<p>Blog by Michael Gary about Revisit Days.
<a href="http://blog.boardingschools.com">http://blog.boardingschools.com</a></p>
<p>It's interesting, because we had already committed when we attended and I wondered about how challenging it is for the schools to simultaneously answer questions of those who have decided and those who haven't. </p>
<p>Very interesting. We felt that revisit days made a difficult decision even more difficult, which resulted in a ton of stress right up to M10. My DD thought that she had a ranking, then she went to revisits and changed her mind, and then changed her mind after that about 1000 times. Ultimately, she had to think back on the interview/tour in order to make her decision. I said many times that I ALMOST wished that we hadn’t gone to the revisits at all. But then again, I’m one of those who think that when choosing between good options, sometimes you just need to take that leap.</p>
<p>I also thought back to the tours and interviews. I had great revisits and tours. But it was the original visit that made the difference for me, as well as a pros and cons list.</p>
<p>I thought there was some merit to the idea of having different events for the two groups. As a family that had already sent its check, we would have liked the day to be more of an orientation. But I realize that was improbable to achieve when most people were there to decide, and the school was spending the day making its case to them. Anyway, just food for thought. </p>
<p>I think having two separate events could be fun and beneficial to both groups, but it would require much more planning and time that busy students and admission officers just don’t have. </p>
<p>Maybe, maybe not. I think if they offered an enrolled students day, it would only need to be one day vs. a whole week, and could offer one or two fewer revisit days. So resources could be redirected. In other words, offer it instead of, not in addtion to, revisit days. </p>
<p>I see your point, definitely. But wouldn’t each revisit require the same planning? (Only coming up with one schedule, etc.)</p>
<p>Sometimes. But they also have to make arrangements for the various student panels and things, making the teachers/students that volunteer do planning and make-up work as well. It seemed very put-together but that I would not want to do it more than a few times.</p>
<p>Schools with a large day student population often have one fewer revisits and add a revisit specifically for day students. You could do that for already enrolled students. I think the real problem is the market- particularly for smaller schools, there just aren’t enough already-decided students to make that feasible with the effort, time, and cost.</p>