I received an invite to participate in an online admissions chat. (My D, who has applied to the school, also received one.) I know that the prevailing wisdom is that parents should not make any contact with the admissions office in any way. Does this extend to chats like this? Thanks for your input!
If they contacted you with an invite, I don’t see how they would find it inappropriate for you to participate.
I don’t know the answer, but a way around this would be to sit with your daughter as she participates, if she doesn’t mind. This way, you can observe the chat without being officially involved.
She is actually working so can’t participate - that would be the most obvious solution of course!
If you are invited and if your D is in favor, then by all means attend. My D once asked if I would listen in on a web-based information session that she could not attend and I did that for her (but I did not ask any questions).
I agree that there’s no problem with you logging on and listening to the online chat since you were invited to do so - they pretty much won’t see or hear you anyway unless you decide to submit a question. However, if they give you the option of registering either yourself or your daughter then you may want to type in her name just in case they are tracking demonstrated interest … that might make it easier for the tracking software to properly do its thing.
My only other advice is to quote the rule I tried to live by when my children were applying -
Op-
If she CANT participate in the call , then it SHOULD be rescheduled to another time when she can .
YOU should only be listening in , not participating , unless specifically invited to do so when the call starts .
Thanks all. @menloparkmom - it’s not specific to her, it’s for the college. They invite all applicants, and their parents.
huh!
what college is this?
@GossamerWings said: “She is actually working so can’t participate - that would be the most obvious solution of course!”
@GossamerWings, yes it would be! But you didn’t mention that she wouldn’t be participating.
Prevailing wisdom doesn’t always apply to all situations. Obviously you don’t want to be like the parents who interrupt to ask irrelevant questions. But you can listen and may get a chance to ask something that does benefit the group.
We had 3 times when we were drawn in (on campus, not a group situation) - twice by a dean of admissions and once by a rep. I played my pleasant, supportive mom role, nothing intrusive. I did have something to ask one, about scores, but was in no way intrusive. (She ended up at that college, very happy.)
I never adhere to whatever is the prevailing wisdom. I participated when I thought it was appropriate and contacted admission or school staff when necessary, never had any issue. My kids still got into their top choice and are leading a very independent life. In your case, I would participate online and brief your daughter on any relevant information.
My son was visiting one of his top choices for UG, when I was asked to join him with an admission person. I kept my mouth shut for the entire interview, but once. This man asked why he was applying to a tech school, with his verbal and writing score, and national writing award, and I piped in with “someone has to write the grants”. Only time I spoke. It brought a smile.