<p>There are a number of information sessions being held in our county but my daughter and I have already visited the colleges she's interested in. Is there any advantage to going to the info sessions again? Do you have an opportunity to speak to anyone or is it similar to the info sessions held at the schools?</p>
<p>It's a way to demonstrate interest if the schools she's applying to track interest.</p>
<p>You can speak to admissions folk at local informational sessions. But you can do that at the sessions held at schools too, at least all the ones we ever attended. OK, you can't have interviews or lengthy conversations at either, but you can go up after the formal presentation and ask any additional questions you have.</p>
<p>At the local ones we went to, there were current students and alums from the area and a chance to speak with them.</p>
<p>I would go to the local one to ask any questions you might have that weren't already answered in the visit to the school. The person running the session also may be the regional admissions person for the school and this would be a chance to meet him/her.</p>
<p>The one we attended for my daughter's first choice school was so large that speaking individually with the admissions officer was not practical.</p>
<p>However, the session was still valuable because of the presence of three young alumni, each of whom discussed different aspects of the university and answered many questions from the audience. You get a different perspective from young alumni than you do from admissions officers or student tour guides on campus.</p>
<p>My son attended one locally. He already visited that school twice, and our family attended one info session on the campus. The local one did not really give us more info, but very few people attended. Everyone had an opportunity to speak with admission counselors and have questions answered. An attendance record was made.</p>
<p>I can tell you that my S was accepted with a merit scholarship. A peer who attended the same hs and did not go to the local info session, was not accepted. The other student had a slightly higher gpa, and my son had a somewhat higher SAT, ECs were similar. I know this b/c they are good friends. Both students interviewed and make a good impression.</p>
<p>Bottom line, I would attend.</p>
<p>I like them. We've only gone to a couple, but I find them really informative and you can get a feel for what the mood and spirit of the college is like. Seeing alumni is good, too, because you can see what kind of adults come out of the school. And it's interesting seeing how many kids attend the presentations and what they're like, too.</p>