College Visits: How To Ask the Right Questions

The national reply deadline of May 1^st is just around the corner, so last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, focusing on multiple aspects of the decision-making process, was well-timed. Sally Ganga guest hosted, bringing in three unique perspectives to discuss selecting the right college. Asking the Right Questions In the first segment Sally was joined by College Coach expert Peter Silberman to discuss the role of college visits in making thoughtful, nuanced decisions. Peter discussed the overload of informational resources available to students today; he suggested using college visits to “cut through” the excess noise and go straight to the source for your answers: current students. Another great suggestion was tuning into visual cues around campus, looking at everything from event flyers to newspaper op-eds. The Student Perspective In the second segment Sally invited Annie Connors, a first year student at University of South Carolina, to share her experience of the college application process. Annie offered a perspective with which many students will identify, as she was undecided on many factors of the college selection process going into her senior year of high school. Sally and Annie discussed strategies for tackling what could have been a daunting process. Regional Reciprocity Agreements Jeanne Mahan, finance expert, joined Sally in the final segment to discuss regional reciprocity agreements. They focused on the New England Regional reciprocity agreement, which is geared toward students in the region who cannot study their intended major at their home state’s public university. On tomorrow’s show we’ll be talking with another student, discussing options for students who haven’t yet gotten the decisions they want even at this late date, and we’ll be answering listener questions on college finance. Join us!