<p>We are making arrangements for a number of revisits with the objective to try to understand where is the best fit for an incoming Junior. Academics for accepted BS' seem to be universally excellent, so it's the 'soft' side of the schools (e.g. culture, transition help, living arrangements, etc) which are our focus. </p>
<p>How can prospective parents and student best use the revisit day to understand these matters?</p>
<p>Your approach seems right. Assuming the schools to be revisited are in the same academic family, it I were a kid again I’d be looking at: how the kids and teachers interact in the classroom, how the kids interact with one another in the dining halls and on the field, how much spirit you may feel if there’s a game going on, how people interact along the paths and walkways of the school…all of this is very personal but the best window into community culture, otherwise known as the happiness index.</p>
<p>Ditto. </p>
<p>Revisit days are more fun. You don’t have to be “on” since you are already “in.” So relax, enjoy the experience, attend a class, walk the campus. My daughter was whisked away to the dorms so she and my husband went to class on his own. But he was also able to observe her expressions, reactions to the experience when they were together and it became clear there was a favorite. In the end, we stayed out of her way, and she chose wisely based on what fit her best.</p>
<p>In a sense - we were on guard and nervous during interview season, my husband and daughter had “fun” and were relaxed during revisits.</p>
<p>Schools have said they want you, they want to be picked, and they’ll let their hair down. You can ask any question you want and you’ll get answers.</p>
<p>I went to 3 last year and they were all kind of different (yet, all the same…you’ll see…). </p>
<p>Typically there will be a student panel for you and/or your child to ask questions. At one school the kids were clearly coached on all the answers. ie: when asked “what would you change about the school if you could?” The first answer (and actually only - everyone else “couldn’t think of anything.”) was “well, I’m from california, so really the only thing I can think to change would be the weather in New England.” Seriously? At other schools kids were candid and said things like Saturday Classes, the time classes start in the AM, lights out, food, etc. At another school when one student said “it’s really annoying when…” (I think it was internet screening during study hall) and you could see teachers prepare for it, I knew it wasn’t coached answers. To me, that said a lot. </p>
<p>There have been threads in the past about what to ask…but think about things that might be important to you that will likely differ from school to school.
Many of these topics will be addressed in presentations given, but these are things we asked about.</p>
<p>*Study Hall/quiet time
*Internet policy - is Facebook shut off during study hall?<br>
*Discipline policy - no chance school or not?
*Communication with teachers / advisors - for us we hate to be surprised on report cards. What is the communication about progress in between formal report cards
*Health Center - policies and can you see it?<br>
*Room mate troubles - how addressed?
*Weekend leaves
*meet with coaches of your child’s sports
*college counseling process
*Music / art lessons - extra? A class?
*Can you be in theater productions and play a sport
*School jobs</p>
<p>I’m sure there are many many more. </p>
<p>And much of it also has to do with who they match your child up to shadow. A good shadow can make a world of difference! </p>
<p>Some schools have games scheduled later in the day - go see them if you can. Nice to watch coaches in action.</p>
<p>A well-matched host student can make or break the visit for the student. </p>
<p>@BAREERS, your child could ask the admission offices to match him/her with students who entered as juniors. That would allow him/her to ask the current student about his experience as a new junior. He/She would also be able to observe classes at the appropriate level.</p>
<p>For parents? Chat up the other parents. They will also be revisiting other schools. Some will have children enrolled at other boarding schools. The parents’ comparisons of their children’s experience can illuminate differences between schools. Some of the parents will be alums, or be about to send their 2nd or third child to the same school.</p>
<p>Some schools try to keep you in the “admission bubble” all day, try to escape it. It is not very helpful listening to staged panel discussions and lectures by admissions staff about how great the school is. Better to wander around, try to get to see some actual classes, eat in the dining halls and talk to other families about the schools you may share in common. </p>
<p>We found the schools responded very well to requests to set up individual meetings with certain departments and faculty. That was great, because it gave us a chance to speak with the teachers themselves, and provided invaluable info on how things actually work vs. how the viewbooks look.</p>
<p>Yes, we are trying to figure out something else. A day of classes seems superfluous and not entirely helpful.</p>
<p>The program will vary by school. Many schools will have the revisit schedule posted online by now.</p>
<p>We found attending classes to be very illuminating. Long panels were not useful. Observing students in the classes were more informative than the panels, as the panels are generally staffed by model students. For our kids, shadowing students gave them a good sense for the type of interaction students have with each other, when adults aren’t watching.</p>
<p>Some schools have more “special” classes than others. I honestly don’t even remember if the parents went to a class at Deerfield…I feel like it was mostly panels…</p>
<p>At Hotchkiss we sat in on a Junior American History class. And I felt like they were having class and we were just there. It was a good way to do it. Rather than like on parents day when some try to involve the parents. </p>
<p>We had the chance at each school to meet with coaches, specific teachers, and to afterwards walk around on our own. That’s what’s important.</p>
<p>Most schools have some kind of community handbook posted on their website. You may need to do a search or use the site map to find it. These are very different from the glossy handouts, mailings and front page website info as they are informational as opposed to marketing documents. The schools’ policies and procedures are very specific in these handbooks so my suggestion is to download and review them prior to revisits. Any remaining revisit questions can be much more targeted and specific which may help in the comparative analysis process.</p>
<p>Most of all enjoy the revisit process! It is a great time to spend with your child now that the bulk of the pressure is over.</p>