<p>During s spring break we are planning a major blitz thru Pennsylvania- starting in eastern PA and ending in western PA. Most ofthe schools (8) we will be visiting suggest interviews that are evaluative and are more than informational. As S will only be a junior and 8 interviews in a week could be exhaustive and counter productive would you suggest that we only do group information sessions and tours and eliminate schools. We live in the south and a second trip to PA would be a problem. How then can we do interview?</p>
<p>Personally, I probably wouldn't set up interviews on an initial survey trip, looking at collleges. I don't think the interviews are particularly productive until a kid has actually started to focus on specific colleges. Seems to me that having to face interviews at every stop would make the exerience fairly miserable for the student, when the ideal scenario is one where picking a college starts to look like a fun experience. These initial survey trips are really about starting to focus on a major life-transition. They are not without stress for the high-school student and I think part of parent's job is to make it a positive experience.</p>
<p>The only way an interview could help in admissions would be if the student has already done enough homework to demonstrate specific reasons for being a good fit with the school. Thus, to schedule a kid for interviews too early in the process is setting him up for something that cannot help his chances.</p>
<p>I think a more realistic goal (albeit still a challenge) will be to get your kid to actually strike up a conversation with a student at each school and ask questions informally.</p>
<p>My son and I did a spring tour of several colleges last spring (his jr. yr.). He did the tour and information sessions- no interviews, but what he did have the opportunity to do was meet with professors in the area he was interested in. For example, I called ahead and set up appointments for him to talk to those professors- he emailed them before we left town to verify the meeting. I attended the tour and info sessions and then he went on his own to those appointments. He was able to get a really good feel for the depts. and the level of engagement professors seemed to have with students. I usually sat in the cafeteria and people watched until he was finished. I would recommend the tours and info sessions- definitely eat on campus too.</p>
<p>Smiles - we had the same problem - living in the South, visiting Swarthmore and Haverford, not coming back. DD interviewed at those 2 schools, and had a great interview at one, an awful interview at the other. I don't know the answer - IDad's approach is the best, but that won't work if you aren't coming back, and you are faced with Haverford's "highly recommended, evaluative interview". What do you say when you've gotten home and your child decides that is hs/her first choice - "We didn't think it important at the time?" - that doesn't sound too good.</p>
<p>I think you have 2 realistic choices - call up the places with the evaluative interviews, tell them your situation, and see what they say or plan on coming back. There were a number of kids interviewing at both schools whe we were ther, and they were all juniors, because it was June, of course that is later than spring break.</p>
<p>The best thing would be just to come back, unless there are one or 2 schools that require evaluative on campus interviews, (I think Haverford was one that almost required this) Bite the bullet and call those practice.</p>
<p>While he should be doing some research and gathering information on the prospective schools which you are going to visit, I think that since you are doing around of first visits, consider them first dates, get to know the school see if son is remotely interested once their feet are on campus, because the illusion can be and sometimes is broken once faced with reality (I know that it certainly happened with my D at a number of schools). </p>
<p>Give him time to take in the lay of the land, eat at the cafeteria, see dorms, talk to students, absorb it all. It can be overwhelming for him to have to explain to an adcom why this school is his choice and what he feels he could bring to the community while he is still just processing it all for himself.</p>
<p>I think that it is a lot for a student to interveiw with this also being a first visit. while at the infor session inquire about setting up an alumni interview which can be done at a later date but still early enough to be out of the way should son decide to apply ED/EA</p>
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I called ahead and set up appointments for him to talk to those professors
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<p>Other than purely housekeeping functions, like calling to confirm times of tours and info sessions, I'm not wild about parents having any contact with the schools. I'm more inclined to think that the student should be writing the e-mails and making the phone calls, notwithstanding the prodding that may be necessary to make that happen!</p>
<p>I agree with both of ID's posts.
Depending on the school, it will be fine to set up alumni interviews once your child has has done the research on the schools and decided to apply to specific ones. He will then be able to answer questions such as "Why do you want to apply here?" It is also fine to set up appointments with profs and plan on sitting in on classes. He should do the contacting, though you can do the research into profs' office hours and likely classes. Try to visit when the schools are in session so that he can talk to students and profs and sit in on classes.</p>
<p>I personally interviewed at every school on my first trip there. If your son is the type that likes to research colleges and what not, scanning over a website will provide enough information for a pretty good conversation. I still remember how awkward my first interview was at Trinity, and how great my final one was at Haverford. You definately become more and more comfortable with each one, and now that I am interviewing for internships I can't imagine I was actually stressed out by these simple meetings. I would definately suggest your son interview. Just my thought.</p>
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Other than purely housekeeping functions, like calling to confirm times of tours and info sessions, I'm not wild about parents having any contact with the schools. I'm more inclined to think that the student should be writing the e-mails and making the phone calls, notwithstanding the prodding that may be necessary to make that happen!
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<p>Truer words were never spoken...a PARENT calling professors? Ouch, ouch, ouch!</p>
<p>It depends on the kid. If yours is especially mature/focussed/chomping at the bit to interview,then I'd say go for it. In general, though, I agree with the first trip is a survey approach. It's great to not have the pressure of interviewing. I also remember that some colleges won't interview juniors before a certain date, so be sure to check on that. One thing I would be sure to do is make sure you SIGN any visitor list or anything like that as proof that your child, from out of the area, went to the trouble of visiting campus. I don't think that admissions office hold it against a student if they live out of the region and do a local alum interview. The first interview my s. did was in the spring of his junior year at a school that we rightly considered a safety. It was not evaluative and it was a positive experience. (He never had a negative interviewing experience. When you think about it, they're trying to sell their schools and you'd just have to be plain mean to mistreat a kid in that way.) I would try to do a local college as a 'first' interview to get the lay of the land. I wouldn't worry about not interviewing at this time.</p>
<p>Haverford requires an on-campus interview for students within a certain distance of the school; presumably for those who live farther away local interviews are arranged. I seem to recall that some schools do not interview juniors in the spring and some do not offer interviews until the admissions season for the incoming class is fully over. In any case, I think spring break of junior year is a little early for evaluative interviews, but great for initial visits. June, July,and August are prime time for "rising senior" interviews if you anticipate a busy autumn and want to get the interviews done early.</p>
<p>just to clarify- while I did the calling initially (frankly, you have to do it during the day and school and EC's afterschool sorta prohibits that), my son did do the email request to the professor as well as the reconfirming. (once the dept. said that those things could be arranged.) I did do the leg work to ferret out if it was possible, but then it was up to him to make the contact. I do believe it is the kid's deal- believe me, I never even was privy to my son's college essays unless I stumbled across one in the printer. He was very much into doing all of that himself, and did not want anyone to proof anything. I did have to go to the postoffice late at nite, though to mail things!</p>
<p>Smiles, IF this is an initial trip and a follow-up visit can be arranged after your son has narrowed in on his choices, then skip the interview. However, if you really mean what you say and doubt that your son will be able to go back for a second visit, then I'd suggest that he interview, even if it means cutting down on the number of schools visited.</p>
<p>Because we live overseas, my son only made one visit to each school. Follow-up visits, including overnights, were out of the question. Thus, we wanted that one visit to be as intensive as possible. We allowed one full day for each college. As a general schedule was attend the info session, take the tour, have lunch at the dining hall, interview, nose around campus visiting facilities of interest that were not on the tour, hangout on campus, head to the next stop. </p>
<p>Since we visited in summer, meeting with professors or attending classes wasn't a possibility. Personally, I don't think my son would have wanted to do this, but many people consider it to be essential at selective colleges.</p>
<p>Not all schools offer interviews. My son interviewed where he could, which I think amounted to 8 out of 14 colleges visited. The interviews were all on campus and were either with admissions personnel (sometimes the top person) who was often also an alum, or a current student. They were ALL low keyed and friendly and greatly enhanced my son's understanding of the college. Or so he said, actually, they greatly encouraged his desire to go to college with such nice people! This to me was critical since it really helped him love his safeties. It also gave him a human contact whom he could communicate with during the application process. These were invaluable contacts.</p>
<p>Depending on your child's personality the interviews can be fun. They do require some advance preparation however, like a general understanding of the philosophy or character of the school and a few good questions for the interviewer. That's why it's important to schedule the interview AFTER the tour and info session. Try to schedule your trip so that the more selective colleges are at the end when he's had some practice. </p>
<p>Another option would be to ask the individual schools if they offer the option of alumna/us interviews in your local area. Many do.</p>
<p>My son did all his scheduling by internet. Did not make a single phone call. When the question arises of how involved parents should be in the process comes up, I often think of the New Yorker cartoon that shows two dogs at the computer. One says to another, "On the internet, nobody knows you're a dog."</p>
<p>Smiles - I understand the time pressure and distance issues but I would try and cut the # of schools down. I visited seven LACs in one week in 2003 and school #7 didn't have a prayer - we were both pretty burned out by then. </p>
<p>What is the objective of the trip? Are all these schools the product of extensive research? Do several seem more likely than others at this point? Are you mixing types to try and eliminate or elevate one style/size of school? I'd answer all these questions and try to get your trip down to six schools.</p>
<p>As for the interviews, if you son interviews well, I'd interview where he is most interested. If not, you might note schools where alumni interviews are options, or where admission reps travel to your area. Nice if he could open the week with a practice interview though, at a safety candidate. Another tack is to have him schedule an interview at a college in your area that is somewhat like one or more of the Pa schools. Also good practice.</p>
<p>I am in total agreement with Interested Dad re taking a more open, relaxed view of your big Tour, and then honing in summer and fall for followups. Your child will be much more lucid after the first whirlwind tour is over and will mature a great deal in a matter of weeks. It is a good idea to coach a little re content of emails for arranging classroom visits and for courteous thank yous, and to help them outline what points need to be addressed in phone and email correspondences, but I do think it is the norm for parents to initiate close to zero phone calls to a college. I would avoid evaluative interviews until late summer or fall. Interviews that take place right after you park your car are usually not as full of accurate impressions and questions as Interviews after one has a first take on a school. Enjoy this time with your child as it is a season where you can create trust and good memories, and you can also join them in watching the Unfamiliar Horizon take shape. best!</p>
<p>To me, the value of the initial survey tour came from the conversations each visit triggered in the car afterwards. Impressions of a big school. A small school. Correlating what we had seen with the guidebooks. A big amorphous "blob" started to take on some shape and some preferences started to emerge as daughter started to picture herself at these various types of schools.</p>
<p>'while I did the calling initially (frankly, you have to do it during the day and school and EC's afterschool sorta prohibits that)'</p>
<p>Keep in mind that most of these things can be done through e-mail, which students can do at any time. Students also can call using their cell phones during lunch time and other free times at school. There's also lots of info available about tours, interviewing, etc. on colleges' web pages. One seldom has to make calls.</p>
<p>I don't see the problem with 8 interviews in a week. I also think that juniors aren't expected to be as polished as are seniors during interviews.</p>
<p>as a senior I'm going to be traveling to the top 3 or 4 colleges(highest on my list, not necessarily US news rankins) who accept me and try to visit, last summer I did a blitz of HYP and Columbia</p>
<p>I ended up HATING Columbia for the completely arrogant attitude of the admissions people there. Even the tour guide was arrogant!</p>
<p>But, I highly suggest campus visits. If I hadn't visited Columbia I probably would have applied there.</p>
<p>gee whiz- again...my son set up the appointments via email. my only phone calls were to the depts.secretary initially to see if they actually would see high school students if contacted. All the tour info, etc. was available on the web.
I really don't feel like my call to the secretary was out of line, but everyone is different- the call to the professors was his to make. </p>
<p>my son's school does not allow them to use cell phones on campus until after school and with the time difference, some offices were closed.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that he set up the appts himself and went alone. These experiences helped rule out several schools that he thought he was interested in...once he met with some professors, even THEY said, try "x" school, not this one.( a little surprising I must admit). My only reason to share this info was for the student who has nailed down the area he thinks he wants to focus on- the professors in that area had some valuable insight that was helpful.</p>
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:rolleyes: Whatever could you mean? LOL.</p>