<p>Not directly related to the interview/lunch/meeting question, which I continue to believe are just for the prospect, but:</p>
<p>As I have posted before on other threads, it isn’t the information alone that makes an info session worth attending–it is how the school presents itself in terms of demeanor of speakers and emphasis on various things. That, combined with the tour, can give you a lot more information than it looks like on paper. A much younger sibling may be bored but one only a few years younger than the prospective student may enjoy it. If not, then one parent should go and the other entertain the sibling, but I really do think it’s a good idea to get information from as many directions as possible–Web sites are truly not the same and if you are going to visit a school, you pick up so many different angles of experience, from what’s posted on bulletin boards in the union to what the assistant dean of admissions announces as the school’s key characteristics and what the tour guide says when waving to friends on campus.</p>
<p>By the time the 4th one was doing tours, I had seen enough dorms, etc that I often sat in the student union or outside unless she wanted me there. It was going to be her experience not mine. But like POTO Mom I had a performance major so from time to time I was invited to sit in on interviews and sample lessons. I could give a different perspective to her interactions by watching them. But just if invited.</p>
<p>Note re the web vs tour. She had liked one school by it’s profile but the session and tour turned her off completely and she decided she could not see herself attending there. It came right off the list.</p>
<p>S1 and S2 did the overnight visits on their own. If they were going to go to those schools they were going to have to navigate the transportation on their own so it seemed to my H and I like a good opportunity to “test” that aspect. Secretly I think they “loved” being on their own! I know, especially with S1, that it is an “ah ha” moment when you realize that you’ve spent 17 or 18 years parenting and now they need to start managing without you…but it’s a good feeling and easier the second time around. The traveling and touring is a wonderful way to “test” their ability to self manage in a small chunk as well as your own ability to “let go.”</p>
<p>Great points everyone!!!</p>
<p>I am leaning towards letting him do everything on his own other then the campus tours, but I will play it by ear. It’s hard knowing what to expect with tour#1, kid#1…can’t wait until we have a few under our belt!!!</p>
<p>thanks so much for all the input!!!</p>
<p>We are one of those families that do alot together including the tours. Mine are every two years apart so it gives the other siblings a look at many colleges. On tours my 4 kids were the ones asking alot of questions besides the parents. Alot of teens on these tours don’t ask things that we might find important and vice versa. On one tour I found it funny that my then 11yo was asking about the various engineering programs while none of the teens asked any questions about the department programs. As far as meeting with faculty it is preferable for your S to experience the meetings on his own but I see no harm in a parent being invited to stay. We used our times on campus to check out other things while our S was in a class or meeting with the professor. We were very suprised when we were visiting the campus where he now attends that the admission department picked up the lunch tab on our whole family of 6! We were not expecting this.</p>