<p>Another suggestion for your child who meets with regional reps. She should always introduce herself to the rep, if at all possible, and be sure to get the name, because following the session, your student should send a follow-up email to the rep, thanking him/her for the presentation, and reinforcing the rep's experience in meeting the student. If the school is a number 1 or 2 choice, the student should continue an email correspondence with that rep.</p>
<p>I had a nice, brief convo with the area rep from a school, and was rejected (state school), so...</p>
<p>If you are lucky enough to attend a HS that reps visit, why would you not do all you could to meet with those that represent colleges that you are interested in. S1 and S2 attended a Governor's school that had numerous reps visit each day every fall. D1 attends the local HS and no reps visit. She has no opportunity to meet face to face, as the boys did. Going to the on-campus tours/info sessions and "on the road" sessions (if offered) just are not the same. If a rep bothers to come to a HS, it is because they know it's a good school and will have some good prospects. The GCs build a rapport with these reps so when the rep reads the GC rec, they give it informed weight. Just my opinion, of course.</p>
<p>sewbusy, as I wrote above, I discourage my son from going at a time when he's got a more difficult class, like BC Cal or Physics, especially if it's a school we've already visited and know about. I'll let him decide about whether he wants to go to class or go to a visit if it's a school we haven't had a chance to see yet.</p>
<p>I just checked the website, and so far 60 colleges are scheduled to visit, with as many as six on one day. Attending these things could be a full-time job.</p>
<p>Youdon'tsay, My d also attends a school visited by many reps - sometimes one after the other on the same day. She would only consider attending the sessions of the schools she is applying to; however, she would definitely make whatever effort needed to attend the session of her top choices.</p>
<p>Thought I'd update to say that S attended a session today with a rep from a LAC he's kind of interested in. Only six kids were there, so they all got some quality time. S said the rep kind of just did a Q&A with the kids. S got a really good vibe. That's just what I was expecting from this kind of visit -- rule some in, rule some out.</p>
<p>Another thought to keep in mind: One gc recommends the student attend the hs visits as it builds a comfort level interacting with a college rep. If/when interviews are needed, awkwardness and anxiety is somewhat lessened. The gc is not referring to the ad rep at any particular school of interest, but rather a familiarity with the process.</p>
<p>As one of the parent volunteers who manages our college center, I strongly recommend that students--both juniors and seniors--come to sessions with admissions reps that visit our school. We have seen the interaction between an interested student and the rep develop into a relationship that we know was beneficial to the student. Most of the reps that visit our school are the reps that take the first pass reading the student's application, and it is very helpful for them--and the student--to have a face/conversation as a reference point. Students can get permission from their teachers to attend these sessions. Our parent volunteers sometimes have to regulate over-eager juniors from attending too many speculative sessions, but our college counselor tries to schedule sessions at different times during the day, so one class period is not affected more than others.</p>
<p>Obviously, if a test or rigorous lesson is being taught, or if a student has already met with the rep--either on campus or in an interview--a "shake hands, sorry I can't attend the session" greeting is fine. However, if a senior is planning to apply to a school of a rep who is visiting (especially if the school is far away), it can only help to have a final chance to get questions answered, and have a little eye contact, not to mention the advantage of getting the rep into the school to see the students in their "natural habitat!"</p>
<p>Our college counselor will even call colleges that may be attending our regional college fair and ask them to visit our school, if we have a student planning to apply. There has been no downside.</p>