<p>After about eight info sessions we adopted a new strategy that worked well for us. We would replace the info session with a one-on-one meeting with our admissions rep. This killed two birds with one stone. First, we were spared the ridiculously stupid parent questions at the general info session. Second, we got to meet and make an impression on the rep who will actually read the app.</p>
<p>I thought all info sessions (even those with repeated web info) to be useful. But here are some examples of extra nuggets of infodd : </p>
<p>RPI (rigorous STEM college) - 1)“Students do not loose scholarships due to low GPA. A struggling student has enough stess already w/o worry of finances”. 2) In upcoming years there would be bigger encouragement of Semester Abroad. </p>
<p>Northeastern - LOTS of good details on co-op, incl the various A/B scheduling details </p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon - At info session (actually staff panel) at Sleeping Bag weekend we talked with a staff member who had saxophonist husband. She knew a great deal about the variety of jazz opportunities for non-music majors. That addressed a big concern of ours. </p>
<p>All tours and info sessions also give you a feel of a sampling of applicants. Trust me, if varies a lot from CU to MIT etc. Not necessarily good or bad, just interesting.</p>
<p>I would point out, in contrast to colorado_mom’s comment, that the tour group can often utterly unrelated to the personality of the school. We visited Duke over Spring Break and the presentation started with the adcom stating that roughly 90% of the students in the room would be rejected for admission!</p>
<p>We always enjoyed interacting with actual students - eating in the cafeteria, attending class, or my favorite (to my kids’ horror and embarrassment) just asking questions of students we met randomly walking across campus. I learned to do this more while they were attending the classes in order to minimize their dismay - although I did get great, candid impressions of schools this way.</p>
<p>Guess we were fortunate in that we had pretty effective moderators who shut down stupid/limited interest questions. We went to the general info sessions as well as separate sessions. Both were helpful. The special sessions especially were good.
The tour usually followed the info session–at a couple schools they told the majors/class of the tour guides so we were able to get in a group with someone who could answer our questions during the tour.</p>
<p>Our family has only completed 3 visits - Northwestern, University of Chicago and Brown. We did both info session and tour at all 3. For us, both were essential to really get some insight into the ethos of the school. We were impressed with all 3 schools and I have to say, we really did not experience the stupid questions by other parents. In fact, some of the questions were enlightening as they raised issues we had not thought about. All 3 info sessions were only about 40 minutes so we didn’t feel we had anything to lose by attending.</p>
<p>Rmldad, I would have found it difficult to continue sitting in the room if an admisssions rep started off an info session in the way you described at Duke. That’s a hell of way to acknowledge students and parents who have made the effort to visit, some most likely traveling great distances. We can read the admissions data for ourselves, thank you very much. How utterly ungracious and inhospitable. Perhaps a “welcome to Duke University and thank you for expressing interest in our school” might be more welcoming.</p>
<p>Yeah that actually sounds like the Duke admissions dean–he scared the crap out of my son and I at an alumni college weekend this summer with hard statistics. He said something like “if you want to come to Duke, you’ve got to bring it!” and he was not smiling. He was pretty funny in the end, though.</p>
<p>ANYhoo, lots of great comments. I would probably go to all of the info sessions- I agree with “While I am at the point that it is beyond painful to sit through another info session, we still glean something from it.” But my kid may tune out. I guess I’ll play it by ear. I am definitely intrigued by the idea of getting essay info from the tone of the info sessions…</p>
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<p>I got a kick out of this because it was our experience that the admissions folks, while definitely well drilled on the mission and marketing of the college where often not representative of the culture, students and profs.</p>
<p>We started our college visits last weekend with our junior daughter. Had a one on one meeting with the director of the program she is interested in ( very small program ) It happened to be at the university her sister did her undergrad at , so we didn’t see the need to do a formal tour or info session at this time since we are pretty familiar with it already.
Also attended an open house at a nearby university that happened to be hosting an open house that same weekend. I have toured that school twice with my older daughters and I didn’t think the entire tour would be that useful for D3 ( and it was pouring rain ) The info session was mostly regarding admissions and fin aid . We got a lot of one on one attention there too since the program is very small ( seems to be a trend in the major )
Since I am familiar with both of the universities , we kept it sort of minimal and focused on the major , not the big picture…we plan to visit two more schools that I know little or nothing about in the next month or so , but I think we will see all that we can to size them up better</p>
<p>I think what the admissions reps choose to focus on during their presentation, the format of the info session and how they respond to questions does tell you something abut the culture of the school. Also, all 3 of the info sessions we attended had at least 3 students give a short talk about their experience at the school.</p>
<p>All the info sessions we attended were the same, with the notable exception of UC Berkeley’s, which was remarkably bad. D got the info she needed from each school’s website, then found a contact to email with questions that weren’t answered on the website. (Example: How many students actually show up for meetings of the Christian fellowship?)</p>
<p>Her running joke was that all the women’s colleges had the same “unique” honor code and self-scheduled exams and all the LACs had “the best” study abroad programs.</p>
<p>Best info sessions were at W&L, where a professor led the session, which underscored the academic nature of the process (this was the only school where we had contact with a prof unless we made arrangements for D to attend a class) and at Sewanee, where a dozen or so prospective students and parents sat at an oval table with a recent graduate who was working on the admissions office staff. It felt more collegial and engaging. </p>
<p>Worst was a tie between William and Mary, where a cheesy (even by parent standards) video played, and Vanderbilt, where the rep informed us that while most of the kids were well-qualified to be students there, only a tiny handful would be admitted. She might as well have said “don’t bother”. Guess they weren’t trying to drive up the numbers of applicants! Strangely, the Vandy adcom also went around the room asking each student to name the most recent movie they’d seen. It was painful watching the Type A/AP/IB students scramble to remember having taken time off to do that!</p>
<p>I concur regarding W&L. I wanted to attend after the info session. Also concur on Vandy. D was totally turned off and will not be applying.</p>
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<p>You aren’t kidding.<br>
- Best study abroad program
- Clubs for everything … and if we don’t have it you can start a club
- Consortium with schools A ann B
- At LACS … and research opportunities like Research Us
- At Research Us … once you get past the intro courses lots of small classes like LACs</p>
<p>and on-and-on-and-on. My oldest joked we could have a tape recorder with the blurbs we’ll hear … because we kept hearing selections from the same super-set of selling points.</p>
<p>At the large state U’s…“you can make a big school feel small, but you can’t make a small school feel big.”</p>
<p>And at virtually every school we toured last summer, big or small: “We have Quidditch!” Seriously? People go to a school for their Quidditch team?</p>
<p>We actually made a family bingo game based on those old chestnuts. Points for:
You can do research with faculty
Famous alumni
Bazillions of majors<br>
Student parking (but maybe not for freshmen)<br>
We’re going green!
Study Abroad in many exciting places
Take the shuttle bus into town<br>
Start your own club if you can’t find one you like
Undergoing construction
Our professors really care about students
Fraternities and sororities
Campus bucks work in laundry room & snack bar<br>
Huge library, plus there’s interlibrary loan<br>
Health and Counseling Services
We’ve been around for a long, long time
Dorms are really nice (especially for upperclassmen)
Blue light phones
Professors are great teachers<br>
Career Services will help you get a job
Interesting traditions
Tasty options at the dining hall
A cappella groups
Wireless network<br>
Sports,Sports, Sports
Adorable little admissions building with free coffee</p>
<p>Our experience suggests that info sessions provide a good basis for evaluating the administration’s attitude towards students, parents, and admissions process. Each school approached the “open house” program and presentations somewhat differently, and a lot not said was nonetheless revealed.</p>
<p>We also always split up at some point during the visit, and I’d try to informally discuss admissions process with an admission rep assigned to our area. Since I’ve a different last name than DS, and I didn’t specifically identify him, I did receive quite a bid of candid commentary that was really helpful for us. I always tried to speak to an older rep, rather than a younger rep, and the candor was refreshing.</p>
<p>D makes snap, intuitive decisions in a “blink.” I gather a mound of data and analyze it. D hated the info sessions. I like them for that cumulative 3 minute nugget of potentially helpful information, tone, and mission statement. And yes, all info sessions should just have private Q+A rather than group Q+A.</p>
<p>Stradmom,
Too funny!
Esp the blue light phone.</p>
<p>A few to add to stradmom’s hilarious list of Bingo entries:</p>
<p>-our own highly trained and award-winning campus security
-free van rides after midnight (after a “short” wait)
-ability to freely take classes from any college within the university
-best service/volunteer organizations
-interdisciplinary majors
-service trips over Spring Break
-internship/co-op program has unique opportunities
-extensive food plan options</p>