<p>I just became the Admissions Chair for my town’s chapter of my college’s Alumnae Association. This involves coordinating alumnae interviews for applicants who can’t travel to campus, organizing a get-together for potential applicants, and reaching out to admitted students: phone calls, sending flowers, and throwing a party for admits and their families.</p>
<p>Are there other things you as parents would want to help your kids make a good decision about which college to attend (which is very different from convincing them to go to the college–I’d much rather have a kid end up where she belongs, and not at the college I went to if it’s not a good fit for her)? I graduated 2 years ago and am now living several hundred miles from the college. </p>
<p>Have your interviewers be clear about and share clarity with the students as to how significant or not these interviews will be as far as admission.</p>
<p>Give the students some general parameters about interview expectations so they don’t flip out beforehand about what to wear and what to say.</p>
<p>Make sure the interviewee has the interviewers cell phone number so if there is a glitch – one or the other has a last-minute conflict, or will be late, or there was confusion as to which Starbucks, etc. – that all is not lost.</p>
<p>If you are doing interviews with any student from a high school - arrange interviews for ALL applicants from that school. Word gets around and assumptions are made if no interviews are offered to some.</p>
<p>If you think there might be low-income applicants, be sure you have a few interviewers ready to conduct interviews right at the student’s own high school or in some nearby, familiar location such as a public library near the high school.</p>
<p>Don’t send interviewers to homes because the students might not be proud of the home setting. It could be noisy, and it’s not the basis upon which the student is being interviewed – yet a student might believe it to be so and not do his best/be distracted. </p>
<p>Locate interviews where a student can get there by public transporation.</p>
<p>A couple of years ago, DD had an alumni interview scheduled for 8:30pm on a school night at the alum’s house. (Alum wanted the meeting at that time so her children would be in bed.) DD arrived on time. Alum was not at home and her husband had no idea why DD was there and the 4 children were running wild through the house. Alum arrived at 9:15pm and asked DD “So, what do you think of the Brad and Jen break-up? Is there hope for any of us?”
The interview ended. DD was furious. (She wrote a personal note, though.)She was waitlisted. </p>
<p>SO, my advice to you is make sure that the applicants are treated with respect.</p>
<p>helimom, the local alumnae club in my town sends flowers to applicants after they get admitted. it’s not a very big town (and the flowers aren’t very fancy!) so it’s not too much of an expense. it doesn’t come directly from the college, and not all alumnae clubs do it (i certainly didn’t get flowers from my hometown club…i don’t even know if there was a club).</p>
<p>skiiersmom, the college i went to suggests on-campus interviews for all students. if that’s not feasible for an applicant and she wants an alumnae interview, the college gives the local admissions coordinator the name of the student and we set things up. </p>
<p>thanks all for your advice! keep it coming, if you like!</p>
<p>This is not regarding interviews but we were invited to a football viewing party at a sports bar by the alumni association in our area. They had a special arrangement with the business and there were over 200 alums there. It really gave off a nice feeling.</p>
<p>Along with everything else listed above, I would be honest about everything regarding the college. If your college is a football-frenzied school with fraternities and sororities running the social scene, I’d tell them exactly what they’re getting into. If it’s a school in a quiet backwater town where everyone’s into outdoor life and studies nonstop, I’d definately say so. Don’t misrepresent the college as something it’s not just to try and score that perfect kid. The kid’s going to find out any way.</p>
<p>Also, I think a casual neutral interview spot is best and is best to put the potential student at ease. If there’s a Starbucks or a diner close to the student’s home, I’d suggest that as a meeting place and BE PROMPT. Not all kids drive, so they’ll have to rely on a parent or friend to drive them. Offer to buy coffee or a slice of pie!</p>
<p>Welcome to the world of admissions voluntarism! I’ve done it ever since I graduated in '89 as well. </p>
<p>Know that some info sessions, the parents can be pretty overbearing. They don’t mean to be but they’re just stressed out. Know that one role you can serve your college is by assuaging those fears and concerns. Focus in on the principals and head GCs of high schools that are good feeders of applications. Offer to present Book Awards and participate in their college fairs. </p>
<p>Mostly, ensure your group of alum volunteers is up to date and still ready to do their best. Be timely and expect them to be as well.</p>
<p>With regard to admits, I think flowers and parties are nice, but they are also a bit corporate, everyone who is admitted gets them. The things that mattered to me were more personal, that reflected a concern for me-as-a-person, not just me-as-an-admit.</p>
<p>So it was nice when an interviewer called to say they were glad I was accepted and they hoped I would attend, but it was nicer when they remembered my interview and my concerns. I appreciated the advice I was given about money, and scholarships, and making sure my mother was alright if I left, much more than I would have appreciated a bunch of flowers. I appreciated an offer to lend me books and keep in touch and discuss my courses no matter what school I ultimately chose, far more than I would have appreciated a party. </p>
<p>I guess it’s about showing that while getting accepted is indeed a “yay!” worthy event and perhaps for the interviewer is the end of the process, for the applicant it is only the beginning. I liked the people who recognized that I still had decisions to make and issues to overcome, financial and otherwise, and who gave me neutral advice that was not contingent upon attending their school, people who recognized that it was not an automatic given that admittance to their school was going to be the best thing that had ever happened to me.</p>
<p>I agree totally. OTOH, not all volunteers (OP is volunteern, not an adcom) are experienced enough to offer the advice you found most helpful. And the flowers (my school’s club organized a rose drop) are an easy way to incorporate novice volunteers and a warm, welcoming gesture to admitees.</p>
<p>nyc - really, what I appreciated most was the gesture, not the advice itself. Most of the advice was nothing especially technical or knowledgable, just stuff like “I heard about this scholarship” or “maybe your mom could join a club” It was just kind of friendly advice that anyone could offer, but it showed that they had been thinking about me, and my situation.</p>
<p>I have nothing against flowers and so on. I love to get free stuff!</p>
<p>All things considered though I think most kids - at least my boys - would rather get a t-shirt or baseball cap or key chain or pen. (All things we got at admitted students days.) The parents might like the flowers though. I agree neutral grounds would be nice for interviews though both my son’s were at the alumni’s house. If you can schedule something that some current students could also attend (for ex if they have a fall break) I am sure that would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>Hmm…I’m not sure what I think of having interviews at someone’s home or some crowded, noisy place like Starbucks. All of mine were at offices or other professional locations (one was in a college club conference room). It will be i nteresting to see how my kids’ interviews go, when the time comes. What I remember most is how one interviewer called after I’d been admitted and tried to influence my decision by putting down the other schools I was considering. NOT a good technique to use with me! So, while I would otherwise have been impressed by the personal contact, it ultimately contributed to my decision not to attend that school.</p>
I agree neutral grounds would be nice for interviews though both my son’s were at the alumni’s house. If you can schedule something that some current students could also attend (for ex if they have a fall break) I am sure that would be much appreciated.</p>