If your kid chose a school based partially on the tour guide

[Anonymous]

Does kid understand that students choose to become tour guides? That they may be or not be representative of the whole body of students? The same way student politicians in high school are different from the majority?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does kid understand that students choose to become tour guides? That they may be or not be representative of the whole body of students? The same way student politicians in high school are different from the majority?

But the school also accepts them as tour guides. That means admissions thinks that they are a good representation of the school.

[Anonymous]

I wish more schools would let you choose your tour guide. If we had gone with the energetic tour guide at one school, I know my kid would have had a much better view of the school. We kept crossing paths with that guide and experience was completely different. At the Next school, we actually did just jump groups to the one we felt was better and my kid walked away with the ability to see themselves at that school.

[Anonymous]

My kid eliminated some schools because of the tour guides.

I think it is understandable. They have limited amounts of information to go on.

The guide was very counter culture, and said she had trouble making friends and never felt like she fit into the community. That would not draw wavering 17 year olds to go there.

[Anonymous]

Guides are usually students in need of work-study hours, not necessarily the best among student body.

[Anonymous]

My 52 year old wife wanted to get the William and Mary tour guide's phone number. Not sure if it would have been for for her or our daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 52 year old wife wanted to get the William and Mary tour guide's phone number. Not sure if it would have been for for her or our daughter.

We loved our William and Mary tour guide!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guides are usually students in need of work-study hours, not necessarily the best among student body.

I think it depends on the school. Our tour guide at one of the UCs had already graduated. Our tour guides at UVA obviously loved what they do! Our tour guides at one of the Pennsylvania sxhools and one of the Boston schools didn’t seem to really like their schools. But, a tour guide at a school in Florida was really enthusiastic and you can tell that the admissions office really takes the tour guide selection process seriously.

[Anonymous]

Our kid took a UC school off her list after being accepted due to a HORRENDOUS tour guide. The woman leading the tour was so bad it was almost comical - so much so that several people peeled off during the tour. Made us all wonder what types of students went to the school if that was the student they selected as an ambassador for potential new students. Surprised this happened at such a high-ranking school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does kid understand that students choose to become tour guides? That they may be or not be representative of the whole body of students? The same way student politicians in high school are different from the majority?

But the school also accepts them as tour guides. That means admissions thinks that they are a good representation of the school.

Absolutely they are good salesmen for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does kid understand that students choose to become tour guides? That they may be or not be representative of the whole body of students? The same way student politicians in high school are different from the majority?

But the school also accepts them as tour guides. That means admissions thinks that they are a good representation of the school.

Absolutely they are good salesmen for the school.

No school needs to sell itself in 2024.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does kid understand that students choose to become tour guides? That they may be or not be representative of the whole body of students? The same way student politicians in high school are different from the majority?

But the school also accepts them as tour guides. That means admissions thinks that they are a good representation of the school.

and your kid sees them in action for two hours max, one day only, after a drunken spree the night before, a bad breakup with hometown honey, a breakup with new college boyfriend, a bad grade, exhaustion from an all nighter, problems with roommate, food poisoning from a binge, hangover and rejection from a greek house. What a stupid assumption -they are kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as you're taking finances and major into account, I think it's totally valid to choose based on vibe, which is basically what you're talking about.

+1. I feel like OP is trying “level the playing field” for colleges that OP prefers, for whatever reason.

No, I like the two he likes, I just think he should apply to more than two schools.

I'm also a little worried that if he picks a school based on interactions with one person (and major and money, but we're only looking at schools that meet those criteria), he could go back for an accepted student event and meet a different person and feel totally differently.

To be clear, there hasn't been anything wrong with any of the tour guides. It was just that some shared his interests more than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guides are usually students in need of work-study hours, not necessarily the best among student body.

Generally, students who get work-study are unhooked, so they are probably, on average, better than the full pay kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guides are usually students in need of work-study hours, not necessarily the best among student body.

Generally, students who get work-study are unhooked, so they are probably, on average, better than the full pay kids.

+1000

Why diss Work study kids? When I went to college, those of us on FA/workstudy were some of the hardest, smartest kids. We were driven to excel at everything because we were actually paying a good part of college ourselves so we were invested in gettin everything out of it. The rich kids were off partying Thur/Fri/Sat evenings and recovering on Sunday. Meanwhile, I worked 4 hours every Sat 10-2pm at my WS job, freeing up the rest of my day for studying and then relaxing.