculum. But student stood her ground. Turned out DS doesn't believe in totally open curriculum. Is he crazy? Made me laugh. He was too lazy to learn this on website as I had, plus session gave him greater understanding of terminology.</p>
<p>Never attended one of these with s. and may not when d. starts the process, but I can see the value in being able to collect brochures in one evening. I know they'll mail them to you, but think of your poor mail person's back. </p>
<p>I would caution my kids, though, about drawing conclusions as to the make up of the student body based on interest shown at one of these fairs. For starters, you're only seeing students from your own region. I've reminded my kids of the same thing at on campus info sessions. Sometimes you do get a vibe from the crowd of students, but it's important to remember these are just fellow-lookers. I remember groans about a foreign language requirement at a well regarded school, something my d. loves. It would have been a huge mistake to think the students attending the session represented matriculated students. The self-selecting process had begun. It's one of the things I find so hard about the college search. Students can't really put themselves in the frame of mind of an admitted student until very late in the game (in most cases) and then are forced to try to learn all the things they need to know before making a choice. I imagine the sessions are as much for networking among admissions people as for the students.</p>
<p>These sessions are of at least some value in informing you about a college. Cheers, I think your position is over-generalizes the situation, and that many people benefit. Even if it is a clumbsy, painful sales pitch, that would tell you something about an institution. </p>
<p>We have attended mostly on-campus info sessions, and for the most part they were informative and at least somewhat entertaining. None were a waste of time or horrible. All helped to get a feel about the academic culture, social environment, and admissions process. Especially admissions tips that interpret what's on the website, e.g relative importance of interviews, teacher rec suggestions, etc. either as part of the pitch, or in response to a question. These sessions obviously can't be taken at face value. Getting something from them involves reading between the lines and integrating all the interactions with staff and students, the other attendees, the facilities, etc. to help make a judgement on what the priorities of a college are. Same for campus tours.</p>
<p>My daughter came home with a lot to say after attending one of these group info sessions so I think there is value in them. She found the Sarah Lawrence rep insufferably pretentious for example. The Grinnell rep was the opposite. That helps to confirm to her where she would feel more comfortable. I don't think it's a huge jump to use who the college chooses to send out as its representative as an evaluative tool. It's not the be all and end all but with so many choices at hand, it can be quite influential.</p>
<p>We're going to Notre Dame's local presentation tonight with both twins. This should be interesting. Attended the on-campus presentation and did the tour in July. The twins are hoping that the gal at the presentation might be one to read their apps in a few weeks, and with them looking so cute and "twinsy," maybe she'll recall them. </p>
<p>I just hope it is better than Villanova's which completely turned the kids off.</p>
<p>Having survived a raft of secondary school presentations and college presentations, my take it that it is impossible to determine the value of an institution by the character of ONE of it's graduates or current students--or Deans. Off-putting kids have graduated from every single wonderful institution. With all due respect to the travelling admin shows, that sales job does not draw the cream of the graduate crop. the best students go on to amazing jobs or graduate schools. They best students do not gravitate to travelling salesmen tours. Has been my observation.</p>
<p>It helps to remind prospies that the only way to determine the value of any institution is to review it's mission, it's course offerings, it's faculty and the look and feel of the current student body ( ie a campus visit, which may or may not include the tour or info session).</p>
<p>We went to one that was really different two weeks ago: DD and I were the only ones there! They scrapped the dog and pony show and tailored it to her interests, since she'd already made a campus visit. They were quite gracious and flexible in a slightly awkward situation.</p>
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or graduate schools.
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Most senior admission officers have advanced degrees.</p>
<p>I agree that a campus visit is much better than hearing one person talk about a school, just hope you realize that admission officers aren't always alumni of the school at which they work (the rookie "road runners" who do college fairs often are).</p>