During your college visits, you may have a list of questions you want to ask, either as a student or a parent. These may include questions about campus life, classes, majors, or town. There are a few questions though that you will want to steer clear of. Here are some questions to NOT ask during a college visit.
Students and Parents: Don’t Ask Personal Questions
Your tour guide is usually a respected member of the college who most likely attended the school in the past or is a student themselves. You may be tempted to ask personal questions about their applications, SAT or ACT scores, or GPA, from high school or college.
Stay away from those types of questions. The tour guide may feel put on the spot to share personal information they may rather keep to themselves.
Ask Instead: What do you recommend for applications? What is a good ACT or SAT score we should aim for? How does my current GPA affect my application and my future GPA during college affect my status in school?
Students: Don’t Ask for Special Favors
Sometimes your tour guide may work within the admissions department. Asking them for special favors does not do you any good and, will again, put your tour guide on the spot. This may include pushing your application ahead of others or asking them specifically to accept you.
Most times your tour guide won’t even have the ability to complete this request, even if they wanted to. Don’t be rude. Respect the application process.
Ask Instead: What is a must-have item I shouldn’t leave out of my application?
Parents: Don’t Ask Questions That Divulges Personal Information About Your Children
There will be quite a few people in your tour group, aside from you and your child. Lots of them will be asking questions. It’s a good idea to frame those questions in a way that incorporates everyone in the group.
You also don’t want to divulge personal information about your child. For example, don’t talk about their grades or classes they would have struggled with. It can be potentially embarrassing and the students in your group may be their future classmates. Don’t make your child’s first experience with a new school a bad one.
You’ll also want to steer clear of any questions that may have to do with your child’s health. Some students need specific accommodations for their classes, but now is not the time to bring them up.
Ask Instead: Ask general questions about what the school is looking for in regards to grades, applications, and other information.
There are plenty of questions you can ask your tour guide and other people you meet during your college visit. However, make sure to stay away from any questions that may make your tour guide uncomfortable or put them on the spot. Keep the questions general, ask personal questions in private through a different channel, and learn everything you can about the school, whether you’re a potential student or parent.
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