Rate My College Tour

Tufts University

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:51:00 -0400

“I met a fellow Jumbo on a mountain in France!”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
VDB

Political Science

Currently a Poli Comm major at Emerson College

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 6

After actually arriving on campus, we were unsure which building housed the admissions office and it was unclear about how to enter the building once we actually found it (it turns out that you have to go over a giant pedestrian bridge). This sense of confusion was worsened when we were herded to a random green space in the center of campus and then told to “pick your tour guide”. We were uncertain of where we were being taken for this entire trek.

Lobby Appearance - 7

We really appreciated the open floor plan of the lobby. VDB filled out some information at the conveniently located desk while Jay-Z perused various forms of literature on the walls, as well as posters about famous people who had given lectures at Tufts.

Tour Guide:
Taylor, senior community health and American studies major from Maine. Fun fact: as a freshman, he once made the mistake of walking back from Boston all the way to Tufts (we were impressed: we can barely make it from Davis Square to campus).

Personality - 7
Taylor was friendly and outgoing. We learned a lot about his personal interests and he definitely did a great job of talking about all of his friends at Tufts.

Appearance - 8
Taylor was wearing a bicycling shirt (one of the interests that he talked about a lot on the tour) and a nice pair of khaki shorts with sneakers. He looked like a typical Tufts student, and we got to see that he was able to follow his passion of cycling while at Tufts. On the hotness scale, Taylor received a 6.

Ability to answer questions - 9
The other people on the tour didn’t really ask a lot of questions until we started talking about study abroad. This is where Taylor really had a chance to shine. Not only did he give personal experiences relating to his study abroad program in the Alps over a summer (he even managed to come back the next summer for a real job there!), but he was able to discuss the other study abroad options available at Tufts. He also answered plenty of questions about general education requirements and housing.

Ability to relate - 5
At first we were really excited by the amount of personal information brought into the tour by Taylor. However, we would have liked to hear about a different interest than the Tufts cycling team. That being said, we did like knowing about the activities that his friends and roommates participate in on campus.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 4
We got a lot of useful information about Tufts, but Taylor also did a great job of bringing in some fun facts about the school and going to school in the Boston area.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 5

We got a lot of literature. In addition to the standard information book, we received several brochures and the official admissions magazine: very classy.

Quality of literature provided - 7
The literature we got was pretty informative. It was sleek and well-designed, and provided all the information we needed without being too text-heavy.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 6
The tour lasted for an appropriate amount of time, but due to outside factors (the heat, our lack of actual interest in Tufts, and the foreboding walk back to Davis Square), it felt a little long.

Quality of tour content - 9
We learned a lot about getting into the school, what to expect once you arrive on campus, and the social life. VDB realized that she would be a great fit for Tufts socially, but quickly realized that she is not a “try-er” like the typical Tufts student and would probably have to leave.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0 - We didn’t see it.

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0 - We were going to give partial points because we learned that the preserved body of Jumbo the elephant (Tufts mascot and former member of the Barnum and Bailey circus) was kept in the library. Then we learned that the library had caught on fire (as did Jumbo). One of the professors collected the ashes and put them in a peanut butter jar, which is on display in the library. We also did not appreciate the fact that Jumbo’s tail fell off, as many students liked to pull on it for good luck. All in all, no library points for Tufts.

Font choice/use? 7 - Tufts’ fonts were simple and clean, and added to the classic image of the school.

Favorite tour member? The overwhelming amount of children leaning on their mothers on the tour. We don’t know why, but throughout the tour, we kept seeing children leaning on their mothers’ backs and shoulders for support. Was it really that hot out? Were they dehydrated? (We should have been given water in that case.) Remember, kids, Mom can’t follow you to college.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

There are several dining halls on campus. Tufts is apparently in the top ten schools in the country when it comes to food. All freshman must sign up for the premium plan, but after that, upperclassmen can choose from a variety of plans with differing amounts of meals and JumboCash, the campus debit plan.

This statue of Jumbo was above the doors to the admissions office. We loved it.

Some examples of famous people who’ve come to Tufts to lecture (including Madeleine Albright, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi).

The rooftop garden on the library.

This was a statue we found in the library.

Tufts has its very own bikeshare program (similar to Hubway). They have stations all around campus where you can rent a bike.

We loved this girl’s outfit. (Friend of Rate My College Tour CK Sway came to the realization that she has the exact same face as VDB.)

OVERALL TUFTS EXPERIENCE - 7

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Tufts, head over to Student Advisor to find out if this is the right school for you.

New England College of Optometry

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 16:47:00 -0400

“Have you shadowed an optometrist yet?”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
Jay-Z

Looking at grad schools to study optometry.

Currently a rising senior at BU, where she is a biology major.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 10

Much like Fisher College, NECO is located on Beacon Street in a series of converted mansions. We were a little alarmed by the fact that we had to pass the Church of Scientology to get there, but we made it there okay without having to take a free stress test. We had a little trouble locating admissions, but that’s also due to the fact that NECO is also an eye clinic and Jay-Z didn’t mention admissions to the receptionist.

Lobby Appearance - 6

NECO’s lobby was just like the lobby at the doctor’s. It was perfect.

Tour Guide:
Holly, a third-year graduate student and former bio undergrad from Maine. Fun fact: She usually goes home to eat lunch because she lives so close to campus.

Personality - 9
Holly was surprisingly friendly and did not seem like a stereotypical optometrist, which we found refreshing. She was eager to show us around while adding tidbits of personal information about her time at NECO. We got the sense that she really loved NECO and optometry and we would gladly put our eyes in her hands.

Appearance - 9
Holly was wearing a white t-shirt and a cute mid-century-modern-patterned skirt with adorable white crochet flats. She even had her hair pulled back neatly out of her face: a sign that she obviously follows lab safety. On the hotness scale, Holly received an 8.

Ability to answer questions - 10
Since we know absolutely nothing about science, eyes, or applying to graduate school for medicine, we had a lot of questions, most of which we were too embarrassed to ask. Jackie did a pretty impressive job of faking her knowledge of these subjects, but Holly was equally impressive with her ability to answer our questions.

Ability to relate - 10
Holly and Jay-Z bonded over their shared experiences as bio majors, and Holly even said that they had a leg up over other students because of all the science they’d had to do while undergrads. We also spoke briefly to an admissions coordinator after the tour, who was excited that Jay-Z had gone to BU since her husband had also gone there.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 4
The tour was very informational, but Holly managed to keep it interesting by showing us all the cool features of the buildings and telling us about the opportunities she’s had through NECO. We thought that this was definitely one of the most interesting campuses we’ve toured.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 7

We received an application, a brochure about going to school in Massachusetts, a brochure just about the NECO clinic program, a general brochure about the school, and a more specific one about the grad programs. All of these came packaged in a white envelope upon our arrival. We didn’t have to pick anything out ourselves.

Quality of literature provided - 7
The literature was well-designed while remaining informative. Again, we really don’t know anything about applying to medical school or even applying to grad school, but thanks to the information we got at NECO, we are at least prepared to become optometrists.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 5
The tour was perfect. We got to see all of the school and its facilities while learning a lot about the program and the admissions process. We even had time to chat with the admissions coordinator for a few minutes afterwards.

Quality of tour content - 9
We saw labs, lecture halls, and student life areas. We learned what classes students take and how they get to work in the field doing screenings from the moment they arrive on campus. While talking to the admissions coordinator afterwards, we also learned that Jay-Z can submit her application without having taken the OATs yet: they will put her application on hold until they get the test scores. This provided some good motivation to finally sign up for the test.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0 - No, but there was a case of eyes. The jury is still out on whether they were real or glass.

Font choice/use? 7- NECO’s font choice was simple and classic. They mixed fonts well, and, most importantly for a vision school, everything was legible.

Favorite tour member? N/A

Meal Plan Breakdown:

Paulo, the cook, makes breakfast and lunch in the cafe for the students. The food’s pretty good, and there’s always coffee. There’s even a fridge to put your lunch in if you bring it from home.

Our first impressions of NECO. It’s crazy how many colleges there are in former mansions in the Back Bay!

NECO has optometry labs where students can practice various things they’ve learned in class. They also serve as a clinic where Bostonians can get eye exams.

And yes, there were eye charts everywhere.

Seriously, how cool is it that NECO is in a real Back Bay mansion?

We even got to visit the president’s office as a part of our tour: now that’s a Rate My College Tour first.

But really. We can’t get over the fact that this school is in a mansion.

OVERALL NECO EXPERIENCE - 7

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending NECO, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

The Boston Architectural College

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:44:00 -0400

“This is the furniture that the pre-college kids made out of cardboard.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
Jay-Z

Architecture

Just finished her freshman year at Emerson, where she was majoring in scenic design. Interested in a more practical application to her art.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 8

The BAC’s facilities are located right on Newbury Street in the heart of the Back Bay. This would sound charming, but unfortunately they are also located inside a classic example of 1970s Brutalist architecture, commonly known as the WORST. Although the BAC doesn’t really fit in stylistically with its neighbors, it is a good look for an architecture school, since you can’t deny that Brutalism is all about planning.

Lobby Appearance - 4

There really wasn’t a lobby. We walked into the main gallery space and were directed by Securitas to the office. Upon entering the admissions area, we realized it was primarily an office space, with a few chairs scattered around the room to meet with prospective students.

Tour Guide:
Molly, a member of the admissions staff (our first non-student tour guide!) Fun fact: she likes to use the concrete stairwell when it’s hot out because it’s “built in air conditioning”.

Personality - 8
Molly was so nice. She was friendly and welcoming and made Jackie feel like she could fit right in at the BAC. Even though she was an adult, she treated us like equals throughout the tour.

Appearance - 8
Molly was wearing a cute black casual summer dress and sandals. Her primary purpose is to work in the admissions office, and this outfit fit the bill: professional, but still cute. On the hotness scale, Molly received a 7.

Ability to answer questions - 10
We didn’t have a lot of questions because Molly went over the program and admissions process so thoroughly, but the few we had were answered effectively. Molly asked Jay-Z when she was thinking of applying and told her that there was still time to apply for the fall. She even printed out an application.

Ability to relate - 9
Molly asked about Jay-Z’s program at Emerson and inquired about her interest in architecture. They talked for a little bit about design, and Molly shared her favorite features of the building (the stairs).

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 3
The tour was mostly informational, but we didn’t mind because it was so short and we got to see everything. We really got a sense of what it would be like to study at the BAC and how the program is set up.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 6

In addition to printing out an application, Molly also gave us a magazine about current design at the BAC, the information book, and a sheet about the architecture program.

Quality of literature provided - 10
This is the best literature we have received so far. The cover of the information book is a hologram showing a view of Boston from the BAC at various times throughout the day. Additionally, it is spiral bound and there are tabs inside that open up to the different programs of study. We loved it.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 4
The tour was a little short, but the BAC only has one main building that we could see during the summer, since one is under renovation and the other houses faculty offices and financial aid.

Quality of tour content - 9
We saw everything from studio space to lecture halls to student lounge areas. We also learned about the programs of study available at the BAC. Molly clearly knew a lot about the school and was eager to share it with us.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 10 - We did say it was the best piece of literature we’d ever gotten. They even overlapped typefaces without making it look clumsy or cluttered.

Favorite tour member? N/A

Meal Plan Breakdown:

The BAC is a non-residential campus, so there is no meal plan, but there are vending machines in the student lounge.

The exterior of the BAC. Note the Brutalist design: we’re torn about its overall aesthetic (so ugly, but so designed!)

Examples of student work are hung throughout the hallways: pretty intense, but pretty cool.

Most of the BAC is taken up with studio space. This is just an example of one of them.

The student lounge.

OVERALL BAC EXPERIENCE - 7

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending the BAC, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 13:44:00 -0400

“She looks like a fibers major.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
Jay-Z

Architecture

Graduated from high school in 2011 and took a gap year to “just travel and make art”. Our tour guide was so into this: apparently taking time off from school to make art is a common MassArt experience.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 10

After a strong showing at BC, we soon slipped back into our old pattern of running late for tours. Because MassArt is on the E Line, aka the line that never shows up, even though we left the Back Bay office with just enough time to spare, we were still a few minutes late. Fortunately, the admissions office was very easy to find from the T, as MassArt is just opposite the platform. Additionally, we only missed a few minutes of the info session, which (surprisingly enough) is very boring if you’re not actually planning on applying: how did our parents sit through that without going crazy?

Lobby Appearance - 10

The MassArt lobby looked like an elementary school in the best possible way. It was comfortable, cozy, and supportive: the perfect environment to be told that the art world is very harsh and unaccepting. We were taken to another room for the info session, where the large group was divided in half and taken on two different tours.

Tour Guide:
Andrew, a senior printmaking and art history major.

Personality - 8
Andrew was outgoing and fun. He seemed like the quintessential MassArt student: creative, quirky, and cool. That being said, he struggled with taking control of the group when necessary.

Appearance - 7
Andrew was wearing a bright orange v-neck with an admissions nametag, dark shorts, and a pair of classic Adidas. We liked that we could see his tattoos: not only were they pretty cool, but they also showed off his personality. On the hotness scale, Andrew received a 7.

Ability to answer questions - 8
Andrew was a little uncertain when it came to answering questions (especially about the meal plan), but he did a great job overall.

Ability to relate - 10
Andrew made a point of asking everyone what they wanted to major in and then taking us to those facilities. He spoke to most of the tour members while walking in between locations and shared his personal experiences with the school. And like we said earlier, he totally believed Jay-Z’s story and even shared a similar anecdote about someone he was friends with.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 5
Once again, we found the perfect balance of information and fun. Andrew even said that he knows what the “cool things” are on campus and makes a point of taking tours there: like the glassblowing studio. He told us everything we needed to know about MassArt, the application process, and life on campus.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 7
We got a cute accordion-style book about preparing your portfolio, a large book of information, and even a sticker. We also got a bottle of water at the start of the tour, as it was a hot day.

Quality of literature provided - 10
As befitting an art school, MassArt’s literature was amazing. Not only did we learn about the programs of study, we also got to take a look at various student and alumni experiences at the college. It even turned out that Andrew was one of the featured students in the book. “If you visit campus, you might be able to ask Andrew your questions in person. He’s one of the student tour guides. And he’ll give you honest answers,” the book says. He certainly did.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 5
Once again, it was perfect. MassArt has a lot of facilities in a small space, and we managed to get to them all in an hour. However, Andrew told us that we were allowed to leave once we’d visited the area of our interest. We started with about eight or nine groups, but by the end of the tour it was just us and Andrew. This did give us a great chance for some one-on-one at the end, though.

Quality of tour content - 9
Andrew knew about every single major. He took us to the main space for each major and told us about the program of study. We saw everything from the loom room to the architecture studio to the metal shop to the glassblowing studio. We also got to see inside several MassArt dorms, including the brand new tower that will open in the fall. Andrew took us to the top floor of the new dorm and used this opportunity to show off MassArt’s great location by pointing out all the museums, colleges, and attractions in the area.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 10

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 10 - MassArt is known for their graphic design program, after all.

Favorite tour member? Let’s be real: most of the people on this tour were pretty great. First of all, there was the transfer student who learned (while on the tour) that she does not have housing for September. VDB stepped in and told her and her mom how to use ProArts Connect to find a roommate (thanks, Emerson). Next, the semi-British dad who made a lot of strange jokes that were somehow hilarious. Finally: the bored friend who was listening to her iPod for the entire tour and yelled on the phone in the film studio.

Honorary mention goes to our friend and recent Emerson grad Jeff Eichert, who now attends MassArt for his masters in architecture and was spending the day in the studio.

Last, but certainly not least, we spotted the infamous Wentworth tour guide Kevin Binder on his way to work at the admissions office on the campus next door.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

Students who live on campus get a set amount of dollars per semester that can be used at both MassArt and Wentworth dining halls, as well as the awesome C-Store.

Seriously, this C-Store was awesome. And apparently it’s for all the Colleges of the Fenway. We wish this had been addressed on some of our other tours.

An example of the furniture in the newest MassArt dorm. We love it!

Spotted in this picture (from left to right): Girl Suddenly Without Housing, Her Mother, and Semi-British Dad. This was shortly after they had learned that submitting the housing deposit that day did not, in fact, mean that housing would be available on campus. It’s a good thing VDB saved the day with ProArts Connect! (Speaking of VDB, she loved this girl’s purse and would totally like it for her birthday, hint hint.)

VDB was also really into this pink pool table.

Okay, the view from the top of the new MassArt dorm is pretty awesome. You can even see VDB’s apartment from here!

Friend of Rate My College Tour Jeff Eichert hard at work in the studio. Look at that posture: he’s a born architect!

Can we get a loom room at Emerson? It was so relaxing. We could have hung out here for days.

The infamous glassblowing studio is one of the last stops on the tour. We wish more people would have stuck around to see it, since it’s pretty awesome (even when no one is using it).

OVERALL MASSART EXPERIENCE - 8

This tour was great. We would have rated it a little higher if it hadn’t been quite so open-ended. That being said, we may end up transferring here for real. It’s a good thing we can take elective credits here through the ProArts Consortium!

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending MassArt, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Boston College

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:37:00 -0400

“I can’t go here! It’s not a flat, urban environment with elevators!”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
Jay-Z

Finance/Business

Currently a freshman Marketing major at Emerson College.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 10

Ever since our journey to Tufts University, we have been very nervous about arriving places on time, which is why we ended up at BC 45 minutes early (even though we had to take the B Line all the way to the end!). We found the admissions office easily and determined that we had time to get a snack (not a full meal, and definitely not at the Boston Burger Company). When we picked up our edamame, Fuzes, and muffins from a student cafe, we were pleasantly surprised to be greeted cheerfully by the man working the register. We used our time seated in comfy chairs at a big table to scope out what the average BC student is like. It was around this time that we figured out that Jay-Z would not be able to plausibly pass as a potential Finance major, and we got very nervous. The office was in what appeared to be an old chapel and we really got a feel for what the rest of Boston College’s campus would be like.

Lobby Appearance - 10

Upon entering, we were greeted by a benevolent receptionist at the desk, who told us that a tour would be leaving shortly and that there was literature for us to pick up on the wall. The lobby was stunning. It matched the exterior of the building well: lots of shiny exposed wood and elaborate paneling with formal chairs and coffee tables. We could feel Boston College’s rich and illustrious history.

Tour Guide:
Stephen, a sophomore physics major and math minor from Boston. Fun fact: he likes chalk (unlike Jen from Newbury College) and his mom works as a physical therapist there.

Personality - 8
Stephen was energetic, passionate, and excited to show people around his school. We could tell that he really loved BC and wanted to make us love it just as much. He was really funny, told great jokes, and shared a lot of his personal experiences with us. The only reason we took a few points off is because we could tell he was a relatively inexperienced tour guide. With a few more big tour groups, we know that he’ll be able to get the script down right and let his personality and humor shine through. That being said, he was GREAT at walking backwards and even managed to do it down the stairs.

Appearance - 8
Stephen was dressed well. He was wearing a button-down, a nice pair of shorts, and green Adidas. He looked professional, but we could also get a good sense of his personal flair. On the hotness scale, Stephen received a 9.

Ability to answer questions - 10
Stephen answered questions throughout the entire tour, and even stayed on the lawn for about ten minutes after the tour to answer all of the questions that the families had. He answered questions ranging from test scores vs. grades, career services, and the location of the Eagle Deli as seen on Man vs. Food (that was ours).

Ability to relate - 9
Stephen may have been a physics major, but he made a point of showing the facilities for all majors at BC. He asked everyone where they were from and what they were interested in at the beginning and was sure to talk to people while moving between locations.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 5
This tour was the perfect balance of entertainment and information. We learned a lot about BC’s academics, student life, Division 1 sports (WAIT, THEY’RE ACTUALLY ON TV!!), and the admissions process. Stephen’s personality definitely helped: he made a lot of jokes throughout the tour, and unlike many we’ve heard, they were actually funny. Some of our favorites included the million dollar staircase, the fact that his legs were so muscular from climbing the stairs every day, and making us clap for him at the end.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 6
We received a map of the campus, as well as a book of information and a bookmark.

Quality of literature provided - 8
BC’s literature was simple and elegant, matching the overall feel of the school. It was very focused on the student experience at BC, which is a major selling point for most applicants.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 6
The tour went a little long and started a little late, but Stephen kept us on track for most of the tour. We didn’t get to see all of BC, but it’s a large campus and it’s impossible to see everything in an hour.

Quality of tour content - 8
We learned a lot about BC. Stephen used a lot of personal examples from his experiences at the school: no matter what questions were thrown at him, he always managed to answer it in a way that tied back to something he or someone he knew had personally done while at BC. We also got a lot of information about the school in general and the different programs and majors available.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 8 - Much like everything else BC-related, the font choice was classic, yet relatable.

Favorite tour member? The Where Did You Park Your Yacht Family. Dressed from head to toe in Vineyard Vines and Nautica, all four family members (dad, mom, son, and daughter) were not only wearing coordinating outfits, but it looked like they might be on the way to Sears afterwards to take a family portrait. When Stephen asked where they were from, our illusions were quickly shattered, as it turned out they were from Buffalo. As VDB made it clear: NOBODY FROM BUFFALO HAS A YACHT. (Direct quote: “I’d like to see them walk down East Utica Street every day.”)

Meal Plan Breakdown:

BC students receive $2,234 in dining dollars to spend each semester.

As soon as we saw the landscaped BC logo, we knew we were going to enjoy this tour.

One of the many staircases we encountered on our tour and the reason why Stephen claimed that he gained the freshman negative 5.

This arena is on TV. Too real.

We were really into this statue: apparently the Pope tried to buy it and BC wouldn’t give it up.

Half of the yacht family. Note the alternating whale and sailboat print on the son’s shirt.

OVERALL BOSTON COLLEGE EXPERIENCE - 9

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Boston College, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Newbury College

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:29:00 -0400

“Tell me more about Emerson!”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
VDB

Interior or Graphic Design

Currently a freshman Scenic Design major at Emerson College.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 10

After getting off the T we were right in the midst of a beautiful Brookline neighborhood. Walking to Newbury we felt as though we were revisiting a forgotten middle school paper route (that none of us had). The campus was located in the quintessential upper middle class suburbia, that one would expect from any live-action Disney movie from the early 90’s. When we reached the campus, the admissions office was clearly indicated with large signs that not only directed students, but were unobtrusive. The building itself was a converted Federalist style home.

Lobby Appearance - 7

The lobby was beautiful. The decor matched the style of the building and fit in nicely with the neighborhood. The waiting area had comfortable, yet classic chairs. The only reason points were deducted was because we did not feel welcome in the way that a prospective student should. The admissions staff did not ask us to fill out any forms regarding address, phone number, or student status and simply told us to sit and wait.

Tour Guide:
Jen, a senior corporate communications and management major from Texas. Fun fact: She doesn’t like chalk, but she does like laminating!

Personality - 7
Jen was outgoing and friendly. We were able to tell what she was interested in through her personality. However, she didn’t seem to be very passionate about her school.

Appearance - 8
Jen was wearing a floral skirt and a cute blouse. She looked professional while remaining casual and without appearing too stuffy. We felt that she was a good example of how Newbury students typically dress. On the hotness scale, Jen received a 7.

Ability to answer questions - 9
We felt that our ability to answer questions about Emerson went above and beyond what was necessary. Jay-Z was wearing her Emerson hoodie (in 90 degree heat — that was a mistake) and once Jen saw this, her interest was piqued. As a result, we ended up answering more questions about VDB’s former school than asking questions about her potential future school.

Ability to relate - 5
Although Jen did a good job of getting to know us, it seemed that she wanted to focus more on her issues with the school, her favorite houses in the neighborhood (although they were pretty cool!), and questions about Emerson. She didn’t know a lot about the interior design/graphic design programs at Newbury, and we would have liked to have gotten more information.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 3
Although the tour was definitely more informative than entertaining, we also felt that we didn’t get as much information as we would have liked. Overall, we felt very bored.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 4
We were able to pick up a lot of literature about the programs, but nothing else. We did receive an email directly after the tour from our guide asking if we had any more questions.

Quality of literature provided - 3
The literature is of varying qualities. The main book is well-designed and filled with lots of pictures, although there isn’t a lot of information about the school. The other brochures we picked up are literally just collages of pictures about a single department or major.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 6
We felt that the tour was longer than it needed to be, although that may have been because it was so hot outside and we weren’t being given very much information.

Quality of tour content - 5
We were given a lot of information, but most of it did not seem very relevant at all. We were told about things that the school does not offer instead of what they do offer. We heard about the various expensive houses in the neighborhood and all the cool things they have in their backyards. We also saw the men’s communal bathroom in one of the dorms, which we were told not to choose.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0 Update: 10 We were sent this photograph:

Instagram courtesy of Newbury College

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 7 - The fonts were pretty basic, but they were done well.

Favorite tour member? N/A

Meal Plan Breakdown:

You get 19 meals and 50 dining points per week for use in the dining hall and other on-campus locations. There are two soups of the day, a hot plate, and a deep dish section available in the dining hall. Additionally, you can use cash or credit at the Nighthawk Cafe, which contains a Starbucks.

One of the giant houses we passed on our way to the Newbury campus. Apparently they replace the lions every year.

Newbury’s simple and tasteful sign.

What the interior of the admissions office looked like: quite impressive!

This was Jen’s favorite house in the neighborhood, mostly because of all the pool parties that take place here.

OVERALL NEWBURY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE - 5

We would have liked to have gotten more information about Newbury College and not to have answered so many questions about Emerson.

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Newbury College, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Bostinno wrote another article about us! Check it out!

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:57:08 -0400

Bostinno wrote another article about us! Check it out!

The Boston Conservatory

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:14:00 -0400

“I’m going to be the Black Swan!” “VDB, don’t make any more Black Swan references.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
VDB

Dance

Currently a sophomore BFA Musical Theatre major at Emerson College

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 9

The admissions office was conveniently located to the Back Bay office: it’s right across the street. Even if we weren’t coming from the next block, the building still would have been easy to find: it’s fairly close to the T. The building itself was a beautiful example of Boston’s 19th century architecture, but the admissions office was a little difficult to find once inside. We had to ask for directions from a security guard to figure out which hallway to take, but given the nature of the building, our confusion was completely understandable.

Lobby Appearance - 6
The lobby was very “old school”. It almost had a feeling of an academy. The room was a little overstuffed and cramped: there was a large amount of furniture for such a small room. It seemed like more of an office than a welcome center, since the desks in the room were covered in paperwork and forms. We did appreciate the plethora of information and brochures scattered around the room, though.

Tour Guide:
Molly, a graduate student studying the harp, Fun fact: She did her undergrad at a liberal arts college.

Personality -3
Molly was very unpersonable and we did not get any sense of her interests beyond playing the harp. Throughout most of the tour she spoke at a very low volume that was difficult to hear, even though we were standing right next to her. Her speaking volume was so low at several points that she was practically at a whisper.

Appearance - 6
Molly was wearing a button-down shirt with dark wash denim. Although she looked very professional, we would have liked to have seen a little more personality in her outfit. Additionally, we would have liked her to appear a bit more youthful. On the hotness scale, Molly received a 6.

Ability to answer questions - 5
Both of the students on the tour were prospective dance majors. Given this fact, it would have been nice if the tour guide knew more about the program itself. She was able to give a lot of information about academics and the overall BoCo experience.

Ability to relate - 4
We felt very unwelcome at the Boston Conservatory, due to the unrelatability of the tour guide. As a grad student, she did not know much information about what it is like to live on campus, what classes we would be taking, or student life in general. She made no effort to get to know the prospective students on the tour.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 3
The tour was definitely more informative than entertaining. On the other hand, we do not feel that we gained that much information about the school that we did not already know or could not find out from briefly looking at the website.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 9
We not only received plenty of informative literature, but also a free pen, bottle of water, and a letter from a freshman in the dance program. We thought the letter was a nice touch. It was not personalized, but it contained a glimpse of what it is like in the average day of a BoCo student.

Quality of literature provided - 6
The literature does not contain much information at all, but it is very well designed. It gives the basic information but does not go into detail.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 5
The tour was the perfect length. It seemed short, but the Boston Conservatory only has several buildings. We feel that we saw everything that the school has to offer.

Quality of tour content - 4
We felt as though we did not learn enough about the dance program at all. Our tour guide did not seem very knowledgeable about it at all. When going on the tour we were led through the back doors of various buildings and walked through alleys to get to the next destination. This seemed to be a very ineffective way to get a feel for the area surrounding the school, a very trendy neighborhood, and to see some of the impressive architecture that some of the BoCo buildings have. We also felt that some of the information given was not accurate (Molly said there were 80 schools in the Back Bay neighborhood alone: we at Rate My College Tour know that this is not correct).

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 9- The fonts are strong, clean, and create a modern image.

Favorite tour member? Are You Really Ready for a Conservatory Program? mom and daughter. We don’t think they know what it takes for such an intense program and they may be in way over their heads. While touring the studio space the daughter jumped on the floor to see if it was sprung (VDB was unsure if she should do the same to prove herself as a dancer).

Meal Plan Breakdown:

There are 4 different options for meal plans that all have different prices. Each option has a set number of meals and Dining Dollars. The meals are redeemable at the Northeastern dining hall.

The library interior at BoCo: Molly encouraged us to wander around.

This sign in the library was a nice touch: BoCo is a music school, after all.

This was the ceiling of one of the recital spaces. Molly told us that it had been covered up for decades and rediscovered during renovations.

The BoCo student lounge.

Cupcake: A New Musical’s advertising has even spread to BoCo.

OVERALL BOSTON CONSERVATORY EXPERIENCE - 3

We were hoping that we would feel the same “Smash Factor” that we got from the Berklee tour, however we were left disenchanted.

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Boston Conservatory, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Tufts University

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:50:00 -0400

“We walked to Medford and now we’re sitting on a bench in Somerville.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
Jay-Z

Undecided, vaguely interested in science

Graduated in 2011 and took a gap year. Visiting VDB, a friend currently studying at Emerson, to look at colleges in the area.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - ?

We made several attempts to tour Tufts, but we were always unsuccessful in arriving at the location of the admissions office. Since all Tufts tours are on a walk-in basis, we decided to take the 2:30 pm one on Tuesday. We arrived in Davis Square around 1:45 and determined that we would have time to stop for a light lunch at the Boston Burger Company, since the university seemed so close to the T according to all our maps.

This was a false assumption.

After rushing through our burgers and chips, we started walking down College Avenue in Somerville with about ten minutes to go until tour time. It was extremely hot out, and our burgers had only been satisfactory. We kept walking down the street (past Nathan Tufts Park and Powder House Square, which will come into play later in this tale) in a Tufts-ward direction. At around 2:35, we realized that the admissions building was all the way across campus, and that we still hadn’t even reached Tufts yet.

We were defeated.

We turned around and trudged back towards the T. On the way there, we spotted a “Welcome to Somerville” sign: apparently we had trekked all the way to Medford on foot without realizing it. Exhausted, we had to take a fifteen minute break to rest on a bench in Nathan Tufts Park overlooking Powder House Square. During this time, VDB texted her father to tell him about our struggles. (He thought that we were sitting on a beach, not a bench and asked a lot of confusing questions until we all got the story straight).

We eventually made it back to the T and ended up taking it all the way to Park Street and then catching the Green Line to the Back Bay office instead of just getting off at Central and taking the 1 bus there due to our exhaustion. Upon our arrival at the office, we ended up drinking several Brita pitchers of water and laying on bean bags with our hands over our eyes.

A full Tufts review will come later, once we have actually taken a tour.

OVERALL TUFTS EXPERIENCE: TBD

Boston University

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:39:00 -0400

“The campus is urban… in a good way.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
VDB

Theatre Arts, Design, etc.

Looking to transfer from Emerson College to a less focused, vague major.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 10

The Admissions Office was very easy to find. It was located on Bay State Road, where most of the buildings not on Commonwealth Ave. are located. We were very impressed with the architecture of the building, reminiscent of the style of the Kenmore area. The ivy on the front of the building felt very collegiate. Once entering the building the front desk was very apparent.

Lobby Appearance - 10
The lobby was very formal, but in a good way. We were given literature and an information card to fill out upon entering the building and were told to take a seat in one of the many waiting rooms. The waiting room was filled with comfortable, yet extravagant furniture matching the architecture and style of the space.

Tour Guide:
Ian Blau, rising sophomore Film & Television in the School of Communications and a minor in English in the School of Arts & Sciences, from Burke, Virginia, Fun Fact: He’s in a comedy troupe.

Personality - 6
We did not feel like we were able to get to know Ian as a person or a BU student. He was outgoing and personable; however, it all felt very forced and scripted. His jokes were very generic and seemed to be run-of-the-mill BU tour jokes. While we appreciated his ability to walk backwards, we felt that it hindered his ability to speak naturally as he was too busy concentrating on not walking into anything or anyone. Although he did say hello to everyone we encountered on the tour, it did not seem like he actually knew any of them, which is understandable for a school the size of BU. On several occasions Ian lost control of the tour and people seemed unclear of where to go next, as his directions were often tentative.

Appearance - 9
Ian was dressed very well. He was wearing a blue polo and coral shorts, which we liked. We did not understand why a few of the other tour guides we encountered were wearing the same color combination, which has nothing to do with the school’s colors, red and white. Our theory is that the tour guides were friends, and thought it would be funny to wear matching outfits to work. On the hotness scale, Ian received a 6.

Ability to answer questions - 10
Not many people had questions, but when they did Ian was quick to answer and gave a very detailed response.

Ability to relate - 4
Ian did not do a good job of relating to anybody on the tour. All of the information he gave us was very generic. Additionally, we did not feel that we got a sense of the typical BU student experience. While we were walking at the front of the tour group, Ian did not use downtime to engage with us, or any prospective students for that matter. Vivian made a joke about moving to the side to let another tour group pass and Ian did not enjoy it at all. He also responded to her using his microphone (which all tour guides have, much like the Backstreet Boys) which was completely unnecessary. At several points throughout the tour, Ian’s microphone began emitting feedback: clearly, he needed the assistance of a good sound engineer (we know several qualified candidates and would be willing to get them in touch with BU admissions).

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 5
This tour was neither informative nor entertaining. We did not go inside any buildings, and were simply told where and what they were. There were a few attempts made to entertain us, such as shutting our eyes to listen to cars on Storrow Drive that sounded like the beach, or jumping to make an earthquake outside of the Earth Science lab, or touching a squishy rock. However we were not impressed. Maybe our standards were too high.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 7
We were given literature as soon as we entered the admissions office, including a map of the BU campus. We were expecting a little more SWAG from a school of BU’s size.

Quality of literature provided - 10
We are huge fans of the BU literature. It is very trendy and modern, while still containing a lot of useful and easy to read information. There was even an infographic containing fun facts about BU. It was all very well designed. The map was very useful, as it even contained a map of the MBTA.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 7
The tour went over the allotted time by about 10 minutes. We wouldn’t have minded if we were well entertained, we weren’t walking down Comm Ave. in the heat, or if we hadn’t been constantly reminded by our tour guide that we were running over.

Quality of tour content - 4
Although we understand that BU’s campus is not very tour friendly, we would have liked to have learned more about the buildings we were unable to see, which included most of the athletic facilities and any theatre buildings. Considering BU is known largely for sports and their theatre programs, it is strange that neither of these were shown. We learned about student life, academics, and residence communities. We felt as though this tour was better suited for students at orientation, who mostly needed to learn how to navigate the campus: they didn’t really impress us and make us want to attend the school.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 10- ~~We are unsure because we were not taken inside any buildings.~~ UPDATE: We have learned from a current BU student that BU is a Pepsi school, so they have Dr. Pepper. Thanks!

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 5- While there was not a sitcom set in the library, the “BU Castle” was used as a filming location for an up-and-coming ABC historical drama.

Font choice/use? 10- effective font mixing and interesting without being difficult to read

Favorite tour member? We have two: The first was Cocktail Mom, who was fully decked in cocktail attire, including the LBD (little black dress), Gucci purse, and copious amounts of jewelry for this 11am tour. (She did wear flip flops in a concession to the amount of walking she would have to do.) Our second member was the family of small children. Who do you belong to? Where is your prospective student? Do you understand that this isn’t a tourist attraction? Why are a bunch of 10 year olds touring BU? Needless to say, we were very confused.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

The meal plan was not addressed by Ian: VDB had to ask him about it at the end of the tour. A BU meal plan consists of dining meals, dining points, and convenience points. Convenience points are on your BU card and are used to buy supplies like shampoo. Dining points are used like a credit card for food at the student union and nearby places like the on-campus Starbucks (they are reloadable). You also get a set number of dining meals to use at the various oncampus dining halls (located in Warren Towers and the new 2-story facility on Bay State Road).

We were incredibly impressed with the admissions office’s exterior!

But not as impressed as we were by Ian’s outfit.

This sample dorm room (in the Towers) was decorated: always a nice touch!

We weren’t sure why this courtyard was filled with small rocks, but we felt that its existence needed to shown to the outside world.

Student organizations have been painting this rock since the 1970s, so it’s soft to the touch. All we could think about was peeling the layers of paint off (we passed this picture on to our friend David, who loves paint-peeling more than anyone else we’ve ever met).

Seriously, who did these kids belong to? They’re obviously bored to death.

Note Cocktail Mom’s tour-appropriate footwear and contrast it to the rest of her outfit.

OVERALL BOSTON UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE - 5

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Boston University, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Wheelock College

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 16:32:00 -0400

“This is our library. It’s full of games and toys.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
Jay-Z

Elementary Education/Special Education

Took a gap year after high school to “oh, I traveled and did some, like, tutoring and stuff.” (Later, she admitted to trying to play up the “dumb” aspects of this prospective.)

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 9

Wheelock is easily accessible from the T and located directly on the Riverway. The building was right on the street at the address and we were able to find it easily. The admissions office was right inside the door.

Although the school is readily accessible by the T, we were forced to take a cab due to the fact that it was raining and JC Swag was very upset about getting rained on. She was forced to abandon her priceless silver Keds on a sidewalk in the Fens as we hailed a cab to take us to campus.

Lobby Appearance - 7
The building’s interior had a very modest and community-oriented atmosphere, which matched up with the vibe of the college itself. While we waited for our tour guide, we were encouraged to take a seat in the comfortable chairs outside the office, and Jay-Z was given a clipboard and pen to write down her personal information.

Tour Guide:
Brianna, junior criminal justice and social work major. Fun fact: She was hoping to do a trip to Ireland through Wheelock to do charity work with children.

Personality -9
Brianna talked to everyone on the tour, not just the prospective. She was very welcoming and eager to show us around her school. It was obvious that she was very proud to go to Wheelock and really wanted us to see why she loved it too.

Appearance - 8
It was raining, so Brianna was wearing a sweater over her outfit during the tour, but once we got back to the admissions office, we noticed that she was dressed very professionally. On the hotness scale, Brianna received a 6.

Ability to answer questions - 10
Brianna knew EVERYTHING about Wheelock. We were impressed with her ability to answer questions and tell us details about everything we saw on the tour. She went into detail not only about the academics and student life, but about the community service that all students engage in. After the tour, Brianna even got an admissions counselor to come talk to Jay-Z about the application process.

Ability to relate - 10
She asked about Jay-Z’s gap year and VDB’s “theatre education” program at Emerson. Although she was a criminal justice major, she made sure to tailor the tour to Jay-Z’s interests and showed us things related to elementary education and special ed. She even asked questions about Jay-Z’s hometown of Philadelphia and made a point of talking a lot about Wheelock’s theatre after Jay-Z mentioned that she was interested in possibly doing some theatre education.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 2
This tour was much more informative than entertaining, but we were okay with that. We weren’t expecting Wheelock to be a “flashy” school because of the nature of their programs, which are mostly targeted towards helping others, and we were proved correct. We learned so much about a school that we knew virtually nothing about.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 2
We were not given any brochures or free swag and had to pick them up at the door as we were leaving.

Quality of literature provided - 6
The brochures were sleek and managed to continue the vibe of the school. There were a variety of different topics available, so you could just pick up the ones that applied to you or take them all for a full look at the school.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 7
The tour was a little too long. That being said, Wheelock is a small school and we felt that we really got to see everything on campus: from housing to academic classrooms to the theatre.

Quality of tour content - 8
We got to see everything and learned a lot about this school and its programs. Since we came in knowing absolutely nothing about Wheelock, it was impressive that we managed to leave knowing what to expect if Jay-Z did choose to attend this school.

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 0 (but they did tweet at us offering to get it!)

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0 (but the library was full of board games!)

Font choice/use? 6 - They used Times New Roman and other generic fonts: it was a little too plain for us.

Favorite tour member? We were the only members of the tour.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

There are different block meal plans. Wildcat 290 is a plan of 290 all-you-care-to-eat meals with $25 worth of Fenway Cash for the semester. Wildcat 210 has 90 dining dollars and $25 worth of Fenway Cash. With Wildcat 150, you get 150 meals, 150 dining dollars, and $75 worth of Fenway Cash. Wildcat 110 has 110 meals, 200 dining dollars, and $100 of Fenway Cash.

The waiting area in the admissions office.

This television in the waiting area provided information about Wheelock.

A study lounge at Wheelock.

Wheelock’s theatre.

OVERALL WHEELOCK COLLEGE EXPERIENCE - 8

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Wheelock College, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Emmanuel College

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:36:00 -0400

“Actually it’s not our tagline, I just made it up.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
VDB
Art History
Looking to transfer from Suffolk University to Emmanuel

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:
Location - 7
   The Admissions Office was located in the Science building which was somewhat difficult to find. We were unsure of where to go once on the school’s campus, but when we asked a security guard for directions he was very helpful. The office was on the second floor and very close to the elevators. However we should have taken the stairs, but there was no indication that the admissions office was right at the top.
    We would also like to note that we were running late for the tour and the admissions counselor called the tour guide and escorted directly to the first stop where we were able to meet up with him.

Lobby Appearance - 10
  The office was very modern and well designed. It was a very clearly designed “Visitors’ Center.” This was not a multifunctional space which was an effective way to separate the office work from prospective students. The entire room felt as if it was set up just for us. The literature was spread throughout the room making it very accessible.

Tour Guide:
    Kyle Hyphenated-Last-Name (we really wanted his name to be Max) A junior Elementary Education major originally from Boston. Fun Fact: Freshman 15? Try Freshman 21. (he had to start going to the gym- good thing Emmanuel has amazing facilities!)

Personality - 10
    We. Love. Max. (his name is Kyle). Kyle was very friendly, personable, and funny. By the end of the tour we felt as if we had known him for years. Kyle knew most of the people that we encountered while on the tour and said hello to everybody. While on the tour we encountered some new students who were lost and Kyle helped them get to where they were going without skipping a beat. The jokes he made during the tour were genuinely funny and in no way scripted. We also greatly appreciated his ability to walk backwards the entire time. At the beginning of the tour he stated: “I like to make small tours a conversation”

Appearance - 9
    Kyle was wearing jeans, sneakers, and an Emmanuel fleece. He was casual, yet professional, while still showing school spirit. On the hotness scale, Kyle also received a 7.

Ability to answer questions - 10
    Direct quote: “I felt like I could have asked him a question about ANYTHING and he would give me an answer.”

The other members of the tour asked a lot of very random and diverse questions and Kyle was able to answer all of them in depth. He clearly knew a lot about the school from the buildings, to the classes, to the student life.

Ability to relate - 10
    Direct Quote: “I want him to elementary educate my children.”
    Kyle did an amazing job of not only addressing our potential majors, by highlighting the art classrooms and opportunities, but also highlighted our extracurricular interests. He added the perfect amount of personal experience to make the tour relatable, while still not talking about himself too much.

Tour:
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 5
    This tour was the perfect balance between information and entertainment. We enjoyed ourselves the entire time and left the tour having had fun. We also felt as though we learned everything we possibly could have about the college. We were able to see all of the buildings, meet important people, and learn all about life as a student at Emmanuel.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 9
     As mentioned before all of the literature was scattered about the room and there was enough that we did not feel uncomfortable taking it. We also received a free pen. Additionaly, the admissions counselor went well out of her way to print a map of the Colleges of the Fenway for the other members of the tour… for free.

Quality of literature provided - 10
    The literature was very student friendly and youth-oriented. It was full of lots of useful information with no boring filler. It seemed as though there was a piece of paper to take home for any question that we may have had.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 5
     Perfect tour length. We saw everything we needed to see. We learned everything we needed to learn. And we never got bored. We were constantly entertained, but the tour ended at the perfect moment, just like the ending to a great film. You don’t leave with any questions and you don’t check your watch to see how long you’ve been there.
    Additionally, JC Swag was wearing a brand new pair of shoes on this tour that were tearing her feet apart. This tour lasted the perfect amount of time for her less than sufficient Dora the Explorer band-aids to hold up.

Quality of tour content - 10…thousand
     Have we said how awesome this tour was?

Miscellaneous:
Was there Dr. Pepper? 10

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 8- Effective font mixing, used fonts appropriately in different types of documents

Favorite tour member? Mom who was into Jenna’s education. We think that she asked more questions about Emerson than she did about Emmanuel.

Meal Plan Breakdown:
You can have 15 or 19 meals a week and on a swipe in you can have all you can eat.
“All bets are off. Do your thing.” -Kyle

They also have flex dollars. With the 15 meal plans you get 95 and with the 19 meal plan you get 25.

The gym facilities at Emmanuel.

A view of the quad (the most centrally located place on campus) from a window in the campus center.

A nice place to do work in the campus center.

The Maureen Murphy Wilkins Atrium.

Our tour guide, ~~Kyle~~ Max, and the other member of the tour.

Overall Emmanuel College Experience: 10

Can we actually go here?

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Emmanuel College, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Lasell College

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 20:46:00 -0400

“This tour isn’t about Lasell it’s about me and my daughter.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:

JC Swag

Fashion Design & Production

Graduated in 2011, just finishing up a gap year spent in Boston with best friend from home who attends Emerson College.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Location - 10

We began our journey as we hopped on the T at Hynes, a convenient stop near the Back Bay office. Little did we know, as we journeyed further down the D-line, our green line train would pass through the MBTA equivalent to the door to Narnia and we would suddenly find ourselves winding through the wilderness. From the bustling streets of Boston to the rustic railroad out towards Newton, we traveled to Lasell College.

Once we got off the train, we were left with a short walk to the campus. The smell of freshly cut grass and the warmth of the sunshine brought us back to our childhood, our hearts filled with the happiness we felt the first day of summer camp.

We found ourselves deep in the middle of an unexpected suburbia. We felt as though we had been transported to the south. The area surrounding Lasell has a very quaint old Georgia town feeling about it - very “Sweet Home Alabama” or something. Before we even walked into the Admissions office, we were totally in love with the campus.

The Admissions office was kind of far from the T stop but with the help of our trusty iPhone we found our way with ease!

Lobby Appearance - 10

The Admissions Office was literally a beautiful Victorian home, as many of the college’s buildings are. That being said, the lobby (also referred to as the living room) was literally an ornate Victorian drawing room, complete with fireplace and decorative rugs. Although it did break from the time period a bit, we loved that we got to sign in on an iPad and that my name was on a welcome slide in the slideshow being shown on the flat screen TVs. We also really liked the “Meet the Admission Ambassadors” slides.

Tour Guide:

Max, Sharon, MA, Freshman Sports Management Major, Fun Fact: Max works at Gillette Stadium (According to Helicopter Mom who doesn’t work for the Patriots anymore, that’s a good way to get your foot in the door.)

Personality - 6

Max was definitely not the bubbly fashion major we were expecting to be the face of Lasell, but he was polite and very nice. He made some attempts at walking backwards and did a good job of trying to relate each stop on the tour back to our majors. It seemed as though he may have been new and therefore, we could understand that he was at least mildly nervous, especially with Helicopter Mom who no longer works for the Patriots wanting to talk to him about sports all the time.

Appearance - 3

Max was wearing a classic “Matt Noel” outfit with his striped polo, khaki shorts and sneakers. While this is definitely appropriate attire for everyday wear, he probably could have dressed up a little more to represent his school. On the hotness scale, Max also received a 3.

Ability to answer questions - 4

Several questions were posed during our tour and Max’s ability to answer them is actually what led us to believe that he is probably a new tour guide. Helicopter mom who no longer works for the Patriots asked about post-graduation jobs for fashion majors, and while it is more understandable that he wasn’t sure about fashion, he also didn’t know when she asked about his own major. Then, when JC Swag asked what they were building, he proceeded to describe something else that was going on and never addressed what exactly JC Swag was asking about. (Turns out, it was a parking lot…)

Ability to relate - 6

At each stop on the tour, Max was sure to find a way to tie everything back to fashion since both JC Swag and Helicopter mom’s daughter, Seriously Needs a Gap Year Girl were intending to major in fashion. We understand that it may have been difficult to relate as a Sports Management major, but fashion is one of the biggest majors at the school and it is important that the tour guides are well informed.

Tour:

Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 3

The tour was primarily informative. The slideshow presentation in the lobby was an effectively used Prezzi presentation, which deserves special note because, in the words of our intern, “Nobody uses Prezzi effectively.” (But they certainly did!)

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 0

We were not offered or given any free stuff whatsoever. We think it is important that prospective students are given at least something to remember their visit by. There was informative literature scattered throughout the tables in the admissions building, but we are always sure to wait until the free swag is offered to us.

Quality of literature provided - 0?

We have no idea. We didn’t receive any informative literature, except for maybe the Admissions Counselor’s card.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 5

It was a solid tour length. We saw what seemed to be the entire campus, but it was not an overly lengthy tour. The only thing that was DEFINITELY too long was the useless meeting with the admissions counselor, in which we learned very little about Lasell and very much about his dislike for BFA programs, deciding on a major, his commute from Quincy and his ex-girlfriend.

Quality of tour content - 7

We covered the whole campus and learned at least a little about the fashion and Lasell as a whole. We got to see almost every building and every type of dorm offered. We were very happy with the content of the tour as a whole.

Miscellaneous:

Was there Dr. Pepper? 0

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 5 - okay, most default fonts, and nothing terribly exciting

Favorite tour member? Helicopter Mom who no longer works for the Patriots and Seriously in Need of a Gap Year daughter - yikes. I now know your current place of work, where you used to work, who you know at Sharon High School and that your daughter will soon be traveling to Australia, also I know some things about Lasell. They didn’t need to know any information about the Admissions Process though, because Helicopter Mom works at Boston College right now.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

There are three standard meal plans: Gold, silver and bronze.

The Gold plan has 19 meals per week and 25 Dining Dollars. The Silver plan has 14 meals per week and 75 Dining Dollars. The Bronze plan has 10 meals per week and 125 Dining Dollars.

Lasell also has “Laser Loot”, a form of on campus money that you can load onto your “Torch Card” and use at the on campus facilities.

The BEAUTIFUL Admissions office - our favorite one so far for sure!

Inside the Admissions office in the “living room”.

Checking in on an iPad?! Awesome!

I felt so welcome! (Even though my name was spelled wrong…) We loved the slideshow, especially the welcome slide and the Meet the Admissions Ambassadors slides!

New studios in the fashion building.

Standard double dorm room.

Athletic fields

Standard classroom.

Common area in one of the Victorian home style dorms.

Room in the Victorian style dorms.

The gym - currently being used as a temporary dining hall while the new one is under construction.

OVERALL LASELL COLLEGE EXPERIENCE - 5

We were pleased overall with the tour experience at Lasell. We absolutely loved the campus and felt like the tour gave us a good feel for what Lasell has to offer. The tour guide did a great job giving us an overview of the college and telling us what all the facilities had to offer, but he will probably benefit from a little more experience to improve his ability to relate to prospective students and to answer questions - breaking away from his script a little more!

However, we had a very negative experience with the admissions counselor we met with after our tour. He did not offer us any of the informative literature to take home and, in fact, did not give us very much information about Lasell at all. Instead, we were discouraged from coming into the college with a major in mind and encouraged to come in Undeclared. He also talked badly about BFA programs. He should probably not do this with prospective students, since he never knows who they know, where they are coming from and who their guests are. In our case, both JC Swag and VDB are current BFA students and were very offended by the way he talked about our degree programs. Even if our prospective student back story had been true, VDB was still a BFA student, and this kind of negative energy is not needed. He also gave us a lot of useless personal information that was completely unnecessary. We did not need to know about his car, his commute, his ex-girlfriend or any of that. After leaving the admissions office, we felt so uncomfortable that we left as quickly as possible. This is something that we hope never happens to prospective students. We did not let this experience effect the overall score, since it is not technically a part of the tour itself, but all of the very positive feelings we had about Lasell just after the tour were completely overtaken by the anxiety we had after meeting with the admissions counselor.

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Lasell College, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

UMass Boston

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:43:00 -0400

“I don’t make the tour, I just give it.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:

Sophia DB

Anthropology
Took 2 gap years and traveled to Thailand, now lives in the Back Bay.

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions: Location - 1
Although UMass Boston is somewhat difficult to reach from the T, the directions given on the website and at the station made it very easy. The driver of the shuttle bus was also very helpful. Once arriving at the campus center we were confused and did not know where to find the admissions office.

We did find it strange that once we got to the office, the receptionist told us we had time to go get coffee but did not tell where and all of the cafes were closed. Also, give us literature at the appropriate time.

Lobby Appearance - 9
The lobby was a great ultra-modern headquarters for admissions. It fit in well with the decor of the brand new campus center. The reception area was well designed and the lobby was calming and zen, much Sophia’s experience in Thailand during her gap year.

Tour Guide:     Jill, Birthplace not mentioned, but she must have been from Boston, Anthropology Major, Junior, transferred Fun Fact:

Personality - 10
     Jill was a spitfire! She was casual and down to earth. She was friendly to people we encountered while on the tour and did a great job of dealing with some of the more difficult members of the tour (highlighted in our “favorite tour member” section). She was your classic UMass Boston student. Jill was clearly passionate about her school.

Appearance - 9
   Jill was wearing a UMass Boston Admissions polo, skinny jeans and flats. It was a casual, yet professional outfit, completely appropriate for a tour guide at the school. Jill incorporated her personal style into the outfit but wearing her polo slightly oversized with cute earrings. Also, props on the spunky haircut!

On the hotness scale Jill receives a 8.

Ability to answer questions - 10
     Jill knew the answers to all of the questions asked during the tour. She also did an amazing job of fielding the ridiculous questions from the #leastfavoritetourmembers.

Ability to relate - 6
    Jill did a good job relating to us as perspective students. It did seem strange that Jill did not attempt to connect with Sophia who was also pursuing a degree in Anthropology. We would have thought she would have been a little more excited to talk to her about their shared interests and Sophia’s travels.

Tour: Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 2
   We definitely got a lot of information from this tour (and a crippling amount of information from the info session that took place beforehand). While Jill was an effective tour guide who showed a lot of interest in her school, she was not particularly entertaining. It was professional and generic, which can be expected from such a large school.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 6
We took a free pen and received a folder full of information.

Quality of literature provided -
   The literature provided was very informative, to the point, and aesthetically pleasing. We also appreciated the folder to carry it in.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 7
     We found the tour to be somewhat long, but UMass Boston has a very large campus. The visit was made entirely too long by the info session that took place beforehand. We also found the information to be repetitive between the two.

Quality of tour content - 8
     We got to see pretty much everything at the school. We felt that we learned a lot about student life and ways to get involved with campus activities. We did not get a feel for academics, which is understandable at a school with with so many programs.

Miscellaneous: Was there Dr. Pepper? 10

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 6- effective but boring

~~Favorite~~ Least favorite tour member? Angry, Confused Father and Diploma Toting Son

-Why are you yelling sir?

-Why are you carrying your diploma around?

-Why are you answering your phone during the tour?

-Why do you need to see the pool so badly?

-Why are you answering your phone again?

Meal Plan Breakdown:
They don’t have a meal plan since it is a commuter campus. You can load money onto your “SoGo” card. You can spend in the dining halls and cafes. You can also use cash money. (Similar systems include: Emerson’s EC Cash, Fenway Cash at Wenworth, and Northeastern’s Husky Dollars).

Info session powerpoint presentation.

Diploma toting son

Common areas in the main campus center building.

Hallway in the current science building

Standard size classroom

OVERALL UMASS BOSTON EXPERIENCE - 7

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending UMass Boston, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Fisher College

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 23:42:00 -0400

“Why did you get me out of bed to give this tour?”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:

Jordan JC Cloherty (The middle name is JC because she forgot her alias and told the admissions counselor her real name by accident)

Fashion Merchandising

Currently a freshman Marketing major at Emerson College

Looking into transferring to Fisher in Fall 2012

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Location - 10

We found the address very easily because we saw the blue flag for the school, and it was located right on the street that most of the campus is on. The school is situated on Beacon St. bordering between Downtown and the Back Bay. The building was beautiful and fit in nicely in the high end neighborhood.

Lobby Appearance - 10

Upon entering the converted brownstone the grand nature of the school’s buildings was extremely relevant. The lobby had a scholarly atmosphere and we were immediately greeted by the receptionist who had remembered speaking to us on the phone.

She then escorted us into a conference room that was reminiscent of meeting location for a secret society. We were particularly fond of the fireplace, grand oak chairs, and the credenza.

Tour Guide:

Marta, Birthplace Unknown, Management Major, Unknown Year Fun Fact: She is a student at Fisher College (I guess that’s fun?)

Personality - 2

Marta did not enchant us on the tour. In fact she made us feel rather uncomfortable. We felt as though she was bored and tired the entire time. It almost seemed as though she had been pulled from the cafeteria (not dining hall) and forced to give a tour against her will. She was mumbling the entire time and was often speaking too quietly to understand. Additionally, she made no effort to relate to the prospective student and did not once address her guests. At the beginning of the tour she did not introduce herself and the only way we knew her name was because the admissions counselor told it to us.

Appearance - 3

Marta was not dressed appropriately to represent her college, especially to a perspective student in fashion merchandising. She was dressed in what our friends would refer to as “pre-pajama attire” (clothing you wear to lounge in your dorm after class and before bed, when there is still a chance of going out into the hallway and seeing people; not to be confused with “rolled out of bed too late for class”) Marta was wearing a Hollister sweatshirt and leggings. It is possible that she was told to dress casually, but she could have at least worn a Fisher sweatshirt. On the hotness scale Marta receives a 5.

Ability to answer questions - 8

Although Marta may not have been the most personable tour guide, when questions were posed, she did give a correct answer. When posed with a humorous question, however, the room became tense and awkward as she did not pick up on our sense of humor (like what if Northeastern’s cool dad had been there?!).

Ability to relate - 2

Even though Marta did not study fashion merchandising, at a school of 900, it is hard to imagine that she would have no way to relate to somebody pursuing that major. She herself said it was one of the most popular at the school. She did not inquire further into the student’s interests in an effort to relate, something that should happen on a one-on-one tour.

Tour:

Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 1?

This tour definitely had NO entertainment value, especially due to the lack of interest from the tour guide. We did get information on the tour, primarily about the mansion that the college is housed in, but not enough that we felt like we knew a great deal about the school. We found it hard to rate this tour on our scale because of a definite lack of both information and entertainment.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 9

We got both a free carabiner and a pen in addition to the folder containing all of their informative literature.

Quality of literature provided - 8

The books, pamphlets and packets were very well-designed and had a lot of great information. As the admissions counselor said, it was like a tour of the school in a book.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 1

This tour was literally less than 30 minutes long. We understand they did not have a lot of buildings to show, but we also did not see them all. With the ones we did see, it seemed as though we rushed through them. We walked into the admissions office at 3:02 and walked back out to go home at 3:38.

Quality of tour content - 4

We were very interested in the information about the mansion that the school is housed in, but we were also not on a historical tour. We were told what all of the rooms were and shown classrooms, dorm rooms, the library, the cafeteria and common student areas, but we were given no information about the fashion buildings. We also got very little information about student life or academics. It felt as though we were given a tour of the floor plan as opposed to the school.

Miscellaneous:

Was there Dr. Pepper? ~~0 - Were there soda machines?~~ 5

***Update: We walked past Fisher last night and saw a vending machine containing Dr. Pepper. We are unsure if this was added after the review, but either way we would have liked if we had seen it on the tour.***

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 9 (They used font mixing, a difficult technique, very effectively.)

Favorite tour member? VDB and Jay-Z for actually laughing at and understanding JC Swag’s joke about having a mantle in every dorm room.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

Quote, “They take $1000 from your tuition each semester and you can spend it in the cafeteria.”

Our favorite credenza.

The “cafeteria” (Note: this is not a photo of my high school)

“So, like, does every room come with a sweet mansion-y mantle thing?” “All of the rooms are different.” “Oh….”

Free-standing staircase

Ignore the awkward presence of JC Swag and VDB and enjoy the serious badassery of the secret society board room.

OVERALL FISHER COLLEGE EXPERIENCE - 3

**This tour had a lot of potential, and the admissions office was definitely one of the best we have been in, but the tour guide brought absolutely nothing to the table and completely killed any interest we had in the tour. Perhaps the admissions faculty should run the tours themselves or find a student more passionate about her school. We felt awkward and uncomfortable the entire time.

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Fisher College, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Northeastern University

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:40:00 -0400

“My co-op went out of business”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:

Jay-Z

Architecture

Currently a sophomore Scenic Design major at Emerson College

Looking into transferring to Northeastern in Fall 2012

Frank Fishe (it was really Kevin Binder, our Wentworth tour guide!)

Graphic Design

Currently a sophomore film major at Hofstra

Looking into transferring to Northeastern in Fall 2012

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Location - 7

The admissions office was somewhat difficult to find on Northeastern’s large campus. The directions given on the website were easy to follow, but a map would have been helpful. The office is located in the Behrakis Health Sciences Center on the first floor, which seemed to us like an odd location. Once inside the building the office was immediately visible. The staff was ready with information specific to our intended majors and were eager to answer any questions we had.

Lobby Appearance - 9

The lobby/waiting room for the admissions office was both welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. The furniture was very classy while still maintaining a modern feeling. All of the information was very easy to access and the staff was ready to assist us with anything that we needed. There was also a water cooler, which was greatly appreciated.

** We did find out that the school is currently building a brand new Visitor’s Center that will be open later in the summer. **

Tour Guide:

Alex, New York, NY, 3rd year chemical engineering major, Fun Fact: He competed in and won a dodgeball tournament on a team with other engineering majors against one of the school’s fraternities.

Personality - 8

Alex was very friendly and courteous. We did feel as though we couldn’t get a great sense of his personality due to the size and set up of the tour. His jokes were greatly appreciated and he was really good at walking backwards while speaking. We were particularly fond of his joke about the library being the largest in Boston because “Harvard is across the river in Cambridge so it doesn’t count.”

Appearance - 9

Alex was wearing a nice button down shirt which made him look very professional and put together. I would have liked to see a little more personal style in his look. On the hotness scale, Alex received a 5.

Ability to answer questions - 8

Throughout the tour not many questions were asked at all, which seemed to upset Alex. We could tell that he was very eager to answer any questions that we had. When questions were asked he was able to give a great a response.

Ability to relate - 7

We found it a little difficult to relate to Alex, simply because of a difference in our interests, but that is to be expected at a large school like Northeastern. He shared a lot of his experiences with the intermural sports offered at the college, but we would have liked to hear more about other organizations.

On another note, we would have liked the opportunity to introduce ourselves and say what our intended major was. Perhaps this would have allowed him to gear the tour a little more.

Tour:

Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 3

The tour was much more informative rather than entertaining. Alex’s jokes kept this score at a three. We would have liked to see more of what Northeastern had to offer, specifically impressive technology. Alex incorporated facts and statistics in a nice way that was not at all obnoxious. We found the use of name dropping and bragging rights to be incredibly effective, and focus attention on the great things that the school has to offer.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 8

When we arrived for our tour, it was raining, and the admissions staff handled this very well by giving everyone on the tour a Northeastern poncho, which we got to take home. Other than that we received information booklets about the school.

Quality of literature provided - 4

The information was very informative, but we found it to be too text-heavy. The visuals could have also been more eye-catching. The “Husky Handbook”, though cutely named, looked more like a book for prospective parents rather than students. It did not hold my attention.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 5

The tour was scheduled to last from 11:30-12:30, and we arrived back at the admissions office right around this time. Alex kept the tour right on schedule without skimping on the information.

Quality of tour content - 6

Overall, we feel that we learned a lot about Northeastern, with a major emphasis on student life, including Co-Ops and sports. Although we understand that this was a large tour with a diverse range of majors, we would have liked to learn more about the actual academics at the school. We did not learn anything about the application process, interviews, or financial aid.

Alex did a great job of introducing us to the city of Boston. He went over general information about the T and where Northeastern is in relation to many of the city’s landmarks, highlighting the great location of the school.

Miscellaneous:

Was there Dr. Pepper? 10

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 4 (We were not big fans of the branding for the school or Times New Roman in general)

Favorite tour member? The Cool Dad who was never shy about laughing out loud at his own jokes or in a silent room. A close second was the prospective student who was embarrassed by her entire family, especially after her father proudly rocked his Northeastern rain poncho.

Meal Plan Breakdown:

Although Alex did a good job of explaining the meal plan, we were still confused.

On our 3rd attempt to learn about the meal plan, here is what we were able to surmise from the website:

You can have 10, 15, or 19 meals per week. The 3 dining halls are open all day from 7am-10pm. There are also “Dining Dollars” and “Husky Dollars.” We asked a friend, Swiss, who goes to Northeastern, listened on the tour, and checked the website but we still don’t understand.

There are also Profiler Plans for upperclassmen living in on-campus apartments who would still like to eat in the dining halls.

PHOTOS:

We loved the staged dorm room, especially this notebook.

Treadmills in the student center are conveniently located for judging those who have chosen to eat food instead of exercise.

She was so easily embarrassed!

Alex explains the co-op program while the Cool Dad listens intently, waiting for a chance to make a joke.

Even Northeastern is not immune to the current fad of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”.

OVERALL NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE - 6

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Northeastern University, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Check out this article about the project from BostonInno!

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:43:11 -0400

Check out this article about the project from BostonInno!

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Thu, 31 May 2012 21:04:00 -0400

“I can take you to Chicken Lou’s after this”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:

VDB

Interior design/Architecture

Currently a sophomore Scenic/Costume Design major at Emerson College

Looking into transferring to Wentworth in the fall

THE REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Location - 4

At first, we were unsure about where the admissions office was located. There was no clear marking or sign to show and the address was listed as Huntington while the front of the building was not located off that street. We may be adept at navigating college campuses, but nonetheless it was mildly difficult to find. But when we asked for directions, the security guard was very friendly and pointed us the right way.

Lobby Appearance - 9

The admissions office was right inside the door, which was great after our initial confusion. The decor was very consistent and had a very professional and collegiate vibe. The chairs were very classy, Wentworth logos were all over the place, even in the carpet of the admissions office.

Upon walking into the office, the person working at the desk knew exactly who we were and was definitely expecting us, which was very welcoming. We appreciated the accessibility of literature and the presence of a water cooler in the waiting area. Though Jay-Z was forced to down one of her drinks quickly, as our tour started right away! (Which actually is great…)

Tour Guide:

Kevin Binder, Long Island NY, 2nd year computer engineering major, Fun Fact: Once at six flags his ~~girlfriend~~ ex-girlfriend skipped going on a ride with him and ended up petting a squirrel, and his favorite bus is the 39. (+1)

Personality - 10

Kevin was extremely entertaining and did not waste our time with things we already knew or weren’t interested in. He consistently asked about our interests and asked where we wanted to go. The tour was definitely tailored to what VDB was looking for, which is exactly how a college tour should be. I feel like we would have been able to get any information we wanted to know out of the tour.

Appearance - 8

Extremely well dressed and well put together. Dressed in the college colors, which was a nice touch. On the hotness scale, Kevin received a 7.

Ability to answer questions - 7

We didn’t have a ton of questions, but any that we did have, he either knew the answer or was able to refer us to someone who would know. We also appreciated that if he didn’t know the answer, he definitely didn’t lie and pretend to know. He was very honest and real.

Ability to relate - 10

Coming out of this tour, the ability to relate was something that really stood out to us. He really talked to us and tailored the tour to us as current college students, with VDB as a potential transfer student. He also did not ignore JC Swag and Jay-Z, which we definitely appreciated even though we were not technically listed as prospective students.

Tour:

Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 5

A perfect balance of information and entertainment. He also went out of his way to find someone from the interior design department to talk to us about the department and the transfer process.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 4

The free stuff at Wentworth was primarily literature, but we very much enjoyed the look and design of the booklets. However, we also feel that the lack of free swag kept the idea of a “no frills, just real experience” environment that we felt throughout the tour. We appreciate consistency, despite our love of free swag.

Quality of literature provided - 8

Very strong visually and informationally. However, the hip and edgy nature of the literature was not very consistent with the professional, collegiate atmosphere that we felt from the minute we walked through the front door.

Length of tour (1=too short, 10=too long) - 6

Normally we would have rated the length of this tour to be a 7. We went over by 25 minutes, but it was because of the department specific visit, which was very informative and important. Our tour guide also acknowledged that our tour went over time and apologized that the interior design information lasted so long. Therefore, we pulled the score down to the better score of 6. We didn’t have any plans afterward, though, so we didn’t really mind.

Quality of tour content - 8

We got to see everything that we requested to see at the college, and it felt like we got to see almost all of the departments and several labs. It was an extremely interesting tour and I don’t feel like we missed anything.

Miscellaneous:

Was there Dr. Pepper? 10

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 6 (consistent, but not as hip/trendy as we prefer)

Favorite tour member? N/A - we were the only people on the tour

Meal Plan Breakdown:

They do not have meals, they only have Fenway cash. (From what we understood) It is used to buy food in the dining halls. The meal plan is the only thing we were mildly unclear about, but he probably thought it was weird that we were asking so specifically about meal plans when we already mentioned VDB would most likely be living off campus. (Little did he know this was a defined section of our review…)

PHOTOS:

Door to the admissions office, note the collegiate atmosphere

Wentworth Interior Design studios

Design studios

Vending machine that had pizza, chicken strips and french fries. We were very interested. Would love to explore this experience… We did not appreciate that our tour guide talked poorly about the pizza vending machine and said he would not try it. (He probably should.)

OVERALL WENTWORTH TOUR EXPERIENCE - 8

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Wentworth Institute of Technology, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

Berklee College of Music

Thu, 31 May 2012 17:41:00 -0400

“Didn’t hit it big in Serbia so I moved to America”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:

JC Swag

Primary instrument: Clarinet

Currently a sophomore Stage Management major at Emerson College

Looking into transferring to Berklee to major in Performance

First Impressions:

Location - 6

The address of the admissions office was very easy to find. Unfortunately, the initial lobby was not very welcoming, and it was pretty confusing to figure out that the admissions department was on the 6th floor of the building.

Lobby Appearance - 7

The admissions lobby was very welcoming and we enjoyed the hip and trendy decor. The seating was an interesting wavy wooden bench, but it was mildly uncomfortable. The desk person was very nice and took my information, though she spelled my name wrong. She also offered that we were welcome to explore the building since we were about a half hour early for the tour start time.

The space was arranged in a mildly haphazard way, with the information pamphlets and booklets around the corner from the main lobby area. It was not a terribly cozy lobby, but it did have the “Smash factor”, meaning it had the sort of nervous, cold feeling of an audition room, which may be appropriate for Berklee.

Tour Guide:

Alexsandra, Serbia, Majoring in Professional Music with an emphasis in Vocal Performance, Arrangement and Songwriting, currently taking a semester off after 3 semesters, Fun Fact: Her Serbian band premiered in America on the Berklee radio. (+1)

Personality - 6

While she was very nice and an entertaining tour guide, she did not go above and beyond to connect to each student, primarily focusing the tour around her personal Berklee experience. It was a very small tour group and individual connection would have been easy, especially with all of the walking between buildings. She also tried to make occasional jokes, which was cute and definitely upped her personality rating.

Appearance - 8

Her outfit was casual, fun and well put together, but also professional enough. On the hotness scale, Alexsandra also received an 8.

Ability to answer questions - 9

Though not a lot of questions were asked, she seemed very well informed

Ability to relate - 3

While she inquired about each prospective student’s intended major, and remembered them throughout the tour, there weren’t any specific areas visited or topics covered relating any student’s individual interests.

Tour:

Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10) - 3

The tour was not overwhelmingly entertaining. It was more informative, but I suppose this be may more useful for a student interested in Berklee.

Quality/Quantity of free stuff - 2

All of the free stuff was informative literature. There wasn’t any free swag.

Quality of literature provided - 9

Extremely informative and well designed, very nice packets and booklets. Upon arrival at the info session, an information booklet was waiting at a seat with a customized bookmark with my name, hometown and intended major, which was nice.

Length of tour (1=too short 10=too long) - 5

The tour itself was pretty brief due to Berklee’s small campus, and the info session was of an appropriate length while still being informative.

Quality of tour content - 6

We didn’t go into many spaces. It felt like we spent most of the time wandering the halls, but we did go into almost every building. We were not able to see a dorm room, but most students live off campus anyway. The info session was very high quality. There was an effective use of multimedia and powerpoint presentation.

Miscellaneous:

Was there Dr. Pepper? 0

Was there a sitcom TV set in the library? 0

Font choice/use? 8 (consistent, hip)

Favorite tour group member? Chance from California, an incoming transfer student for guitar performance (accompanied by his mother, a cool mom in her bedazzled Rocawear jeans and a funky hat) who doesn’t really need to focus on a musical style because quote “I don’t know, I’m kind of into them all.”

Meal Plan Breakdown:

On your meal plan you can have either have 3 meals on weekend days and 2 meals on weekdays or a bulk number of meals that can be used whenever throughout the semester. You also have the option of making a meal combination with food at the cafe. There is also a program where you can load money onto your Berklee card to pay at locations that accept the Berklee card or to pay for copies, printing or laundry.

PHOTOS:

Customized bookmark in the informational booklet at the info session

Our tour guide, Alexsandra and our favorite member of the tour group, Chance and a woman who can only be assumed to be his mother.

Berklee performance space

OVERALL BERKLEE TOUR EXPERIENCE - 6

If you want to know actual information about possibly attending Berklee College of Music, head over to StudentAdvisor.com to find out if this is the right school for you.

The Project

Thu, 31 May 2012 16:42:00 -0400

We are three college students living and working in Boston for the summer. In our spare time, we were looking for an interesting and different project to work on.

Our mission this summer is to attend college tours at every college in the Boston Metro area. According to the Wikipedia article on Boston colleges, there are 47 colleges located within reasonable distances to get to on the T. We took the list of 47, typed them into a list randomizer and we will be going to the colleges in the order that the randomizer created for us.

This is the list of colleges we will be visiting in our planned order:

Wentworth Institute of Technology
Berklee School of Music
Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
Bentley University
Lasell College
Urban College of Boston
Lesley University
Cambridge College
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology
New England College of Business & Finance
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Eastern Nazarene College
Fisher College
Roxbury Community College
Boston Architectural College
Pine Manor College
Harvard University
Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis
Emerson College
Mount Ida College
Bunker Hill Community College
School of the Museum of Fine Arts
Hult International Business School
Art Institute of Boston
Hebrew College
Northeastern University
UMass Boston
New England School of Photography
Suffolk University
New England Institute of Art
Emmanuel College
Quincy College
Longy School of Music
Wheelock College
New England College of Optometry
Boston University
Simmons College
Bay State College
MIT
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology
MGH Institute of Health Professionals
New England Conservatory
Newbury College
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Tufts University
Laboure College
New England School of Law

We will be posing as prospective students at each school we visit and creating a backstory to see how well they relate to our individual interests and to maintain our anonomity. We intend to rate tours using the following categories on a 10 point scale:

Personality of tour guide
Appearance of tour guide (including a hotness rating)
Informative (1) vs Entertainment (10)
Quality of waiting area (and are there snacks/drinks provided?)
Quality/Quantity of free stuff
Quality of literature provided
Length of tour (too short? too long?)
Outside information given
Ability to answer questions
Ability to relate to the prospective student’s individual interests

*Tour guides will be given extra points if we are able to gather the following information without asking: Name, Hometown, Major, Year, Fun Fact

Hope you’re all having a great summer and enjoy our explorations of the college tour experience!