I went to Mark for transfer admission help and he went above and beyond in delivering advice, taking both my personal and professional goals into consideration. His background in higher education allows him to offer a wide breadth of knowledge from the perspective of a professor, admissions officer, and parent.
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The Information Session is an integral part of the campus visit experience. In essence, this is the “dog and pony show” of the admissions office. Each college runs these a bit differently. Sometimes you’ll have to sit through a slick marketing video (which is probably available off the college’s website, too). Sometimes, a student panel will offer their impressions. Sometimes it’s more of a lecture by an admissions representative.
Whatever the format, very little of the information you receive in this information session is different or even more useful than the things you get off the college’s website. These presentations are often heavily scripted, and admissions folks are coached to “stay on message.” Still, most information sessions are worth an hour of your time, if only because information you already have will be reinforced and reemphasized for you in a new way. More information is always better than less–as long as you just keep in mind that these are also sales pitches.
Here are some elements of the presentation you are likely to hear:
Student-to-faculty ratios. These are useless statistics that supposedly prove that the educational experience is intimate and high quality. Read this post on student-to-faculty ratios to learn how bogus these statistics really are. Make sure they tell you about average class sizes, and the percentage of classes that enroll fewer than 25 students. Also ask how many lecture halls on campus accommodate more than 100 students.
Chances of admission. You may here things about “average GPA” and “average test scores” in the presentation. Take these with a grain of salt. These are aggregate statistics and they have little or no bearing on your individual chances of admission. Your chances may be much better…or much worse. If you want to ask questions that may give you a better indication, ask things like, “what percentage of your acceptances go to children of alumni?” or “what percentage of your acceptances go to recruited athletes?”
Bazillions of Clubs. Every college inflates the number of clubs, and then also tells students that if they want to start up a new one, all they have to do is ask. These aren’t lies. But the number of clubs is usually inflated because the admissions office never culls the list of clubs or ensures that their figures reflect the number and kinds of clubs being administered by the Student Affairs office. Thus you will find that a bunch of the clubs on the list have been inactive on campus for five or six years. Of course, this is not a problem, unless you are an juggler and you see that there is a juggling club, and then you matriculate to find that there is only one member of that club: you. Don’t be impressed by the numbers and variety of clubs. Be impressed if they have an active group of students that cares about the things that interest you. So inquire as to the health and strength of the clubs that attract you the most.
We are a Community. Every campus wants you to feel welcome; that you will be loved and appreciated; that you will fit in. So they will stand up and talk about how warm and friendly the place is. Some people are better at delivering this message than others. I have students who return from campus tours who have been lulled into a stupor by admissions folks who do a great job of delivering the “we are a happy family” speech. I’m not saying that this message is untrue. I’m only pointing out that this is a part of every college’s marketing message. And it will be incumbent upon you, the visitor, to figure out whether or not you will feel comfortable and welcome in that community. Don’t take some admissions representative’s word for it!
In the next installment, we’ll explore the importance of visiting the area surrounding the campus.
You may also want to check out earlier posts on general considerations for campus visits, the practicalities of a college visit, and tips for taking the campus tour.
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
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Getting ready for the Grand Tour? These tips can help you get the most of your campus visit.
Continue readingIt’s so fun to hear from students who have successfully found the perfect college…a place that really fits their academic and personal interests and abilities.
This short video was created by one of my former students who is now at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. His family hired me as their college counselor to help this young man figure out what he wanted. After several months of getting to know one another, of exploring various options, and pulling together essays and applications, he was able not only to get into a great college, but win some scholarship money, too boot!
Perhaps I should just let him speak for himself.
If I can help you or someone in your family find the best college for them, please send me a shout.
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant in Denver
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Who doesn’t love a compliment? Yesterday afternoon I received a nice note from the mother of one of my clients who was accepted early to Dartmouth. He’s smart, talented, and fun to hang around. I enjoyed working with him on his essays. Apparently, he felt good about the experience, too.
Here’s what his mom had to say:
Subject: Thank you!
Dear Mark,
I just wanted to say thanks for helping Alex achieve his goal of attending Dartmouth. He is very excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to get on with the next step in his life. Your help was invaluable in this achievement.
Alex enjoyed his meetings with you and I know he listened to all your great college advice. I appreciate how the two of you handled everything so smoothly. I am feeling lucky that I ran across your name on the internet. I know other families would benefit from your services. I will give you the highest recommendation when the subject of college apps comes up with the folks I talk to.
Thanks again for helping us out. I know Alex will always remember you as I hear him speak of you often.
Sincerely,
MJR
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
One of the best parts of my job as an educational planner or educational consultant is that I have the opportunity to meet with representatives of colleges from all over the country.
This morning I met with Tiffany Reissig, an admissions representative from the Savannah College of Art and Design. We had a great conversation, and I learned a ton about this premiere art school in one of the country’s most interesting, historical cities.
After the meeting, I asked if she would share a few words about what makes SCAD unique. Here’s what she said:
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Students at Denver’s South High School played host to First Lady Michelle Obama this past Monday. Students asked the First Lady about standardized tests, getting into college, and her advice to them as they enter the world as adults.
Here’s a snippet from the Denver Post article that reported on her visit.
The Princeton University graduate, in town for a day of mentoring, also let some of the students at South High School in on a secret: She never performed “great” on standardized tests. Straight A’s, student government, sports, teacher recommendations and her essays are what led her to the Ivy League.
But while Obama said she didn’t consider the tests a good indicator of future success, she told the students that they are “part of the system” and need to be taken seriously.
And she urged them to focus on the thing they have most control over: their grades.
“Fundamentally, the difference between an A and a B oftentimes is in your own hands,” she said, responding to a student’s question about whether it was fair to use test scores as the measure of school performance when many kids can’t speak English.
You can also view a video of her Q&A session, including some remarks about going to standardized tests at South High School.
Mark Montgomery
College Counselor
Sometimes people think that an Ivy League education will guarantee success in life. Well, it all depends on your vision of success.
Ted Pascoe and I attended Dartmouth around the same time. Now he’s homeless.
Sometimes you just have to take a stand. The non-profit program Ted runs for homeless seniors in Denver suffered a severe budget cut at the hands of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). Incensed, Ted has decided to join his clients–by sleeping on the streets.
Some may call it crazy. Others will call it leadership. Ted is a gutsy guy. And get this: his mom is proud of him. Not many Ivy League grads would be so lucky.
Mark Montgomery
Different students need different sorts of help as they navigate the college admission process. In this short video, one of my clients explains that individually tailored college planning helped him to identify some schools that he was really excited about, and then gave him the tools to bring out the best in himself.
The result? A very happy camper–with a Dean’s Scholarship!
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
Sometimes students aren’t sure that they need individually tailored college consulting. In this short video, one of my clients explains why he thinks it has been so helpful to him to have a bit of extra help in selecting the right college.
Mark Montgomery
College Consultant
