<p>My daughter received a letter, after applying to a college, from an admissions counselor whom was visiting our area. She "invited" my daughter to set up an interview, and while it states that interview is not "required" it is "recommended." My daughter could not meet the counselor on the date that she was in our area but is meeting her at a "college information session" at a high school (not the one she attended) and will interview her after the session.</p>
<p>OK, my question....do parents ever go to an college information sessions at a high school...if it is is offered during the school day...it is at 1:00 so I assume it is lunch time at the hosting school? I would really like to learn more about the school but is it appropriate for me to show up with my daughter? Of course, I would not attended the interview, just listen to the information session. </p>
<p>Well… I don’t believe parents ever go to the ones held at my kids’ school by the reps. Certainly they attend them on campus (expected), or if the college hosts a session in town that is open to kids from multiple schools. Some people may disagree, but I have found the info sessions to be the least helpful of all the various ways to get to know a college – I’d rather read the viewbook and/or cruise the website (and the college confidential threads!) than go to an off campus info session.</p>
<p>Not appropriate to attend an information session at a high school. These are usually held in the college counseling center and only the interested students attend. You can confirm with your daughter’s GC if you aren’t sure, but it would never, ever happen at most high schools.
Completely different than attending the on-campus information sessions, where parents are welcome.</p>
<p>Thanks all, I guess I will not be attending. Shucks, I really wanted to hear more about the school (and yes, I have looked at the school website and read every review!!)</p>
<p>SockherMom–If you really want to attend this session, you should first ask your daughter how mortified she would be if you show up. If her answer is “VERY” (or perhaps even “Sorta”) then you may want to back off. But if she shrugs and says she doesn’t care (common teen retort in our house), then ask the school counselor if it’s okay (not necessarily Standard Operating Procedure but at least permissible). If you get the green light from the GC, too, then you should go. Although you might stand out in the crowd, that’s not a bad thing. It will suggest to the admissions rep that your daughter is really interested in this school and not just trying to get out of math class.</p>
<p>the info sessions at my kid’s high school are typically at night and a TON of parents attend … I went with SecondToGo … our rules of engagement where I had to let him to the talking and I was to stay in the background (fair enough)</p>
<p>Today was the information session I originally posted about. </p>
<p>My daughter was a bit nervous because she was going to meet the admissions counselor at a school which she did not attend, I offered to go with her and wait in the car, I thought she would say “NO” but she said “If you want to, it’s OK, then we can grab some lunch”. </p>
<p>It was my understanding that the e-mail that the admissions counselor was going to give a talk to interested students and then interview my daughter afterwards. I dropped her off, and told her if she wanted me to come in to text me. She came out to the car about an hour later, she told me she had spent the whole hour talking to the admissions counselor by herself and that she was “very” interested in the school and wanted to go visit!</p>
<p>I guess I will find out more about the school…when we go visit ;)</p>
<p>That sometimes happens at our HS - the college rep shows up, and no students take the time to meet with them. My older D had a few where she was the only student - so she had a private info session, with just the rep and the college counselor.</p>
<p>Sockhermom, sounds like you found a good resolution to your original question. Thought I would post again as I just came in the door from our HS junior college night with our school’s college counselor. A parent asked about whether they could come to the info sessions at the school, and the counselor (very tactfully) strongly discouraged it. She said that the college presenters want to get a feeling for the students without adults around to change the chemistry of the session.</p>