The schedule of AOs coming to D28’s school is starting to get populated. Unfortunately juniors are limited to attending only three sessions, which many of us find infuriating. So, a question. How do you choose which three - schools you legitimately might want to learn more about and are new to you, vs adding to the demonstrated interest profile. I’ll give you an example.
D28 had an initial conversation with LAC AO last spring at a college fair and exchanged emails afterward. It’s already on our schedule to visit that school later that fall. We know the school cares about DI. Will they take note if she doesn’t come to the session at her school, or is the fact that she’s visiting them and emailed with the AO sufficient? If she doesn’t attend the session at her school should she email the AO to explain “I’ll be there in November, so decided to save a spot in this info session for other students who may want to learn more, since I’m only allowed to attend three.”
I’ve posed the same question to her counselor who is new to the school but no answer yet. Meanwhile spots at some of these visits are getting filled.
I would not go to any schools where DI doesn’t matter (usually publics) unless you don’t have three to attend.
If there are more than three you want to attend that demonstrated interest matters, I would not attend the session where you met the person prior.
You’re already on their list - so right there you are good.
You could always send a note - I see you are coming to my school but as we’ve already met, I’m ensuring another student can have my spot to learn about your school. I already know I’m applying!!!
Or even find them right before or after and say hello - with the same message - space is limited, I’m 100% applying so I’m giving up my spot to another to learn about the school.
In the end, if there’s 3 others you truly want to see, you’ve already seen this one. I don’t see any impact by not going. They’re not going to be like - doesn’t Jane Doe attend this school? Why isn’t she here?? I’d say that would be overthinking.
She’s made a connection already and you’re going to visit - that’s DI in spades. If you are full pay, that’s an additional bonus.
Or you can just take DI out of the picture and apply ED
IMO, a student should not miss a core class to attend one of these. If the meeting is during a core course, or the student has other conflicts, just send the AO a note. I would do that for all schools the student is interested in, whether or not the school considers demonstrated interest.
DD found that most visits conflicted with classes she felt she could not miss. Are you able to visit the schools? Agree with others your student can just send a note about missing the visit especially if they have a question, etc. I think the limiting number of junior visits was the same at dd’s private school. I am sure it is to give the seniors priority since they are actively in application season.
This is not a make or break thing in an application. Keep in mind there are next year’s AO visits, school visits, and perhaps interviews where a student will have ample opportunity to demonstrate interest.
There was one LAC my D was very interested in but could not attend the information session – in that case she emailed the AO and let them know there was a scheduling conflict, that she is very interested in the school, and would be visiting on XYZ date. It was fine. Personally, I wouldn’t make any comment about only being able to attend three sessions as a junior as the AO may wonder why their school wasn’t one of the three chosen.
Yep. One of C26’s school had visits listed in the applicant portal and included both high school AO meeting and college visits - this a school that claimed not to track DI. It showed that C26 had registered for the school visit but not attended it, ouch, though showed the 2 completed tours (general and department) on campus. (They still got an offer, though. I had encouraged them to email the AO about not being able to make it after all but don’t remember whether or not they actually did.)
Honestly, I think it’s only important if you can’t visit the school and demonstrated interest matters. Between my two kids, I think my D didn’t make it to any of these visits, and my S only went to one or two. There were just too many conflicts, and we were visiting most of the schools of interest anyway (not all). In a couple of cases, my kid reached out to the AO and expressed regret that they would not be able to make the info session because of some real conflict, and they used the email to ask a couple of questions about the schools. But I really think you don’t even have to do that, especially if you’re planing to visit the schools.
At our school, juniors were not allowed to miss class for college sessions. Seniors were.
The CC advised DS to send an email or note to explain that he had a conflict and was sorry to miss the session and that he was planning to visit campus and hoped to see them there.
Agree with the others who have responded. I would send an email that says “Sorry I missed you! I hope to meet you in person at my upcoming visit.” No need to explain why you’re not there. (You could be in a core class, you could have a test, you could be out of school at an orthodontist or a model UN convention. It really doesn’t matter to the AO.) If you have any questions that you would like to be answered before your visit, you can include them in the email.
An in person visit, particularly if the visit requires extra effort in terms of travel or hotel, is going to count way more towards demonstrated interest than popping in during a single period in high school.
I agree that if you have communicated positively with this AO, a brief email saying “sorry I will miss you when you are visiting my school but I look forward to seeing you when I visit campus on xxxx” is fine. You are a junior. They are focused on seniors right now. And often the AO’s are recent grads and she might not be your AO next year (she could be assigned to a different region or she might not still be there at all).
