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However, as this is not an interview, I don't think he should see the professor alone, especially since we'd be right there, but I don't want to inhibit the conversation either.
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<p>My dad sat in with me during an interview I had at RIT and it was pretty miserable. I felt embarrassed and it was a lot more awkward for all of us. When we went to CMU I talked to everyone on my own, and it was a lot more comfortable and I felt I got a lot more out of my visits.</p>
<p>Definitely stop by Harvey Mudd, since it's a competely unique school, and is less than 45 minutes from Caltech. My trick for planning these tours is to do the less-interesting school first; otherwise, my sons were doing too much comparing. </p>
<p>Also, your son is much more likely to get an acceptance at Mudd than at the other three, although you probably should not tell him this. It could be a west coast consolation prize if he is rejected at the schools with bigger names.</p>
<p>Mudd is definitely trying to branch out geographically, but if you look at their accepted stats, they are pretty darned impressive. There were a couple folks last year on CC whose kids turned down MIT for Mudd.</p>
<p>Not for your trip out west, but back on the East Coast here's an offbeat suggestion: Franklin</a> W. Olin College of Engineering</p>
<p>The place is only six years old and is tiny: about 300 students in the entire school. </p>
<p>But it is serious: 10.5% admit rate; mid-50% SATs of 2150-2310 (Class of 2011), which compares pretty well with Caltech: 17%; 2190-2320.</p>
<p>For the right kind of kid, it could be great (my D has a friend -- a Presidential Scholar -- who is currently a sophomore there and is head over heels about it).</p>
<p>Oh yeah, one other thing: Every student gets full tuition for four years.</p>
<p>Thanks for the other views. </p>
<p>Mudd does sound very impressive. However, DS is not interested, so I'm inclined to pass on spending the time and energy on something he's ruled out, for whatever relatively arbitrary reason--especially since I'd rather he was out here! Also since we know a student at CalTech who we'll see and will have a visit with a professor, I think that'll fill up our day. </p>
<p>On another note, I'm assuming given a choice between talking to someone and taking an official tour, we talk and skip the tour, right? Of course, if we can do it all we will, but I mean if the professor or the student's time is limited. I'm thinking that we can always just walk around on our own if we miss the tour.</p>
<p>By the way, one excellent question for your son to ask is...where to go to lunch or dinner! Especially for CalTech and Berkeley, there is lots of great eating in the immediate area.</p>
<p>Thanks WesDad, never heard of Franklin W. Olin-- very intriguing!</p>
<p>mom in va,
We parents usually took the tour and DS went off to explore on his own/chat with folks. He found the tours all alike and not useful for his purposes.</p>
<p>Ah very good idea, CountingDown.</p>
<p>I second dntw8up. Each child of mine was different. Ask him what he would prefer. S1 and S3 were very independent and managed on their own. We found it changed along the way as confidence grew with our more shy ones. Sometimes when I was waiting, the professor would go ahead and invite me in too. I had the understanding ahead of time with DD if this was Ok.</p>
<p>After my fist one, I did not do the tours unless it did not make sense logistically. I was not the one living in the dorm and taking the classes in the rooms. I found a nice place to sit and read and get a drink.</p>
<p>My son met with at least one professor at each school we visited. My husband and I waited in lounges or found benches in hallways while he spoke with these individuals. I think these conversations were the highlights of his visits, as they gave him a feel for what the faculty with whom he'd actually be studying (his intended major is a pretty small one in each of the schools) would be like in each place. In two instances the professors sought us out at the end of their meetings to say nice things about our son, which was an added bonus. Not only was it really nice for us to hear that these professors were impressed by our son, but it also provided validation for him that it made sense to apply to these very selective schools whether or not he ends up being accepted.</p>
<p>Back to OP original query, S and I are visiting 2 colleges over spring break and the visits are individual visits, not group tours. So, I will be along for the tour, dept visit, coach meeting, etc, but will be in the background, hoping S asks all the questions. </p>
<p>We did a dry run to a local school last week, and hopefully S learned what he should ask, when to follow w/additional questions etc. Dry run was pretty quiet, S just listened, didn't say much. But that was expected, and why I wanted to do a dry run first before spending $$ traveling.</p>
<p>This may have already been mentioned, but students should have an actual list of questions to ask. That way, if they "freeze" during the interview (I hate those awkward silences), they cancome up with a question easily (without mom having to feed ideas and embarrass them to death :) NOT that it would happen to any CC moms' kids!</p>
<p>I'm a professor also. In the past, I've participating in giving "mini-lectures" to visiting students and their families (arranged by the school) but also, if I have time, I'm happy to meet with students. I think many of my colleagues (at any of the universities I've taught at) would welcome meeting students. Even if you don't have an indirect relationship to one, its possible to look them up on the web and send them an email.</p>
<p>I'd be happy to meet a whole family, and in some ways given its so unusual, it might be fun and interesting. Though at the same time, being unusual, it might be considered odd/awkward by some. </p>
<p>I think the conversation I'd have with a student alone vs. with their parents in tow would be entirely different one so maybe you should think about what you'd like to get out of such a meeting and decide that way. </p>
<p>As for questions, consider putting that task to your child- have them generate some questions (the question generation is as useful as the answers themselves). </p>
<p>Some things I might want my child to ask a prof are things like: </p>
<p>How would my experience be different here, than say school X?
What do most students do after graduating with a major in Y?
What's the difference between major X and major Y and how should I decide which one might be best for me?
Besides the classroom, when might undergrads get a chance to interact with the profs?
Do undergrads ever get to do research in your department?
Do students get internships?
Who are some of the employers who recruit on campus?
Who tends to teach the intro undergrad courses here (e.g. sessionals, graduate students, or full time faculty)?
What do you think students like most about X? Or least about X?
How would you describe the undergraduates here?
I want to major in X or go to the best school for Y, what advice would you give me?
Any recommendations on other things I should be asking schools?
Where else should I look on this campus to learn more about it?</p>
<p>Wonderful suggestions--thank you very much.</p>
<p>mom in va said "I'm not sure about why Harvey Mudd didn't make his list. I think it's party that they don't have grad programs in CompSci and maybe because it's considered more liberal art-ish in which case he can be here at UVA (if he gets in). "</p>
<p>I confess that I haven't read the entire thread and someone else may have already said this but Harvey Mudd is hard core science/math. Yes they require their grads to take a broad range of classes but my goodness if you look at the core science and math requirements it makes your head spin. I would encourage him to visit and talk with someone there. If he isn't interested after the visit so be it but it absolutely a fabulous school and being a part of the consortium gives it that much more of a shine.</p>
<p>Yes, thanks, I was corrected on that as you suspected!</p>
<p>If he knows exactly which program he wants to apply to, you could also try asking the department for a personalized student tour. I used to give them for my department when I was an undergrad. I got keys to a couple of labs (most of which I had worked in) and would give the prospective HS student and their parents a tour around our department's facilities. I think they found it a lot easier to ask questions and were able to get more specific answers than they'd be able to get out of a tour guide from the admissions office.</p>
<p>(If you do do this, please buy said student lunch. 90% of families did this for me and it gave really good conversation time for me with the family since I wasn't shuttling them around all of our buildings. One even sent me a box of cookies a month later when their kid decided to go to my school!)</p>
<p>mom in virginia,</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd is extremely well known and highly regarded in academic circles - I am pretty sure more of it's graduates pursue Phd than any other school on your son's list. And it is a super-techi place (though liberal arts education is easily available through Pomona, etc.)</p>
<p>It's not for everyone - my son did not want to apply there either. But the reasons you've listed are not the right ones (except for the lack of graduate program - but most students go to a different school for grad school anyway...)</p>
<p>Neat idea--RacinReaver--I didn't know students did that, we'll see if that's an option and/or ask about it if it seems appropriate--thanks.</p>
<p>Yes, got it about Harvey Mudd, nngmm--I obviously didn't know much about the school!</p>