@twintwin88 - revisit days are for after your child is accepted. Some people want to know the options so they can quickly reply if they want a specific date. There can be limited space at these events so sometimes a day can fill up. You can check your child’s schedule too (is there a day off from school or conversely a big project/test). If you have multiple acceptances choosing by April 10 can be challenging.
@preppedparent - actually food at DS school is not as good for parents weekend (don’t remember revisit day food) because most meals are served in the gym. Dining hall food is good but harder to replicate for large groups out of the building.
@twintwin88 , while as in all things, it probably depends on the school, the official revisit days at BS are probably a better bet than simply just doing a shadow day. Much more so than at a college simply because of the size of the school (it’ll be more personalized) and the age of the students. At most, the programming for parents and students is different, The students did an overnight with a shadow day (and some special activities) but I can say that for me, it was REALLY helpful to hear some of the questions that other parents were asking (as well as their answers) as they were things that had not crossed my radar but were things that were very helpful to know. At the school that DS attended, the revisit day for parents included panels of teachers from different departments, a panel with the college advising staff, a panel with the coaches and athletic director, a panel with dorm parents and prefects, access to a nutritionist and health services, special lunchtime programming, and current parents available all day, and free time during which lots of folks were available… You could make up your day in a way that I don’t think would be possible if you showed up on some other day. Because the decision date and the reply date are typically not that far apart, you’d probably be dealing with a relatively short window anyway, so I’d try my best to attend on one of the days when the red carpet will be rolled out for you. It might be over-rosy at some schools, but I’m guessing that both you and your child will be able to figure out which bits are “real” and which are special for that day. .
NMH writes individual letters from admissions for each revisit attendee which highlights why they accepted the student and how NMH’s offerings match with the student’s interests and goals. “Why they accepted”= what stood out on the application including life experiences and character traits noted in essays and recommendations. A great keepsake to go with your t-shirt, and the food is always good there. Full disclosure - I am a happy hogger parent.