For those who do not know, we here at UNH offer prospective students and their parents the opportunity to ask questions of admissions representatives and current students online about once a month through our online chat program. We do this to provide families with the opportunity to ask questions that they typically could ask us on campus, but may not have the time to come visit ... or maybe thought of the question AFTER their visit. It is also a great opportunity for students to talk to other students about THEIR perspectives.
Tonight's online chat was quite an event. We had nearly 60 students come to chat with us and ask us about everything from residence halls, to food, to admissions statistics.
Online chats give admissions reps some opportunities as well. These chats provide us with the chance to see what some of our future applicants are really like. The way we are talked to during a chat gives us a pretty good idea of how a student acts in "real life". If a student is polite and asks a lot of questions, that means that student will be active and engaged in the classroom. If a student is inconsiderate of other students as well as admissions representatives ... chances are that student will be inconsiderate to others if they joined us on our campus community. Online chats also give us a window into what a student's real concerns are during their college search process. It helps us give valuable feedback to administrators here on campus to make sure the concerns of our students are met.
Just like your teachers and counselors tell you that what you put on your Facebook and MySpace is out there for everyone to see ... the way you act in an online chat is out there for admissions counselors to read and consider during your application process. We appreciate all of your thoughtful questions and input during tonight's chat. To log in to our next chat, simply go to www.newhaven.edu/chat. All chats are 7-9 p.m. EST on the nights they are scheduled.
