Missing school for college visits. Frowned up or reasonable?

[Anonymous]

My daughter is a junior and while we've been talking about schools, we have not yet visited a campus. I want to take her to UMD for the first one since it's close and would be good exposure to college life. Unfortunately, I have business travel during the upcoming spring break so that's out. Are schools ok with this sort of absence or should it just be a sick day? I prefer to be honest, but also don't want to be behind the eight ball on college prep. I already feel like I am. I need a slower calendar. Heh.

Thanks much

[Anonymous]

Excused absence.
Forgot now but there could be a limit on how many excused absences for college visits.

[Anonymous]

Most schools allow 2-3 days of absences for this purpose.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both. She is a SMCS kid and an athlete... Grades have never wavered but oddly, I'll need to plan around game days. How weird is that for raising a math kid? You can skip all your APs but you need to be to the field early! HAH

[Anonymous]

Our MCPS HS allows 5 excused absences senior year only for college visits. You have to bring documentation as well.

[Anonymous]

Blair allows 5 excused absences junior and senior year for college visits

[Anonymous]

Thanks all. Now just need to work on the logistics. Need to find a day with no quizzes, tests or games that also has tours available. I miss elementary school

[Anonymous]

U-MD tours fill up and can be hard to get.
Try to plan way ahead for one.

[Anonymous]

Monday is a no school day, why don’t you use that….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all. Now just need to work on the logistics. Need to find a day with no quizzes, tests or games that also has tours available. I miss elementary school

You made me laugh. But I’ve just passed this and appreciate this amusing, yet accurate, perspective on the look back.

[Anonymous]

There is a form you can get signed in advance. I found this form on-line and asked my child’s attendance secretary if they had a similar form. She said yes and they completed it for my child. She then had to get each teacher to sign off. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/wjhs/uploadedfiles/studserve/anticipated-absence.pdf

[Anonymous]

My understanding for Blair is that you used to be able to just tell the attendance secretary you were visiting a college, but now you need to provide confirmation that you have a tour/official visit scheduled. (Parent of two Blair grads and one current student who hasn't started visiting colleges yet, but hopes to soon.)