parents going with you to interviews?

Are you parent/s coming with you on your interviews?

I want my mom to come so she can see the schools and help me decide, but it's also expensive booking everything for 2 people!

Does it look bad to come with your mom/dad? haha

Do schools schools offer anything for parents to do (programs, information sessions,etc) while students interview?

I have never heard of it. I understand being close with your parents but for a graduate school interview I definetely think parents should not be involved. However if you want to take your mom on the trip and tour the school before or after the interview I don't see anything wrong with that👍

(just my opinion)

what school are u traveling to and where are u traveling from?

Open houses are designed for this. I dunno if ur school has/had one.

Maybe u wanna wait till u get an acceptance from this school.

I took my wife with me to my Oregon State interview last year. She went on her own to get finaid and housing info while I interviewed. Of course she has a lot more vested interest than my mom would have, and I'm 30 so taking my mom would have looked funny.😛

steveysmith54 said:

what school are u traveling to and where are u traveling from?

Open houses are designed for this. I dunno if ur school has/had one.

Maybe u wanna wait till u get an acceptance from this school.

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I'm traveling from florida to Mercer, Shenandoan, Midwestern-Chicago, and Nova this month.

For some of the schools the closest airport is still an hour away, so I'd have to rent a car, find the school/hotel, and stay in a hotel alone. For guys it may not be as big a deal, but a girl doing that alone in an unfamiliar place is kinda scary/dangerous, to me anyway!

Also, I'm probably not gonna pay for 2 flights/hotels to go to the interview AND an open house.

PharmHopeful3 said:

Are you parent/s coming with you on your interviews?

I want my mom to come so she can see the schools and help me decide, but it's also expensive booking everything for 2 people!

Does it look bad to come with your mom/dad? haha

Do schools schools offer anything for parents to do (programs, information sessions,etc) while students interview?

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I think it would be fine for her to come on the trip with you, so she would get a chance to see the campus, etc. However, I think it is beyond bizarre for a parent to show up in the actual interview process (there were 2 mothers in my interview group). You are an adult now, and you've completed at least 2 years of college, if not a bachelor's degree. You shouldn't need your parent to hold your hand while you go through the interview.

rxlynn said:

I think it would be fine for her to come on the trip with you, so she would get a chance to see the campus, etc. However, I think it is beyond bizarre for a parent to show up in the actual interview process (there were 2 mothers in my interview group). You are an adult now, and you've completed at least 2 years of college, if not a bachelor's degree. You shouldn't need your parent to hold your hand while you go through the interview.

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I second this opinion.

PharmHopeful3 said:

For some of the schools the closest airport is still an hour away, so I'd have to rent a car, find the school/hotel, and stay in a hotel alone. For guys it may not be as big a deal, but a girl doing that alone in an unfamiliar place is kinda scary/dangerous, to me anyway!

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How is it any more dangerous than driving to the other side of town? I'm going to disagree with the others and say go alone. Time to grow up. Part of life is making mistakes or learning new things on your own and not having mom tell you what to do or just give you the answers. Why don't you sit down with your parents and ask them what they think you should keep yours eyes open for, or better yet, get them to quiz you about things so you think of them yourself Instead of your mom, why not a friend your age? Or someone from your current school who's also doing pre-pharmacy? Make it more of a get-a-way or a field trip.

I never understood the whole checking out a school thing by parents. What exactly is it they are looking for? Making sure the commons are clean? The grass is mowed? That the administration tells them what they want to hear? If they want to find out more about the school they'd be better off talking to the alumni association and trying to find someone local who's graduated from there within the past few years.

Knickerbocker said:

I second this opinion.

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Thirded. I always looked suspiciously on those who were sitting there waiting for the interviews next to their parents... And if you think you are a good candidate for pharmacy school, you should be mature enough to see whether the campus will be good for you anyway.

If you are really uncomfortable about travelling solo - take your mom, but have her go shopping or something... don't bring her with you.

Also, just think - some day you should start travelling alone - why not now? My first solo trip (as a part of the tour group where I didn't know anybody) was when I was 12, and since I was 20 I have been around half the world on my own. 🙂 It may actually be cheaper to get a cab for your travel rather than fly in another person... cabs are safe and you don't have to figure out your way in an unfamiliar city.

azPharmD2B said:

How is it any more dangerous than driving to the other side of town? I'm going to disagree with the others and say go alone. Time to grow up. Part of life is making mistakes or learning new things on your own and not having mom tell you what to do or just give you the answers. Why don't you sit down with your parents and ask them what they think you should keep yours eyes open for, or better yet, get them to quiz you about things so you think of them yourself Instead of your mom, why not a friend your age? Or someone from your current school who's also doing pre-pharmacy? Make it more of a get-a-way or a field trip.

I never understood the whole checking out a school thing by parents. What exactly is it they are looking for? Making sure the commons are clean? The grass is mowed? That the administration tells them what they want to hear? If they want to find out more about the school they'd be better off talking to the alumni association and trying to find someone local who's graduated from there within the past few years.

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wow, not condescending at all.
It's not that I'm incapable and need to "grow up". I've spend 4 years of college and a semester in Europe w/o my parents.

But my school decision is going to affect them financially (flights home/flights to visit/maybe some tuition haha) and personally, so I think they should have some influence on where I go. They cant really give their opinion if they've never been to the campus or seen what the school is like.

I feel that traveling on your own is one of the skills you need to acquire at some point. In this day and age there's many online tools to provide directions, you can rent a car with GPS navigation, it's easy to find reviews for hotels to ensure that they're safe... it's not that bad. I flew from Denver to Atlanta for an interview with Mercer last year. As long as traffic is cooperating getting from the airport to the school was pretty much a straight shot up a highway and there were plenty of nice hotels nearby.

Personally I do think it looks bad to come with your parents to the interview. Would you take your parents to a job interview? What would you think if you were interviewing a college graduate for their first job ever if they had to have their parents there with them?

Especially with the Mercer interview do not bring your parents. You are literally under a microscope for the entire four hours you are there. Every person you interact with is looking at your name tag, and taking note of everything you do. They will notice that you brought your parents, and you will be the minority of students who do so. If your parents want a tour, call ahead and see if you can schedule one for the day before or after the interview.

PharmHopeful3 said:

wow, not condescending at all.
It's not that I'm incapable and need to "grow up". I've spend 4 years of college and a semester in Europe w/o my parents.

But my school decision is going to affect them financially (flights home/flights to visit/maybe some tuition haha) and personally, so I think they should have some influence on where I go. They cant really give their opinion if they've never been to the campus or seen what the school is like.

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Take your parent(s) with you if you really want to. Take a tour of the school with them after your interview (change into street clothes first). Your parent(s) might be using this for a mini-vacation. I would recommend against taking them to the actual interview though.

PharmHopeful3 said:

Are you parent/s coming with you on your interviews?

I want my mom to come so she can see the schools and help me decide, but it's also expensive booking everything for 2 people!

Does it look bad to come with your mom/dad? haha

Do schools schools offer anything for parents to do (programs, information sessions,etc) while students interview?

Click to expand...

Hey, there's absolutely no shame in getting a ride to the interview from mom, and if she packs you a lunch then lucky you. However, you should never EVER show up to an interview with mom or dad (or god help you both). It shows a serious lack of independence and maturity at a time when the demonstration of those qualities is of paramount importance. If you have a parent with you, don't think admissions won't notice. Some poor girl interviewing a my school last year had a pushy dad entow. One of the admissions faculty pointed it out to me, and it was pretty clear at that point this girl had no chance of getting admitted.

Interview day isn't just about how you respond to a set of questions in a little room...you are really being interviewed the whole day. Dress sharp, be on best behavior, and act like the professional you are. Ask mom to pick you up at a set point after the day is over, then you can go out for Sundaes and tell her all about the interview.😉

PharmHopeful3 said:

I'm traveling from florida to Mercer, Shenandoan, Midwestern-Chicago, and Nova this month.

For some of the schools the closest airport is still an hour away, so I'd have to rent a car, find the school/hotel, and stay in a hotel alone. For guys it may not be as big a deal, but a girl doing that alone in an unfamiliar place is kinda scary/dangerous, to me anyway!

Also, I'm probably not gonna pay for 2 flights/hotels to go to the interview AND an open house.

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I really think it looks unprofessional to bring your parents. I have no problem with them coming on the trip with you (how would the school know) but waiting around in the waiting room before the interview....I think that makes an unfavorable impression. So have them stay at the hotel! I think all the interviews I went on last year, except at Midwestern, at least one person brought a parent or spouse and they had to sit around, either in another room or in the waiting room which sometimes prevented the interviewee from being able to mingle.

I interviewed at those schools last year except Shenandoa, so perhaps I can give you some advice. I flew in and out of Atlanta in the same day. Sure it was expensive but I saved on getting a hotel room. I'm from Tallahassee, so a lot of people drove from there, but I don't like driving long distances and then having to be "on" for an interview so I would have needed to stay the night before. I rented a car for the day.

Also try to think if you have good friends in the area. For the Midwestern interview the school is outside of the city so the interview was on a Monday and I flew up a few days before to visit with a good friend. I got to stay with her and see the area and then I took the train over the night before the interview and got a hotel. I didn't know how long the commute there would be from the city, and I wanted to be close to the campus the day of the interview. I didn't rent a car, I stayed in a hotel they sent with the interview info that had a shuttle service.

For Nova I stayed with friends but rented a car because they had to work and can't drive me around. Of the 3 schools I was most impressed with their campus and atmosphere. I was planning on attending there before I got in to UF.

Oh and UF is having open houses coming up in October. Ours for the Jax campus is 10-18 and I will be one of the students there people can ask questions to 🙂

It's just fine to bring your parents with you, just not when you go to the school. Hotel, dining.. etc.

I rarely get to see my dad so bringing him to interviews was a great way to spend time together.

I agree that it's ok for them to go with you to the city, but NOT ok for them to go into the interview with you. My mom came with me for one interview last year since it was a 5 hour drive each way and I had to make the trip in one day, so it was nice that she could drive for part of it. She did not go into the school with me though, or even onto the campus, she just explored the city while I was in the interview.

There was one guy that brought both his parents and younger sister with him to an interview and it was really strange. Some things you need to do by yourself.

i agree. there is nothing wrong with your parents taking the trip with you, just dont bring them to the school. for me personally, my parents are driving me to Atlanta so im not exhausted when I get back to school in Miami, especially since i have a test the very next day. however, i am perfectly capable of taking myself to Nova since it is not that far away and i will be back to my campus the same day. it's not about growing up, its about having the support of the people who put your behind in school and providing a convenience. i'd rather focus on my interview more than stressing on whether or not i know where im going if it's my first time really traveling like that. save your "learning experience" for a another time.