What to ask at a college fair

Tomorrow night is the third in our series of GPS/McCallie college night programs or mini-fairs, if you will.  For seniors, this is perhaps the last opportunity to make a personal connection with the college representative, but for juniors - and this week, sophomores - it is a wonderful chance to discover some colleges they might not know anything about.

But how are you supposed to begin that conversation?  We have some tips for you, starting with don't worry if your questions seem unususal or off-beat; if it's important to you, then it's important to get the answers.  Besides, the reps will probably appreciate hearing something different!  Bottom line: you don't have to talk their ear off; just pick a few questions and jump in there.

• Start off with a firm handshake and say, "Hello, my name is Susan, and I'm a sophomore/junior at Girls Preparatory School."  It seems obvious, I know, but it's important and polite to introduce yourself first.  
• Try not to ask vague questions like "Tell me about your college." Instead, ask something specific like "I really love biology, so can you tell me about your science department?" or "Although I may not major in theater, what opportunities are there for me to get involved in the theater department?"  Another fun option might be "Can you give me some examples of campus traditions?"  Never miss an opportunity to tell them something about yourself.  They might be more likely to remember you if they can associate your name with a particular interest or talent.
• Ask about admission requirements, of course, but you may also want to ask whether decisions are based on numbers (GPA, test scores) or if they really consider activities, recommendations, essays.
• Since this might be your first time in a college fair setting, ask about the college's surrounding area.  If it's in a small town, what do students do on weekends? If it's in a large city, is there much campus spirit?
• Ask for a list of majors that you can take with you and look over later.
• What are classes like? Lecture style or seminar style?  As a freshman, will classes fit how you learn best?
• Go ahead and ask about Greek life, football, tutoring services, career counseling, religious organizations, club sports, whatever you are interested in doing.  Remember, you will have to live there for four years.
• Don't ask what the average class size is.  Instead ask "What is the largest class on campus?" (My guess is it will be something like biology or psychology.) You should also ask what the smallest class (probably in your junior or senior year).  
• Remember the off-beat questions I mentioned? If you want to know about ultimate frisbee or bringing your dog to campus, then ask.  One student I know wanted to make sure there were stacks of old leather bound books in the library, and one student wanted to know if all the buildings were made of the same materials. And in both cases, the answer was yes!

Last but not least, make sure you talk to at least three schools you are are completely unfamiliar with...this is how you often find that hidden gem that is exactly what you are looking for, and they just might need a girl from southeast Tennessee.

There are many more questions you can ask, but start with a few of these, and you might be surprised where the conversation takes you.  See you at 7pm at McCallie tomorrow night.

Is there such a thing as the "right" activity?

Students checking out the Amnesty International table.

Last Friday the upper school hosted an activities fair, and students in grades 9 -12 had the opportunity to sample the rich variety of extracurriculars GPS has to offer. On Monday, those same students will sign up for their clubs of choice.  In-between those two events, several people have asked "Is there a right activity?"

In fact just yesterday, someone was lamenting that she didn't have any community service and inquired "Should I sign up for that?"

Despite what you might read elsewhere, we don't believe there is one activity that will result in an acceptance. It's kind of hard to fake a love for theater or writing or service, or sports, and that will more than likely be obvious to the person reading your application.  Really, they're smarter than that.

Model UN is another popular option.

What we do believe is that you should choose activities where you will have the greatest impact or the most potential for personal growth.  Yes, you do need some continuity in your activities. Bouncing around from one to another is probably not a good idea, so we like to see that you loyal and steadfast to a few of them.

Instead of trying to figure out the "right" activity, perhaps you should ask yourself this: Is any college worth trying to create a persona that isn't genuine?  Wouldn't you rather them accept you because of who you really are?  In the long run, it seems to me you will be much happier, no matter where you go.

UTK Chancellor's Tour Bus Pulling Into Chattanooga!


Hop on board and enjoy a A Big Orange Evening on Monday, September 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Chattanoogan.  This traveling program is an excellent opportunity to hear from Chancellor Cheek about how new developments on the UTK campus are propelling our flagship university to the Top 25!  Open to high school students, their families, alumni and friends of the University...in other words, anyone who is interested!

The Optional Statement

We've written about the optional statement before, but for this questions, a refresher is always in order.    First thing you need to know is, if it says "optional," you probably should do it.  Let me rephrase that: you should do it.  This is a golden opportunity to make a connection between you and the university, and you should not pass up a chance to explain why you and the college are a good match.

So, one of the most common optional statements is this: Why are you applying to "this" school?

Our good friend Jeff Schiffman, the Director of International Admission at Tulane University, writes an awesome blog that addresses many questions that you might have about the admissions process, and his post on the optional statement is spot on.  Since he's on the college side of the desk, he's read plenty of optional statements and knows what he's talking about.  Like I said, we've probably told you this before, but his advice is so good, it is definitely worth repeating.

Like Jeff says, it's a good idea to "holler at your hookups," and that is exactly what we have done by directing you to his blog.  So be sure to check it out: http://bit.ly/1eW5QaP

Paying for College

Just a quick note this afternoon. If you're contemplating how you'll pay for college, learning what type of financial aid is available is a good place to start http://1.usa.gov/1IGm8C2.