HI, We’re having a session from bucknell university on Friday at USEF Nepal and I’m told that the admission officer will be conducting it. What type of questions should I ask? Can you please give me some advice?
I’d be inclined to ask questions whose answers may not be readily available on the website, such as:
How selective are the sports teams? Can anyone join?
Is on-campus housing available over winter break and summer break?
What opportunities exist for students to work or do paid research on campus over the summer? (That’s a biggie for international students, since your student visa will allow you to work on-campus but place strict limits on off-campus work.)
What services does the career development center provide to international students specifically? For example, if they facilitate on-campus recruiting, do they ask employers ahead of time whether they are open to sponsoring work visas? (On-campus recruiting can be frustrating for international students, since many universities don’t ask employers if they are willing to hire international students at all. So you keep showing up only to be told that your application won’t even be considered.)
Alas, oftentimes, the admissions staff doesn’t seem to be super familiar with campus life or the academic programs. Which is a shame, since they represent the university to prospective students. They are experts on the admissions process, but who wants to go to a college fair and ask about paperwork?
Thanks for the invaluable suggestion @b@r!um