For those of you who are at a prep school (or have kids at a prep school) what would you make sure you asked at an Accepted Student day to tour the school/sit in on a class/meet the faculty. We will get to spend the entire day at the school so want to make sure we take advantage of the people we will meet to ask all the important (and not so important) questions. Committing to a school is a big decision so we want to make sure we walk away with as much info as possible!
Ask about favorite school traditions and what kids do on the weekends!
1 Like
Specific schools may merit specific questions, but off the top of my head:
Ask about how kids take advantage of academic support and how it is staffed (Student Tutors? Teachers? Dedicated staff? Hours and availability?). Also, what is the culture around leveraging academic support from fellow students?
Ask about what resources there are to support the students’ physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Ask about the flexibility of the curriculum for students to explore their areas of interest. Probe on this one, as some of these places have pretty rigid core curriculums, requirements and prerequisites and your student may find that they will be taking so many “required” courses through their junior and sometimes senior year that they don’t get a chance at something they may be excited to learn about.
But look around at the kids. Happy? Clique-y? Socially fluid? Is the library a place to gather and socialize as well as study? It’s important to get a sense of what their lives will be like and these are clues.
3 Likes
What does your child love and/or look forward to participating in at school? I would recommend you see if you can meet the teacher, coach, club leader of those areas to personalize your day a bit.
Is there a potential area of interest or something they may want to try - be it theater, stem, drawing, a new sport, ancient history - let that guide you.
I found it helpful to ask about what happens if/when your child is struggling academically. Before BS, my DD wasn’t as self aware or good at advocating for herself and can be shy about asking for help. Are teachers proactive about meeting with a student/sending them for extra help before they are in a hole or is it up to the student to sink or swim?
I also liked to hear about how each school approaches scaffolding… ie, what structures are in place for freshman and how is more freedom/responsibility granted as the kids progress each year. For example, which years have designated study times/locations? Are there times when students can’t have their phones? Does that change as they progress each year?
Not specific to your question, but my DD’s favorite admitted student day had the admitted kids do a scavenger hunt through campus and didn’t have them paired with a current student or sit in on any classes. She felt like she was able to interact more with her potential future classmates and get a feel for the vibe of the incoming class. Sometimes when you’re paired with a student for the day, it can feel a little forced. I mention it because my DD didn’t click at all with one of her paired students during an admitted student day and it definitely influenced how she felt about the school as a whole. Getting to know/hang out with the other admitted students might be just as or even more important than getting to know the current students.
3 Likes