Can you explain how this works? Re college visits/ asking questions

[quark]

While reading the various college threads, I came across posts about boardies' and/ or their children visiting colleges and talking to faculty/ profs/ department heads about college life, research, courses to take, etc.

 

DS and I have visited colleges but so far we've only done the student led tours (he was a little younger then and not yet serious about applying).

 

Could you kindly explain to me step by step how this more extensive process of speaking to actual department heads or profs happens?

 

Do you email/ call the colleges in advance? If so, who do you address the email/ call to?

 

Do they put you in touch with the people to speak to?

 

Do you go there armed with test scores/ transcripts etc? Or do you send these in ahead of time to demonstrate interest/ passion?

 

Can we do this in summer? Are people still around for DS to talk to?

 

What else should we know?

 

 

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

When we went for one visit my dd called ahead to admissions, spoke to her assigned admissions officer, and asked if she could attend classes and meet faculty in the department she is interested in.  She ended up with related courses to visit and a meeting with the head of the department-all arranged by the admissions folks.

 

Most of our visits were over the summer so class and faculty visits weren't an option.  Perhaps it works at a large university but not at the LACs we visited.  For a summer visit I might contact the department secretary and see if she has any tips for who to meet  on a given date.

 

We didn't send any scores or transcripts except with the application.  We came prepared to discuss anything.  Dd ended up with a couple impromptu admissions interviews during the summer visits.

Edited March 27, 2016 by JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst

[GoodGrief]

Some of the colleges set up these visits as part of the day's schedule. I think it may be more common with senior year visits, and visits in conjunction with special events.

[regentrude]

Our college sets up department visits as part of the official visits. Students submit their top two or three choices and then get 2 or 3 visits with various departments. In our department, the department chair meets personally with the families and answers their questions.

You can also contact the department and arrange your own visit independent of officially scheduled tour.

For

 summer: most schools run some summer sessions, so some faculty will be on campus, but not all. Many profs use the summer to attend conferences and travel to work on research with collaborators elsewhere. You should contact the department well in advance and inquire when somebody would be available for you to speak to.

Edited March 27, 2016 by regentrude

[katilac]

We found most schools wanted at least 2 weeks notice, and preferably more than one day to choose from (We can be on campus Thursday or Friday). Phone or email is fine, to the admissions office. 

 

Small and mid-size schools often make it easier to arrange one-on-one visits than huge state schools, understandably so. 

 

We did not send transcripts or anything to the professor, but dd always had a copy in her notebook just in case. I don't think she ever had to pull it out, but it boosted her confidence to have it. 

 

Summer is more difficult for everything, but there will probably be someone in the department who can speak with you. I would definitely try to visit high interest schools during the year. 

[quark]

Thanks everyone!

[8filltheheart]

We have taken a different approach. We contact the dept's directly ourselves, usually the kids, not me. Anyway, they explain that they are interested in the dept, their academic background, their goals, and ask about meeting to discuss if the dept fits their needs.

 

We have had 3 nightmare visits, one I posted a long thread title something like that is not what I expected. It was really, really awful. That was the only bad dept visit ds had. Dd has had 2 poor fit meetings. One dept told her they do not let student place out of Russian at all and she would have to start in 101. Another was equally dismissive, but their French dept told her they had nothing to offer her bc she was beyond their offerings.

 

I have learned that the best course of action is to take something with them (sample of work, transcript, etc) in case they are not being taken seriously. For example, the last French dept we visited was originally polite, but skeptical. I asked her since we had no official way of estimating dd's level, would she be willing to read a recent essay. That completely changed the tone of the meeting and how she discussed the options within the dept.

 

I don't recommend offering "evidence" if they are upfront about accepting what is shared. Several dept's have absolutely needed nothing and they jump right in discussing things with the assumption that what we have shared is factual. But, for those less believing dept's, being armed is beneficial.

 

We enter the dept with the POV that we are shopping to find profs that will be able to meet them where they are. If they are unwilling to accept that students can enter at with an untraditional background and level, the dept is probably not a good fit and we are better off knowing before they get there!

 

Love the dept's that are full of enthusiasm and really excited about getting an engaged and interested student in their dept. they are the ones that stay on our short list.

 

Good luck!

[quark]

8, I meant to thank you but was suddenly engulfed with work and forgot. Thank you so much for chiming in!