<p>My son visited a school, did the open house and tour, and also contacted a music professor and sat in on a music rehearsal. The professor seemed to like him. When my son writes to thank the professor, should he ask the professor whether he would consider putting a good word for him with admissions? I ask this, because when I spoke with reception at admissions, they said the only way they would know that my son had met with faculty is if the professor emailed admissions. Does anyone know the protocol with this? Thanks so much. </p>
<p>For the one school where my son met with a professor, he worked it into his “why I want to go to X” essay. FWIW he didn’t get into that one!</p>
<p>I wouldn’t ask, if all the student did was view a rehearsal. </p>
<p>I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Some professors will have already written to admissions with their sense of a candidate they met. Others could feel put-upon to be asked to do that.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that asking for help is not a one-way street. One of my many cousins is a department chair at a well-known LAC, which isn’t so well-known that it doesn’t have to fight to get its share of good students who want to go to LACs. When he meets with candidates – which he is always willing to do, because he cares about selling the college – and if he likes one, he asks if the candidate wants him to weigh in (favorably) with the admissions office. But that’s on the understanding that if he goes to bat for the applicant and the applicant is accepted, the applicant will enroll. He isn’t going to use his admissions capital (which is considerable, in part because of this practice) on someone who will turn around and pick a rival college if he or she gets in.</p>
<p>Hunt, my son met with the professor one-on-one for an hour and also rehearsed with the musical group (he brought his instrument) for two hours. Not sure if that changes your answer. Thanks!</p>
<p>Perhaps, in the thank you note, ask the professor for any suggestions on how he might enhance his chances of admission?</p>
<p>" they said the only way they would know that my son had met with faculty is if the professor emailed admission"</p>
<p>Your son could ask the professor to acknowledge the meeting to the admissions office; asking him to “put in a good word” might be presumptuous. Of course, the professor is welcome to put in that good word in the acknowledging email… </p>
<p>But that being said, a thank you note is to express gratitude, not request a favor. Your son might be better off emailing or writing an additional not to the admissions department in which he expresses his appreciation for the meeting that he had with “Professor X”. At that point the admissions people could verify with Prof X that the meeting took place.</p>
<p>Thanks kkmama. That’s very good advice. I wasn’t comfortable having my son ask for this but at college sessions at his high school they advised that Admissions should be notified if kids had these additional meetings. I wasn’t sure how to do this. </p>
<p>Usually I like hand written thank you notes, but in this case, perhaps your son can email his thanks and appreciation to the professor as well as indicating that due to his visit with the professor, in terms of the info he received and the willingness of the professor to be so giving at his time, X University is now among or is his top pick. In the email, he can cc his admissions rep at the University. It will serve multiple purposes - thanking the professor, letting the admissions rep know that your son had the visit, letting the admissions rep know that school is high on his list, and given some much deserved kudos to the professor for the generosity of his time.</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t think it matters all that much that a meeting took place. Meeting a professor is a sign of your son’s interest in the school, not a sign that he is a good candidate for the school. His time and energy are better spent on his application and on his music recording (if he’s doing an arts supplement) than on getting the prof to verify that your son did indeed meet with him. He should send a thank you email because it is courteous, not because it will help with admissions. If he’s a right fit for this school, he will get in!</p>
<p>@Massmomm - I agree that the primary purpose of a thank you should be the courtesy of thanking the professor for his time, however many schools do track demonstrated interest. If the university in question is in that category, it may matter. Besides, the 5 minutes entailed in constructing a nice thank you note will not detract from working on his application or an arts supplement. IMHO.</p>
<p>I’d keep it as a thank you note, not a request for a second favor. He could always email the admissions officer and say that he enjoyed his visit to the school and particularly appreciated that Prof. X was kind enough let him sit in on a rehearsal – and that first hand experience makes him even more exited about the prospect of attending the college next fall. My D shadowed a student for a day at her top choice LAC (where she is now) and then emailed the admissions officer to let her know how much she enjoyed the day (the email was pretty short but she packed in a couple of specific experiences) and that seemed to be well received.</p>
<p>I would think that if the professor was sufficiently impressed, he will put in a good word for your son of his own accord. If he wasn’t inclined to do so on his own, then asking probably won’t persuade him to do it. However, a really nice thank you note might remind him of how wonderful your son was to work with, which might entice him to speak with admissions if he hasn’t already done so. </p>
<p>Is he planning to send a music supplement? If so he can mention in Addl Info (and if there is paperwork associated with the music supp,) what you told us, brief and positive. Just the right touch. Music supps for qualified applicants usually get run past some music faculty. That should put 2+2 together.
My D1 did find a way to mention she had met with a prof in her dept- but by the time she applied, this was her first choice school. She did pursue that major.</p>
<p>Cdbnyc…will your son be a music major, or not?</p>
<p>Thumper1 he will double major in music and science.</p>
<p>Is he applying to schools where he needs to audition to gain entry into the music program? If so, until he auditions, the applied faculty will not discuss your student with admissions. This is because his audition will be relative to all of the others auditioning on his instrument. Until that shakes down, there is no way to be certain of an acceptance to an auditioned program.</p>
<p>Now…having said that…if it is an auditioned program and he is a top audition…then there is a strong likelihood the music folks will put in a good word for him.</p>
<p>Adding…just make sure that majoring in music and sciences is actually going to be possible…and not a headache. At many schools, the science labs are at the same time as the required ensemble rehearsals. Some schools just don’t make it easy to double major in music…others do.</p>
<p>If your kiddo is doing a BA in Music…not a performance degree…this may be easier…but do check.</p>
<p>thumper1 - he’ll be submitting a music supplement. He’s looking to get a BA in music, not a performance degree. He just wants opportunities to perform. All the schools he’s looked at seem compatible with a double major. Thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>My daughter was not a music major…or minor in college. But she did take lessons and played in the university orchestra for four years. Prior to her admission, she had private lessons with the applied faculty everywhere she applied. In her case, those private teachers actually broached the subject about whether they had any clout with admissions. In all cases, they said they did not. (DD plays oboe and English horn…and sat first chair all four years of college.). </p>
<p>She did not submit a music supplement at all. But when she played for these folks, she wanted some assurance that there would be an orchestral spot for her. They were able to guarantee that!</p>
<p>I think your son’s best tact is to write a nice thank you note to that applied teacher thanking him for the lesson time. He can say that he hopes to be able to study with him, and play in school ensembles should he be accepted. </p>
<p>One other thought…very often these applied teachers are adjuncts…and have little clout at all. Just a thought.</p>
<p>My friend’s son was an average great student, high GPA, but didn’t take the most rigorous courses. He was into film making and wanted to go to one of ivies. He visited the school junior year and met two professors in that department. Over the year he kept in touch with those professors. When he was ready to apply ED, he emailed those professors to ask them to write to admission on his behalf. In his email, very diplomatically, he mentioned how athletes get special considerations and students with other interests do no. I think it must have hit a nerve with those professors because they did write very good LORs for him. He was the only student who was admitted ED that year to this highly competitive school. People were shocked he was admitted. My friend told me it was a year of work.</p>
<p>I do not think thank-you email is just to thank someone when it comes to job seeking or college application. In the email it is another opportunity to let the professor know how much he/she liked the school and why it would be a good fit. In the email it would be appropriate to ask the professor to write to admission on the applicant’s behalf, especially if admission is tracking interest. Too often we leave it to people to do the right thing, but sometimes they don’t think of it unless we ask for it. D1 asked 3 professors from 3 different schools to write to admission on her behalf, 2 did and one didn’t, but if she didn’t ask then her batting average would have been 0.</p>