Can anyone provide what the general itinerary was for any revisit days that they as parents or their students attended. Are parents offered the same activities as students for revisits? Are revisits an all day affair? I presume each school handles their revisit day differently and I’ve gathered they are offered to only students that have been admitted but I’d like to at least plan for the trip now if needed and am interested in what the schedule and activities will include. We are interested in Andover, Choate and Hotchkiss revisit days in particular. When will revisit days be posted? And am I correct that this will not likely be something you can do 2 or 3 of in any given day. i.e. each one will take a full day?
Thank you!
That’s right, you can only do one revisit/day (schools do not have am and pm sessions, there’s one revisit session, and it runs for much of the day).
Each school does their own program; most if not all have some events for both parents and students, and some events where they are separated. There will be things like the opportunity for students to sit in on classes, student panels, parents-only Q&A sessions, lunch, etc.
I believe revisit days are posted after March 10. They can fill up, so if only one day will work for your schedule rsvp early.
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They are typically mostly full-ish day events! I can only speak to Andover (of the schools you mention) And in any case not easy to get from each of those three schools quickly in the same day but maybe there are weekend programs at Hotchkiss or Choate? If you are really curious you can scroll through the admissions IG for each school for any past posts that highlight!
For PA- If your student is offered admission, there are typically spring re-visit days on a few Fridays once students return from spring break and start spring term. I’m sure the details aren’t always the same but speaking from experience/knowledge from my kid… You get paired up with a current student, and in no order tour around campus, shadow classes when possible, and attend an ASM (All-School Meeting) and probably have meal at Commons- the dining hall.
Good luck on your process.
Hotchkiss revisit days are already posted on their school calendar - they will be March 28, March 31 and April 4 (you only attend one).
When you are accepted at a school, the option to register for a revisit day will be in the portal. But you can see a lot of dates now either on a school’s admissions calendar or on their all school calendar. I have been able to find the revisit days for 4 of the 6 schools my daughter is applying to by just poking around their websites (Hotchkiss, Loomis, Groton, Middlesex). If you need to plan in advance for travel you can always call or email the admissions office, they mostly likely know the dates already.
I attended 3 revisits two years ago with my son and will hopefully be attending some this year with my daughter. Generally they start with a welcome assembly, then students are paired up with a host student to shadow. They go to classes and/or other assemblies and sometimes lunch, with their hosts. Parents go to different classes or they will also have Q&A panels or other meetings for parents. Then, at or after lunch, you reunite with your child for a final assembly. They will also have the school store open so if you decide you are attending that school while you’re there you can buy some logo gear. The afternoon will also usually allow time to meet with coaches if you’re a recruited athlete, or other interest groups/teachers (my son spent a lot of time with the theater director at one school, getting a backstage tour, etc).
Edited to add: a few schools do overnight options for the students to stay in the dorms. Williston for sure does, and it looks like Groton might as well based on what I see on their calendar.
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Reiterating that each school offers a very different program, but all are with the intention to help your student imagine themselves in that community. (The program could include: campus and dorm tours, class visits, Headmaster talks, farm animals showcased, activities, peer guides, parent sessions, lunch, teas, sporting events, activity fairs, etc - you get the idea).
I know you did not mention Groton, but in case it is also on your list or for anyone else note: that in the past their revisit day spanned 2 days (they do a great job).
Many schools offer multiple single days to choose from which helps incase it overlaps with another school’s schedule. Of course weekends fill up sooner than week days. Laying out the schedule out on a calendar ahead of time helps plan your priorities. It would not be possible to attend two schools in one day as these tend to be full day events. Yes, these are only offered to admitted students. I highly recommend families attend as many revisit days as possible for the schools that they are interested In as we really changed our thinking after the revisit days.
During the initial visit you are so busy trying to make an impression, ask questions, do an interview, take a writing test, etc. that you are not really noticing the underlying messages. Plus chances are you have seen numberous schools that start to overlap. Once you have your acceptances (and know who is reciprocating your love), it is a time to really hone in on the things that really make that school tick.
Re the revisit day: Your student has been courting the schools up until this point, now it is their turn to court the student. Ask the tough questions, observe with eyes wide opened (past the cool activities and slick marketing). Really hear with the current students say and consider that some of the students on your revisit day will be your peers/classmates. It is a time to separate from the hype (rankings, reviews, etc. and really decide if it is the right school for your student).
For those that cannot attend revisit days in person: Many schools do webinars, virtual days or will arrange for you to talk to families and students. Ask to see how they can assist you in the process. Pls try to remember that this is a very busy time for the schools.
I hope all you child’s dreams come true as it is an exciting time.
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