<p>I am starting to hear a lot of talk about revisit days. Many people have told me that "they change everything." I am applying to four boarding schools and have been told that usually people don't revisit all of the schools they get into, usually just two. Is this true? I suppose it all really hinges on how many schools accept you, but I'm just throwing out the question here.
For those who are in BS now, how many revisits did you go on, and did they change or confirm your original "favorite" order? My schools are all really different from each other so I feel like I need to see all of them apart from interviewing day. And what actually happens at revisits anyway? Are they usually overnights or just day?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Here’s a link to a thread from last year…may not answer your question, but at least offers a few recaps from last March/April.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1112976-2011-revisits.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1112976-2011-revisits.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks very much sevendad!!!</p>
<p>Confirmed it 100% 
I was torn between 2 schools, but I knew it was going to be that way. I was prepared to make that decision.</p>
<p>This is not about revisit days, but rather revisits before applying. Went to each school twice, first to tour and investigate, second to re-tour and interview. Best thing to do – very different perspective second time around, especially after visiting others and then going back. A must do! Did take a few off the list the second visit. Definitely helped solidify decisions about where to apply. Interesting how perspective changed on some the second time, most for the better, but not all…</p>
<p>Your mindset is very different at the Revisit Day. When you initially visited the school as a candidate, your main focus was on you impressing the school. On the Revisit Day (w acceptance letter in tow) you can relax and take in more as the spotlight is on the school impressing you.</p>
<p>I had heard that the post-admit revisits “change everything.” I’m sure they must feel a lot more relaxed than the first tour and the interview. But if everything really does change, should you revisit ALL the schools you get into–especially if they are all equally amazing but for completely different reasons? One of my teachers told the class that he won’t excuse us for more than two revisit days, and it didn’t sound like he even wants to do that.
Eileenbeth, I SO wish I had the opportunity to visit some of my schools twice but there was just no time. You are so lucky to have been able to do that. This fall, every weekend I had scheduled interviews and tours. Afterwards I just wanted to sleep.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s too bad that it’s not a standard recommendation to prospective students to first just come and have a look around. This could be done in seventh grade, or whenever the idea of BS arises. The preparation is well worth it. It also allows students time to adjust and acclimate to the whole BS scene. If it feels intimidating at first, then it only makes sense that one cannot fully absorb and get the most out of the experience, and a revisit would be required to make a reasonable decision. Upon second visit the student would feel more relaxed, know more about the school, be prepared to ask better questions, etc. Not to mention feeling more confident in the interview… </p>
<p>Make the most of those revisit days, and I’d advise to go to all of them – it’s so important! You might be surprised at your second impressions. This is a major decision not to be taken lightly. I’d rather miss a few extra days of school now than feel like I made an uninformed decision about the next several years.</p>
<p>Another big difference between the initial visit vs. the revisit, is how the visit is structured. </p>
<p>The initial visit tends to be one candidate + one guide + one interviewer. A lot of your impressions may depend on your chemistry with your one tour guide.</p>
<p>The revisit day (at least the ones we attended) tends to have group gatherings of admitted candidates together with groups of the school’s student body (you will likely still be paired up with one principal guide). Likewise, groups of parents meet with groups of teachers and administrators. It is a much more in-depth exposure to the school and an opportunity to ask your own questions and listen to other parents/students questions. Other parents/students raised issues we never would have thought of!</p>
<p>Yes, the revisits made a difference.</p>
<p>However, I’d just add that if you are coming from a distance and apply to a spectrum of schools–and are fortunate enough to be considering multiple offers of admission–you may have to trim your list. For our family DC was admitted to 4 schools, but the logistics of doing revisits at all were simply too complex. In discussion, we all felt comfortable cutting one school at that point (if it had been his only acceptance, or even one of two, I’m sure we would have gone to revisit, but it was clearly his bottom choice out of four). So we did three revisits, and it was a bit grueling, but much was gleaned during that stage of the process, so it’s well worthwhile. I’m just adding the caveat that if circumstances dictate there is no real likelihood you’ll be ending up at a particular school, I think it’s the polite (& pragmatic) thing to do to thank them for their offer of admission but let them know that you are heading in a different direction. (Possibly doing right by any eager waitlisted at that institution, as well.)</p>
<p>I’ve noticed this “no more than two revisits” theme spreading, and I wish I knew where it began. In my opinion, you should take advantage of any and all revisits, unless you have really clear favorites. Revisits can change your opinion of a school. </p>
<p>You will find that students at revisits have often been accepted by similar schools. At the revisit days, you will have a greater opportunity to join the school community, to observe classes, and to interact with other students without your parents in the immediate area. </p>
<p>If you have three revisit days, your parents should take up the issue of excuses for revisits with your school, if the teacher refuses to excuse you. Don’t worry about it now.</p>
<p>To the parents of candidates who are reading this thread, the BS is not just about which school has more impressive academic credentials. You are picking the school that will be* in loco parentis.* Also, you are about to write REALLY BIG checks for the next four years. I would “kick the tires” one more time. </p>
<p>To build on Periwinkle’s comment, the revisit is also an opportunity to trade notes with parents about other schools. At the parent luncheon, before the school’s AO joined our table, the parents discussed their impressions of the subject school vs. other schools they visited.</p>
<p>Thank you for the feedback on this whole revisit issue. I am kind of getting ahead of myself with the question, since we haven’t gotten to March 10th yet! But this is still on my mind, and part of why I am obsessing is that the last two weeks of March are our spring break so I want to go away but dont want to if I would miss revisits that DONT mean missing class. I know one of my favorite schools has their day during the break but I have no idea about the others. I have heard most are the first week of April, but don’t we need to make our
decisions by April 10th? I am assuming the boarding schools are NOT on break during revisits since you go to classes. Sorry for the rambling.</p>
<p>If you go to a school’s website and look at their calendar very carefully, you can sometimes find revisit dates listed there. (You may have to look at their calendar day-by-day in late March/early April to find the revisit days.) Some schools have two or even three different revisit days scheduled.</p>
<p>Yeah, just out of curiosity I did look them up. And chukkerhead, most of them have more than one date, so it’s quite possible that it could fall on your spring break. And we are getting way ahead of ourselves here, haha.</p>
<p>Could you, if you know, say when you think hotchkiss, Andover, and sps’s dates are?</p>
<p>Oh totally, I know it sounds so obnoxious. It’s just something my friends are all talking about right now with the dates. I have no assumptions.</p>
<p>episcopal is March 26th.</p>
<p>Hotchkiss is impossible to find for this year but in 2012 the dates are 3/28, 4/2, 4/5, and 4/8.</p>
<p>I would say that revisit days can leave you with a completely new impression of the school. I was not a big fan of my Middlesex when I was first admitted and I wanted to go to Groton instead. However after the revisit days at both schools I found that I liked the social atmosphere at middlesex better. Revisit days are a chance for you to consider all your options. I considered the schools with the best academics and then went to their revisit days to figure out which school I would be happier at. At the revisit day the school is trying to impress YOU. Look for the right fit and don’t feel any pressure. Enjoy being recruited: it’s fun! </p>
<p>On a side note: a lot of the schools have revisit days at the same time, this is why a lot of people say you have to pick two.</p>