Thank you. Great ideas
Really? I think expecting this from an AO is a bit over the top. They aren’t your personal tour guides. Many websites have restaurants on their sites.
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Still a good question. Maybe not first question, but to wrap it up, why not? thank you
Because these adcoms have far more important things to do than tell you their favorite restaurant.
Frankly, if my kid had wanted to know that answer, he or she would have emailed the student who was their tour guide, not the school adcoms.
Sample of two. One of my kids never emailed an adcom…at all ever.
The second kid emailed a few times but it was related to an adcom visit to our area. The adcom reached out to the kid about this…and the kid was responding with available dates and times. And confirmation. That was it. No questions asked (although she did ask some at her meeting with the adcom).
Adding also, my kid worked in undergrad admissions as a member of the student team. They fielded a LOT of questions like places to eat or stay (usually referring to the website), contact info for contacting department chairs or profs, things like that. These were answered by the person answering the phone…not the adcoms who really seldom needed to get involved.
ETA…your student has plenty of ways to show interest in the college beside emailing the adcom. I’m not sure why you think this is so very important.
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As I said, more for the interview and at the end as a fluff question.
People like being asked about themselves….
So yes
I think OP is asking for an answer to a question that needn’t be answered. But they weren’t happy with that.
It’s hard to know what to ask generically because each school’s website offers different amounts of info and you never want to get an email back with a link of info you could have found on your own.
AOs that are alums - it’s fine to ask about their experience as a student - including favorite this or that - IMHO
But as others have said, OP needn’t try too hard.
DI is just acknowledgement to them that the money they spent on marketing was utilized, that someone didn’t just apply to see. They want someone who makes an effort to learn about the school, thus increasing the likelihood of admitted the student would accept because they’ve invested time. There was a chain months ago about CWRU asking prospects if they should have their apps removed because they never bothered to learn about the school. They knew those students wouldn’t attend and if admitted would hurt yield.
Overdoing it likely provides zero advantage.
Honestly, if I were an AO and received an email question asking about lunch options I’d be very tempted to hit “reject” right away.
In an info session or campus visit, sure. As an emailed question, I really don’t think so.
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thank you, appreciate it
Yes agreed. I said during an interview etc
And noted OP is over trying.
During a verbal interaction. Sorry if wasn’t clear.
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My kid went to a fairly highly regarded prep school and the GC advice was show your interest in your essays by making them specific and detailed. Stay engaged on line and or visit. Only bother AOs when you absolutely need to, given that they are busy and will see through your motivations and not appreciate their time being wasted.
Consequently my kid made a point of using his visits and tours as an opportunity to formalize the “why xxxxx” essays. Once he was accepted at a few school and had narrowed down his top choices he reached out to the AOs and was put in touch with relevant professors to understand which school offered the best fit. At that point the AOs seemed extremely engaged and supportive.
Perhaps there exists “the perfect” question but you run the risk of being a PIA. Downside far outweighs upside in our experience.
Good luck.
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thank you
It’s definitely not “very important” but just crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s down the list. “Personal relation” could be a factor with 4% acceptance rate when everything else is even. forgive me for trying
If the acceptance rate is 4%, emailing a question to an adcom is not likely to move the dial in any way.
But if your KID wants to email the adcom, your kid should figure out what they want to ask. Not you.
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Agreed and in fact I think it makes it even worse as they tend to both know you are interested and don’t care that you are😀
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If the acceptance rate is 4%, demonstrated interest is probably not considered. Unless it’s Penn. And their sole definition of demonstrated interest is applying ED.
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I think Demonstrated Interest is a check box - I don’t think you are scored.
You either have done some or haven’t. And as mentioned earlier, ED is your strongest form.
Chatting them up b4 hand might get you a dinner date when you get to campus, but it’s not going to impact the decision as to whether to admit you.
Again - appreciate your gusto - but your’re response to the initial responses that gave you no questions to ask was overboard.
There are, of course, good questions - but they’re dependent on what info is publicly available at a specific school, etc.
Check the box - and you’ll have your best effort in - no need to go overboard.
My D emailed only one AO (as far as I can remember) and it was at the recommendation of the COE because she had a very specific question that no one could answer at the info session. FWIW, she was wait listed from that school.
I agree with everyone else that it’s a waste of time to email an AO (who is super busy) unless it’s a true question that can’t be learned somewhere else.
Sounds like your student has already demonstrated plenty of interest.
thank you. I really appreciate your time and comments. You are probably right.
I’m not just trying to check a box. I’m trying to get a short legitimate conversation with AO to initiate a reasonable relationship/communication. I have listened to a hundred podcasts, youtubes, and posts by admission counselors stressing over and over how important this communication could be. (I don’t think all of them are wrong and don’t know what they’re talking about.)
I just need a reasonable excuse to do that.
And I don’t want to waste AO time nor sound uninformed asking “does the college have fun clubs?”
Sorry to sound unappreciative but most posts while providing great suggestions and alternatives, do not answer the question I asked. Thanks once again
In all fairness we did answer the question based on first hand experience. You didn’t like the answer.
Your question was;
We have told you we wouldn’t ask. You are asking about sub 4% schools. I told you how the process successfully worked for my kid (and numerous others I am familiar with) among several such schools.
If you would like an answer that conforms to your desired “magic bullet” call up and ask about dining options and see how that works out and I wish you luck (although this really should be your kid sorting it out).
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Find out if your regional admissions officer is visiting near where you live…and is accepting appointments to speak with prospective students. If that is a yes…have your kid make an appointment to meet with the region rep. My one kid who did have communication with the AO from her region (actually, it was the enrollment manager, IIRC who was visiting our region) met with that person when they came to our area on the opposite coast from the college. Kid was able to have a nice chat with this person, ask some questions, and just have some real face time with a real person.
I would suggest your kid do this. He can email the AO asking if a representative from the college is going to be near where you live…and if he could meet with that person. See where that goes.
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Also - many schools offer interviews…some evaluative, some informational…but that’s another way.
That’s what you really want - an evaluative interview. Even then, you still have to get in on the merits, not your rubbing shoulders although when you graduate and get a job, it’ll come in handy then 
Thanks to everybody who expressed their opinion. Thank you for your suggestions and recommendations.