Ten Tips for Teriffic College Visits

     For high school juniors and seniors, visiting college campuses is a rite of passage.  For parents who are just starting to explore the college application process with their kids – be forewarned – things have changed significantly since you applied.  For starters, college has gotten a lot more expensive with the list price for tuition, room and board topping over $50,000 annually at selective private schools and well over $20,000 for students attending their state’s flagship university campus.

     Beyond the cost, the number of tests taken and applications filed has also increased exponentially.   While most high schoolers applied to three colleges in the past, today the typical number is more like 8 or 9 or 10.  In addition to the SAT or ACT, many competitive high schools and colleges push for SAT II and Advanced Placement tests.  Add in the cost of standardized test tutors and private college counselors and the cost of applying is starting to add up to what tuition for a year used to total.

     As a result, when it comes to making the effort to visit schools in person it pays to plan ahead in order to make the most of your time on campus.  We’ve been making the rounds of colleges located within a couple of hours of home over the last few months, and although we have a long way to go we have learned enough to be able to formulate the following list of tips for students* who are planning college visits (and the parents they are dragging along).

1. Plan to visit a range of schools: particularly early in the process, it can be very helpful to visit a range of schools representing large, small, urban, rural and suburban settings.  On the fence about liberal arts or a more technically focused institute?  Visit both types and see what you think.   Many high school students have spent little or no time on college campuses and can’t visualize them in their imaginations.  It really helps to see different types of environments and imagine what it would be like to live there for four years.
2. Register ahead of time:  most colleges have extensive online admission resources that include virtual tours, student blogs, admission event calendars and registration tools to schedule visits.  Every school is a little different but most offer several time slots daily for tours and information sessions.  Periodically schools will offer more in-depth open house days that include the opportunity to meet faculty and get a more in-depth view of life on campus.  Make a point to pick a time when students will be on campus rather than when they are away on vacation.  Make sure tours and other activities you are looking for are available when you plan to visit and register ahead of time to make sure you are expected.
3. Athletes – read the NCAA recruiting rules and follow them:  Scholar-athletes considering playing Division 1 or 2 sports need to register with the NCAA clearing house at the beginning of  junior year and pay close attention to the recruiting rules.  Note that you can contact coaches on your own but there are strict limits about how frequently they can contact you during junior year.  If you are visiting a campus make a point to coordinate meeting with the coach informally if you are a junior.  Official visits are during your senior year but you are limited to 5 across all Division I and II schools.  Division 3 guidelines tend to be more flexible since those schools do not provide sports scholarships.  
4. Arrive early for your visit: many college campuses are fairly spread out and it is easy to take a wrong turn and spend 10 minutes trying to find the right parking area for the visitor’s center.   Arriving early also lets you look around a little on your own to get a sense of the place.
5. Be prepared with specific questions:  Know the name of the program or specific undergraduate college you are interested in.  The business college may have different admission and degree requirements from the engineering or fine arts school.  If you want to get answers to questions specific to your areas of interest it is very helpful to be able to refer to the relevant program or course of study. 
6. Stay near the tour leader and ask questions:  Most campus walking tours take 60-90 minutes.  You will usually see academic buildings, a sample dorm room, the recreation facilities, and the library.  Most tour groups are fairly large (often 40 or more people) and the group tends to spread out as it moves from place to place.  The tour leader will usually be a student who can provide a lot of interesting information – if you stay close and ask questions.   In general, most tour leaders seem to focus on campus life issues and rarely volunteer much information about academic loads or expectations.  You need to ask specific questions if you want answers on those type of issues.
7. Take pictures: after the fourth or fifth school the memories may start to blur, particularly if you are visiting multiple schools in a short amount of time.  We take pictures to share on the blog but we also find them really helpful to jog our memories about the strengths and weaknesses of each school.
8. Eat in the cafeteria:  even if a meal ticket isn’t included in your visit take the time to grab lunch or a snack in one of the larger cafeterias.  Try to go when a lot of students are eating and see how they act.  Are they happy, stressed, or bored? 
9. Work in a little local fun:  particularly for visits to schools that are far from home, try to put some time in the schedule to check out the local color.   Most of the time you will be seeing multiple schools in an area over the course of a few days.  Save time for a little fun, or at least check out the local restaurants and shopping areas.  Take in a minor league ball game, a local theater performance or nearby hiking areas depending on your  interests.  The personality of many schools is directly shaped by the communities where they reside so getting a sense of the local flavor helps put things in perspective.
10. Talk about it: college visits don’t stop when you leave campus.  On the way home talk about the pros and cons and how it compares to other schools that you’ve seen.  Have an honest discussion about admission requirements and whether this is a stretch or a safety school or somewhere in between.  Also have an honest talk about the money and just how much debt a school like the one you visited is worth.  Over time you’ll start to see patterns emerge about likes, dislikes, and unexpected interests.

    * One final bit of advice – its the high school student who is going to be attending college and he or she needs to be involved in all aspects of researching options and planning visits.  If mom or dad is reading this article – make a copy for your student and tell him to start researching!

Photo of Harvard Yard, courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism