College Visits - Part I

Prior to Arrival
-Research – Before you make hotel reservations and start buying plane tickets, spend
time doing some serious research. Visiting colleges takes time, money, enthusiasm
and a sense of humor. It would be impossible to visit every college you are remotely
considering, so get organized, do your research and visit those schools that will help
you reach your ultimate goal — admission to your first choice school.

- Where To Visit, Part 1– If you are considering applying to any school early decision,
you must plan a visit to campus. How can you sign on the dotted line that you will
attend this school, if admitted, when you’ve never even seen the place?

- Where To Visit, Part 2 – If you are undecided and overwhelmed by all of the college
options available to you, it can help to visit a few schools to get a sense of what you
like/dislike. Visiting a large state school, a small liberal arts college and an urban
campus can give you different pictures of what college can be like. Even if you
ultimately decide against applying to any of these schools you visited for research
purposes, the time will be well spent if the visits help you determine the places you
would like to be.

- Schedule Your Visit, Part 1 – Contact the admission office, via the phone or web,
to schedule your visit. Admission offices want to know that you are coming to visit
so they can help you make the most of your visit. It would be a shame to plan an
entire visit and not realize the admission office is closed for the day. Plan ahead!

- Schedule Your Visit, Part 2 – It is best to visit campus when school is in session
and students are not frantically preparing for final exams. Summer is a popular
time to visit colleges, but remember that the campus won’t be buzzing with normal
activities or current students over the summer months.

- Coordinate Multiple Visits – Let’s say you’ve decided to visit Ultimate University,
your first choice school. It would be smart while you’re in Ultimate City, or on your
way to Ultimate City (if you’re driving), to also visit a couple other schools. Make
the most of your travels and try to see as many schools as you can, especially for
comparison sake.

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