Felten was interviewed by Forbes about the questions prospective college students should be asking when they are considering a university.
Peter Felten, assistant provost for teaching and learning, executive director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and professor of history, was interviewed by Forbes about what questions prospective college students should ask when looking for a university.
The article, titled “The Question Every College Applicant Should Ask,” highlights the importance of having a faculty or staff member who cares and is engaged with them. Felten, who authored “Connections are Everything: A College Student’s Guide to Relationship-Rich Education,” told Forbes that to find this on campus, students need to be proactive researchers.
“I’m a fan of open-ended questions and storytelling,” Felten said.
Felten suggests asking students questions like “Tell me about a professor who inspires you” or “Tell me about someone you’ve met in class who you’ve really connected with.”
When talking with admission officers, he tells families to ask: “Can you tell me about a student you know who has meaningfully connected with a professor?”
“I’ve found those kinds of open questions/prompts are good conversation starters because it’s easy to ask follow-up questions,” Felten said. “And if you ask a few different people this kind of question at a college, you might start noticing patterns; for example, students here seem to make friends in their first-year courses. At the same time, you might notice things people do not talk about; for example, none of the students who described inspiring professors have actually had a conversation with that professor.”