Is it acceptable to bring a parent along with you on the day of your interview? I would rather not, but my parents insist on seeing the campus, housing, etc. Did any of you bring a parent? What do you suggest?
Parents and interviews?
- Thread starter lizzy18
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That is so funny because I am in a similar situation. The school I am interviewing for is a 3hour drive away. My original plan was to drive up the day before and stay at an hotel to be well rested. My mother disagreed and convinced my father to drive me up instead the morning of. My parents are sensitive and it hurt their feelings when I refused. I eventually gave in and decided to bring my older sister along to accompany them around the city while I have my interview. I do not want them anywhere near the school because they are so critical and do not speak any english; I want to avoid being a translator that day.
I suggest if you can to go on your own and remind them that they will have plenty of opportunities to visit the campus. This day is should be about you and theirs nothing more awkward in having to introduce your parents to a admissions committee. Parents mean well but they can also be intrusive and may ask too many unnecessary questions. From experience, I hate when adults bring their parents along during their eye examinations.
Depending on which school, it is acceptable to bring parents but call 1st. If you can avoid it, I would. Unfortunately, my parents guilt me in agreeing and it bothers me when my parents are disapproving or heartbroken. 🙁 However, I am still working on getting them not to go.
Good Luck!
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I would not do that. Not so much because of anything that the school will think but because most schools I believe are generally happy to have parents around. Schools want the students to succeed and in most cases, supportive family helps that so it's in their best interests to encourage parents to at least be peripherally involved. Also, parents are more likely to make a "contribution" to the school well before the student graduates.
But I would respectfully submit that on the interview day, it would be wise to go it alone, at least while you're at the school. Afterwards, be with whomever you want. But the interview day is intense enough and often times confusing enough that you don't need the potential aggrivation of your mom doing or saying something nutty, which all mothers do, mine included to this day and I've been out of school 10 years.
As someone else said, there is plenty of time to see the school either before or after interview day, but I would not bring them on the day of.
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I'd think there's nothing wrong with having your parents accompany you to the campus on the day of your interview — of course, having them sit in the room with you during your interview, as I see it, is asinine (they might tour the campus themselves, a bit, while you're questioned).
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I think most schools do ask something of the matter, or say it is fine to bring a guest or two. However, I suggest that you don't bring your parents and just let them explore while you are at the interview day. There was another interviewee who brought a parent to an interview that I went to, and it seemed a bit awkward because they had that parental "shield" thing going on. As someone mentioned earlier, there will be plenty of opportunities for your parents to see the school, etc so this one particular time may not be the best time for them to be there.
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I thought it was weird when I saw other people with their parents on interview day. One had to give a hug and kiss and say good luck while her interviewer was waiting, and all of them ate lunch with their parents instead of having lunch with other students. Sure, bring them to the city, tour them around the next day, but go to your interview alone!
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HAHAH I think that might have been me! My parents insisted on coming. I was not pleased.
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Honestly, I'm surprised an interviewing committee would permit students' parents to sit in on the interview — I believe, if I were an interviewer, I'd have a policy against students' being interviewed any way but alone.
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I'd say that the majority of the people brought guests with them on their interview day. This doesn't mean that they sit in on the interviews, but they do sit in on other things (tour, financial aid, housing, etc etc). I did not bring my parents not a guest with me, but my parents did come visit the school after my acceptance. They got the abbreviated tour and some other advice from school. Worked out fine for me =)
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lol
Timeout for adults is great. I give myself timeout all the time. In fact, if my kids misbehave, I give MYSELF the timeout. And if they're really bad, I'll send myself to bed early every night for a week. 👍
