Hello, We are off to visit a selective LAC and S has emailed a professor and received permission to sit in on his class. What can S expect? I think he is nervous that he will be called on or asked why he is interested in this particular class. He’s a deep thinker but is fairly shy when put on the spot, so I’d like to know what others’ experiences have been. How should he prepare? The course is in philosophy, nothing he has actually studied but is one that sounded most interesting to him. When students visit classes are they being evaluated at all? Thanks
S19 sat in on classes at a number of top 15 LACs. The professor will likely reach out and say hello and introduce himself. If the kids do something interactive, you son may also participate but he would not be called on to answer a question. For instance, in one calc class that S19 sat in on, they broke into small groups and played some game for ten minutes. He played the game. Mostly, though, there was lecture and discussion with the students and S19 did not participate any time except for once when he knew the answer to a physics question and then he raised his hand and answered. I couldn’t believe he did that but he was sure of his answer.
So, the short answer is that your son will be fine. Nothing is expected. Just shake hands with the prof, be friendly, and listen politely.
And S19 went to a philosophy class at both Carleton and Davidson and was lost in the discussion but still loved it. So much learning happening and it was exciting to him!
My kid has sat in on six classes at three different schools, and hasn’t felt put on the spot or evaluated at any of them. In a class doing a quiet paper based review activity, the professor chatted with her about what a typical class is like. In language classes where she spoke the language reasonably well, she felt comfortable participating but didn’t feel obligated to participate. In a physics class doing a lab, she was incorporated into one of the lab groups, and the students treated her like just another classmate. In a big lecture class she sat quietly and took everything in. No preparation needed for any of them.
She loves sitting in on classes, and will do three at one school and five at another on the next round of visits.
My D’s experience was just shaking hands and meeting the prof after the class. She just sat and listened during the lectures.
Your son should introduce himself to the professor before the start of class and thank him or her for allowing them to attend. My kid has sat in on a number of classes and was never asked a question. They were all positive experiences. Schools want to put their best foot forward. Also, remind your son to send a thank you note afterwards!
Also, if a class is particularly interesting to your son, he might mention it and the prof’s name in his “Why X school” supplement if there is one. S19 did that for some of his schools.
Agree with other posters. It will be good for your son. Be there ahead of time. If possible, introduce himself to the prof before class. If not, thank him/her after class. Also, send a hand-written thank you note to the peofessor afterward.
My D sat in 5 classes of her favorite college. A couple she listened and took notes. The rest she participated. It was a positive experience and boosted her confidence… She decided to ED the college.
In addition to the class, your son should observe how the students interact with each other. Do they greet each other as they come in and seem friendly? In discussions, is there one upsmanship or more building on each other’s comments? Do they seem prepared? Engaged?
Those qualities made more of a difference for my S than the classes themselves which were, pretty much across the board, excellent.
Echoing @Freud007 on etiquette.
My daughter sat in on classes at a few schools when she was applying. Her least favorite experiences where when she was just listening. At a couple she was pulled into discussions and answered questions, and it is at one of those schools that she now attends. She didn’t, however, feel evaluated or tested or anything. She emailed back a forth a bit with one professor and he ended up deciding to drop a note to admissions saying what a good fit my daughter was for the school. I’m not saying it helped, because honestly who knows, but I doubt it hurt and that is the school she is now attending.
My older D sat in several classes at multiple schools and never did anything but sit back and observe. Arrive a bit early and see if you can let the professor know you’re there. If it’s a big lecture hall p, that may not be needed/possible. I can’t imagine any college professor putting a visiting HS student on the spot by calling on him/her in class.
(The only class interaction was when her 7th grade younger sister answered a question in Intro to Computing at Lehigh when no one in the class volunteered an answer.)
Agree with everything that was said above. I will also note that, if he feels comfortable, he can talk to a student or two that happens to be sitting near him before or after the class. I have done that on a few occasions (usually in classes that included some kind of peer sharing, so I was already comfortable talking to them) and they have always been very friendly and willing to answer questions, perhaps more honestly than an admissions officer or student tour guide would!