<p>Now THAT we can do without! They all act as though their own campus invented the idea of a swiping card that lets the bearer into residence halls and dining halls. “Jim Bob, get a load of THIS! What will them fancy colleges think of next?” </p>
<p>One trend I have liked is when the tour guides give out cards / email to students, inviting them to email or FB them with questions. Some of them write follow-up notes as well. It’s very smart, IMO. </p>
<p>What I want to hear in the info session: Give me some context surrounding how your college was founded and what the principles are … what are the values and ethos that make you an unique place and how that translates into the student experience, atmosphere and expectations. Give me solid examples of how those things manifest themselves.<br>
What I’m tired of hearing: Everyone studies abroad. Really, what possible difference does it make if 45% of the students study abroad at one point or 85%? As long as my kid has the opportunity, what difference does the prevalence make?
I’m also tired of hearing about diversity. Really. We get it. You have students from all states and x number of countries and clubs for every imaginable interest.</p>
<p>^^the same parents have been hogging teachers’ time during curriculum nights since elementary school…telling the whole class how their child looooves reading, or is gifted in art, don’t they listen when the principal explains the purpose of the evening…they continue the same self centered behavior in college info sessions</p>
<p>So what DID anyone get out of an info session? </p>
<p>We found out one woman’s son was a complete genius and would there be enough quiet study time for someone who had taken 11 APs and gotten 5’s on all of them. That was helpful :rolleyes:</p>
<p>We found out that …hmmmm…that …</p>
<p>Did anyone have any good questions they had answered at an info session?</p>
<p>Did anyone’s kids get anything out of an info session? </p>
<p>Yeah, study-abroad is way over-hyped. Every school acts like they own the concept.</p>
<p>I was kind of disappointed to learn that my son would have to go to India or China to “collaborate” on an engineering project, as though he wouldn’t be marketable without doing so. I guess it’s not enough to stay in the U.S. to study and learn anymore.</p>
<p>Out of all the info sessions I attended, I learned that one college (that my son has now been admittted to) is one of the largest private universities in the US but has an average class size of 27. Important information … but I don’t know what the average 100-level class size is, which is a more important nugget of information for me right now.</p>
<p>^^ I learned something that I missed on the website - we needed to file the CSS Profile for D to be considered for merit aid. It was the only school I encountered that had that requirement and had we not attended the info session, I might have missed it. </p>
<p>That said, I also heard my share of inane and/or selfish questions ;)</p>
<p>I was floored at the UVA student led tour and frankly felt sorry for the guide. He handled it quite well. Several of the parents were … let’s see, no name calling… I was frustrated at questions that were easily answered online. Had they EVER looked at the website? Seriously? Then there were the parents that were totally SHOCKED that on the first warm spring day that some of the students were drinking beer, gasp! If your student is in hs they quite possibly have already been faced with the decision weather or not to drink. Have the conversation with them now. They will listen. It’s on every campus. It is not an indicator of a larger problem… your sophomore tour guide certainly isn’t the one to bombard with questions about it! I also loved the question about what time they had to be in the dorm at night!! I seriously had to back up about 15ft and turn around. If that’s the level of structure you want for your student, I certainly respect that. Living at home is going to be your option.</p>
<p>It certainly makes me think about the types of questions I ask! lol We have an awesome source live in front of us. If we are interested, better not waste the opportunity…</p>
<p>Personally, I rarely get actual info out of an info session that I didn’t already know (I know if they have EA or ED; I know what their schools / majors are; I know the rough size of the campus, etc.). But I do try to look “behind the scenes” and observe what gets emphasized and what doesn’t, which I still maintain gives me a sense into the values and ethos of that particular campus.</p>
<p>They all cover the same stuff - amazing world class opportunities, diverse student body, cool people doing cool projects. But what is it grounded in? Life-of-the-mind? Becoming your own independent self? Collaborating with others? Serving the greater community? Preparing the national or world leaders of tomorrow? Practical real-world experience? Four years in a blissful ivory tower? I turn on my intuition and I really get a lot of info that way. If you’ve seen my thread in which I described the 15 or colleges we visited … to me, this is the value of the visit. Not what their class size is or whether they offer Swahili.</p>
<p>I’ve been about 10 formal tours and with a kid walked through another 15 schools or so … we went to info sessions the first 3 schools or so … and have never gone back … and hopefully never will again.</p>
<p>I agree the most frustrating are the questions are very kid specific questions … and questions about the basic facts are frustrating (is there a language requirement here?). The other category that frustrated us is the validation questions … “the two recommendations are supposed to come from a math/science teacher and a humanities teacher; do you really want the recommendations from them?” … or “the requirements recommend four years of HS math; should a student take 4 years of math in HS?”</p>
<p>Overall attending info sessions was a very inefficient use of time … given a plan to visit two schools a day it was too big a waste of time … we found it much more useful to hang out in the quad (or the cafeteria) or to walk around the area right off campus.</p>
<p>The most beneficial info session we attended was actually at the school my daughter has chosen to attend. She decided at the last minute to apply there and we didn’t have time to do a lot of research. When she got in we were very excited because it was a bit of a reach. </p>
<p>At the info session we found out that the major that she wants is a limited enrollment major and you have to be accepted into it as a freshman or risk being turned down later if you apply after freshman year. My daughter and I just looked at each other and realized that neither of us could remember what she had put down as her choice of major! As the session went on we were mouthing things to each other, trying to remember what she had put down and if we notice what the acceptance letter had said about the major that she was accepted into. </p>
<p>At this point she had fallen in love with the school at first sight and was frantic thinking that she may not have gotten into her major. Text messages were flying between my phone and my husband at home asking him to log on and see if he could find it. No luck.</p>
<p>After driving home eight hours, i found the letter and she had applied for and been accepted to the major of her choice. Neither if us have any recollection of putting it on the application.</p>
<p>That taught us to do our homework. In our defense, we were well versed in all of the other seven schools that she applied to and only skimmed this one because it was a last minute application.</p>
<p>As a junior, my D and I visited the college she now attends. Remarkably. she and I were the only people in attendance at the info session. Admittedly, it was only for her major and it was in the summer but this is a huge ivy university! I was shocked and she was scared to death as it quickly turned into a quasi-interview. D was not at all prepared but she loved what she heard. At admitted students day, 10 months later, the very same adcom came right up to D and was just incredible! That was an info session for the record book. Certainly no waste of our time!</p>
<p>I must say, I have found there to be lots of differences among the schools’s info sessions. As a result, I always make a point to go. My kids, on the other hand, are totally bored. Their behavior at times was almost embarrassing and i just prayed they were right. (“How can the admissions rep remember who I am?” they’d say.) </p>
<p>One of the more memorable question was about yield. The disgusted-looking admissions rep had to explain why they accept more kids than they have space for, thus explaining yield. I groaned. Talk about doing some research before you go! Some of my favorites include:
Colgate = such a practiced, fast talking expert
Princeton = setting looked like Hogwart’s
UCONN = mostly a video. My son was psyched when he saw skateboarders
UDelaware = very small group. English professor showed up to answer questions.
UPenn = discovered how difficult it is to transfer between their schools
JHU = message: don’t expect to get into their medical school if you’re undergrad
URochester = got a T-shirt</p>
<p>The study abroad comments make me smile. Three schools that we visited each claimed that they had the largest percentage of students who study abroad compared with any other colleges in the U.S. I guess it depends on how you compute your statistics!</p>
<p>At age 14, D and parents tagged along at one of older brother’s Info Sessions. She fell asleep sitting up. He declined their RD offer. Two years later, she applied ED, was accepted, attended gleefully. I guess she heard whatever she needed to hear.</p>
<p>My favorite quote from a different Info Session, re their Financial Aid/Admission policy: “We’re not need-blind. We’re need-aware.”</p>
<p>At College of Charleston, our kid learned that they REQUIRED three years of a lab science in high school for admission. I suppose it was on the website too…but they made their HS course admission requirements VERY clear at that info session…which was the best we attended. </p>
<p>The worst was given by a recent (we were there in July…person graduated in May) graduate…who did NOT have much information to offer. I think she should have been manning the desk. </p>
<p>To be honest, after you’ve been to one info session, you’ve seen them all. Go on the tour…ditch the info session.</p>
<p>Besides hearing about how this particular school has the best study abroad programs and the most students who go abroad, we’ve also heard the same jokes over and over about what not to write in your essay and why you can’t trust spell-check (we’ve heard the “candy stripper” joke at three schools now). On the tours… the damn blue-light safety system, with campus security arriving in a minute! Every single school has this!</p>
<p>Although they can be tedious and repetitive, I think these info sessions are worthwhile. You do get a vibe of the place. The chipper arrogance of the woman leading the Boston College session made my D cross that school off her list. The impressive and detailed session at Vassar made it clear that it’s more of a reach for her than she cares to go for. The high energy and wit of the leader of the American University session made us feel like the school would have an equal high energy.</p>
<p>Best info session we’ve experienced: Bard. The admissions director runs it like what I would presume is a Bard class, walking around and asking about each kid and being an engaged, interactive professor. You really get a feel for the school’s philosophy and style – and it was the only school that does not talk up its study abroad, because they think it’s only worth doing if it directly ties to your field of study. My D didn’t like that, but at least it was a change of pace.</p>
<p>We stopped going to info sessions after the first couple – although there were one or two schools that did require going to the info session before the tour (Fordham, I think). </p>
<p>One of my favorite questions, always asked by a worried-looking parent, was about the safety of the campus. I don’t think we visited a school without hearing that question. While safety is a legitimate concern, there was not one person who answered “no” when asked “Is the campus safe?” I mean, what are they going to say – talk about all the recent muggings and lap-top thefts?</p>
<p>I have also been on tours when students don’t ask any questions. In fact, I just attended an info session for admitted students at the college where I work. The students were given plenty of opportunity to ask questions, but never did.</p>