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[quote=Anonymous]We've had 3 of 4 kids go through the admissions process, and, jaded as I am at this point, I still think it's a good idea to do both the tour and the info session. The tour is simply the most efficient way to get the lay of the land -- in 1 hour you'll hit all the basics -- library, classroom/lab building, student center, dorm, dining hall and athletic center.  Though the tour guides are obviously chosen for their boosterism and are  working from a script, depending on the questions asked by parents, they will occasionally depart from the script to riff on this or that topic -- I still remember one guide at Middlebury speaking remarkably frankly about diversity -- and this in response to a completely innocuous question from a parent.

Regarding the info session, yes, you can get a lot of information from the web site, but the admissions officer will often elaborate with some very interesting insights, either in response to a question or simply because it's a topic s/he particularly cares about.  And, yes, this is an opportunity, as is the tour, for your kid to check the box showing that s/he is interested in the school.  This is particularly important for SLACs.  Of course, there are other ways to accomplish this more easily.  Your kid can and should meet with the area rep who visits his/her high school.

If at all, possible, stick around for a while after the tour and info session to try to get the vibe of the place.  You'll be surprised how much you can pick up by just having a cup of coffee in the student center while catching bits of conversation (aka: eavesdropping).  If you're staying overnight in the area, see if there's a campus event you'd like to attend -- e.g., a home game or a theater performance.  If you know a current student, encourage your kid to try to set up a lunch or coffee meeting.  (I'd wait on overnights till admissions decisions come out.)

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