Blogging with the Academies

by Nicholas Forcier - Director of Admissions & Enrollment

I’ve given a lot of thought to how adept we all are at managing virtual experiences, both as providers and consumers. In the past year, I’ll bet most of us have surprised ourselves with our ability to manage an online event. And yet I’ve probably never wanted to utilize a skill less often than this one; I want to go back to in-person events as much as the next person. But in the meantime, with The Albany Academies’ Virtual Open House coming up on Saturday, January 23rd at 1 pm, here are some tips for getting the most out of a virtual open house:

1. Register in advance. While we love surprises, it’s always helpful for us to know who plans to attend our events. Registering early gives us the opportunity to communicate all the important details with you and to follow up to thank you for joining us. We’re hoping the Open House is the first of many interactions we’ll have!
2. Prepare your list of questions. Chances are, the schools will make staff/faculty from most departments available for you to ask questions of. And if there’s not a representative of a specific department, somebody from the Admission Office can always help or at least point you in the right direction.
3. Take lots of notes. This is important even in non-COVID times because some details will undoubtedly blur together if you’re visiting multiple schools. But I think it’s especially important now, because the virtual programming lacks the kind of full-sensory experience you’d get when visiting in-person. 
4. Have your child(ren) join you for at least part of the Virtual Open House. Especially if you have older children, they might be craving an opportunity to engage with the school, and to see if it feels like a good fit. That being said, we know it’s more difficult for smaller children to feel engaged in a virtual format!
5. Be prepared to engage with the Admissions team after the event. While most schools are offering virtual open houses, it may be possible to schedule a private, in-person tour. At The Albany Academies, we welcome families to campus after the school day is complete and we can provide a safe and full tour of our campus. You can always reach out to us at admissions@albanyacademies.org or call us at (518) 429-2348