With the fast approach of Spring, now is a good time for students, especially juniors, to start scheduling their college visits. There’s no better way to learn and experience a college than actually setting foot on campus. I always encourage students to visit as many colleges on your list. It is vital for students to compare colleges based on different factors – such as size, location and academic environment. In addition, many colleges track demonstrated interest and, therefore, college tours serve as a great way to show colleges you are interested in attending!
So, get the most of your college visits with these tips:
1- Plan ahead. Don’t wait until last minute, many college tours and information sessions fill up fast.
2- Research as much as you can about the college before visiting. I always encourage students to review college websites and other resources to learn as much as they can about the college before visiting.
2- Attend an admissions information session. These sessions offer you a glimpse about the school’s culture, priorities and admission helping you determine whether the college is a good fit.
3- Take a student led tour. The student is a great resource of information about a school and can help answer many of your questions about student life, culture and the colleges’ strengths and weaknesses.
4- Sit in student dining center and school library and observe student interactions. Watching students interact will help to show you which are types of students that will thrive on campus.
5- Take pictures so you can capture as many moments as possible. These pictures will help you remember your college visit experience for weeks or months after.
6- Venture beyond the campus to neighboring towns and cities to get a feel of the college’s location
7- Don’t visit more than 2 colleges per day. Plan on spending a minimum of 2 hours on each campus. You also have to take into account travel time between colleges.
8- Finally, write down notes after each visit. I share with students a unique worksheet so they can jot down their impressions on the different facets of campus
