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I was a tour guide at my law school for the last three years. I am also young enough to probably be a millenial myself. That being said, here's a normal parent vs. a helicopter parent:
Normal Parent: Comes on a tour or to admitted students day or orientation. Parents and spouses are encouraged to attend these at our school, so this isn't too out of the norm. My mom didn't come to admitted students day because she wanted me to decide for myself without her influence, but I did bring my boyfriend to orientation. The parent will ask a few questions of the tour guide, like "Is my kid going to be safe in this city?" or "How did you cope with the stress of your first year?" Parent might even pull me aside while the prospective student is in the bathroom and ask a few questions that the prospie might find more embarassing to overhear. Throughout the day parent is quiet and taking in information, generally hanging back from the tour group. When I explain Bar Review (weekly social event), parent says to the kid "That sounds like a good way to make friends."
Helicopter Parent: Comes to a tour, admitted students day, and orientation. Stands in the front of the tour group at every stop, asks what professors the prospie should be sure to take, what section the parent should call the school and ask to have the student placed in, what clubs are available for "us" to join, etc. When I explain Bar Review, parent says to the group "Well my special Susie is a serious student and she would NEVER drink on a weeknight." Calls admissions office. Emails me with followup questions.
There is a huge difference between a normal, concerned, loving parent who wants to help their kid make a decision and a heli-parent who will be right there making every decision for them. These parents I encountered were parents of kids who had done well enough in college to get into law school, and the kids were all at least 21 or 22 now.
I'm also not even sure it has to do with age - there is a guy enrolling for next fall at my school who is only 18. His dad came to visit day because the student was a minor and couldn't get a hotel room to stay overnight, but his dad was really laid-back the whole day, and his only question was if somebody at the law school would be able to make sure his son was living in a safe neighborhood. I had other prospective students who were older than me (I'm 25) who had both parents there hovering over the whole time and telling me how good Wonderful Will's stats were.
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