Visiting prospective college campuses is as traditional as the seasonal color changing of the leaves.

Syracuse University is holding a fall reception for more than 1,400 high school seniors today at Goldstein Auditorium. After the initial welcoming, potential students will visit the colleges of interest on campus.

‘We are interested in students having a chance to talk to us and express their interests,’ Dean of Admissions Susan Donovan said.

Representatives of each college will be available to answer questions.

‘The most important indicator for a potential student is if they visit the campus,’ she said. ‘There are a higher percentage of students who visit a campus that will then apply for admission.’

After a school is chosen, the importance of doing an admissions interview becomes a factor. A recent survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling showed 33 percent of schools give no importance to an interview.

Admissions interviews are not required to get into SU, Donovan said.

For high school senior Eric Stachowiak, 17, of Simsbury, Conn., SU is one of six schools he would possibly attend, but he doesn’t think the interview is too important.

‘The only interview process I will do is at the final school I really want to attend,’ he said. ‘I think my grades and other achievements should be enough to show my worthiness to get in.’

However, Donovan said she believes the interview is important not only to the school, but also to the potential student.

‘We do the interviews primarily so people can share with us what they are interested in, and it gives them a chance to personalize their application,’ she said.

But Stachowiak said he believes asking too many questions about the school during an interview would make him look like he hadn’t done research about the school before applying.

The majority of applications to colleges and universities are now done online, so visiting campuses and participating in interviews add a personal touch, Donovan said.

‘The interview gives us more insight into things the application doesn’t cover,’ she said. ‘Usually, the students doing the interviews are the ones most interested in attending the university.’

For example, the essay portion on an application is usually polished to perfection and often read by someone else. It could have even been written by someone other than the applicant, she said.

Donovan said she thinks the campus visit and the interview are equally important.

‘We are here to tell them about the university in more detail and answer questions the parents might have,’ she said.

Visiting the campus is a very important deciding factor, said Rhonda Stachowiak, Eric’s mother.

‘Actually going to the school and walking around the campus gives you a feel for the atmosphere there,’ she said. As an example, she said after walking two blocks at Boston University, she knew her son wouldn’t be happy there.

Donovan said SU has the reputation for being a personal place, and parents of prospective students seem to be happy during the visits.

SU currently has admissions representatives at 42 metropolitan areas across the United States, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Seattle and Los Angeles. Donovan also has representatives that travel globally.

Published on October 7, 2007 at 12:00 pm