College Visits That Mean Something

It’s that time again for my next daughter and I to start our college visits. I’ve already been through this once with my oldest and gotten her launched out into college life. And now it’s time for my 2nd daughter to start the process.

Really, we should have done some visits and research last year, but it didn’t happen. Probably because I was wanting a break since getting my first one launched out the door!  Anyway, this fall we have ramped up both our research and the college visits. If you are thinking about college tours, hopefully this blog post will help answer questions. Click To Tweet

When To Start College Visits?

When do I think you should start college visits? Personally, I think you should start in 10th grade. Do 1-2 visits by spring semester. Then in 11th grade, do a few each semester. The number you visit will depend on what you think your options and interests are. If your student has no idea which college they may want to attend, pick a varied selection of schools to visit. Try a small private school and try a large public university. Have many discussions as you are coming and going about what they might be interested in for a college. Why not wait to do this until 12th grade? Well, certainly you may wish to go to some during Senior year, but most college applications open up in August-September of that year. Therefore, having a good list of where you intend to apply by the summer before Senior year is ideal. And if a college visit will help you determine that, then you need to go before 12th grade.

Why Should You Go On A College Visit?

1. First of all, it helps you determine if that school is for you.  Your student may decide it is too big, or too small, or doesn’t have something that is important to them. It will help you rule out the colleges that are not a good fit. It will also help you learn what things are valued by your student.
2. It will motivate your student to study harder.  This works like magic. If they like the school (even a smidge!!!), they will most likely come home more motivated to study harder so they have that option available to them when they graduate. It does wonders for their motivation and endurance.
3. This can be a fun, bonding time between the two of you. Just a change of pace for the day, and a change of scenery, can help lighten the high school load and give you an added boost in your teenager-to-parent relationship.
4. It gives you the chance the ask questions to the Admissions officers. You’ll want to make sure to bring a notebook or phone to take notes with.
5. This shows the school that you are interested. Admissions officers sometimes keep records of who has come for a visit, who has liked their social media pages, etc. So, it’s always good to visit any school you may be applying to.
6. It is perfect when you are deciding between your final two choices. Going back for a second look can help you decide which one to go with.

What Questions Should You Ask While You Are There?

Some of these are questions that you should just be discussing with your teen. Others are questions that you should verify with the admissions officer.

1. What majors do they have? Do they have the one your student is interested in? Do they have several others that could be backup choices?
2. Is it a big school or small school? Commuter school? If you go on a day when class is in session, this is ideal. What does the campus feel like to you? Do the students look stressed, relaxed, happy?
3. How are the food options? Is there enough? Imagine eating at one restaurant for an entire year. Make sure you pick a college that has many options.
4. What about the male:female student ratio? What about faculty:student ratio? Is it a good fit for the type of atmosphere you are looking for?
5. Explore the academic (merit) scholarships and need-based scholarships they offer. What are the SAT/ACT score requirements? — both for admission and for scholarships.
6. Do they have some of the amenities that your student would love? Honors College? Gym or Rec center? Pool for use by the student? Clubs and organizations they are interested in?  Religious groups? Community involvement/service projects? Study abroad?  All of these are things to check into and see if they have options that would interest your student.

Here’s a great article on visiting college fairs which has some of the same type things to consider when looking at colleges.

Some personal conclusions….

Some personal things that we have found out when visiting colleges:

One school was too spread out. One end to the other required a bus trip and my daughter was not a fan.

Another school was way too small. We walked around campus when school was in session and it was like a ghost town. That’s because everyone was in class!

At another school, all the kids looked really stressed out and in a hurry. Hardly anyone talked to us.

Atmosphere is important, and you will not get a feel for it unless you go to see it for yourself.

I hope this post gives you ideas about how to get started. Each college website has a visit page. Just go there to plan your visit!

Regards,

Michelle