Now that you have done research on a variety of colleges and universities, the crucial piece of your puzzle of college admission will be your visits to college campuses. Visiting the colleges on your list will provide you with a firsthand impression of the students, faculty, staff, facilities, and programs. A visit to a college campus should enable you to meet with admission staff in order to obtain an idea of what they expect from applicants and what the admission process entails, gain a feeling for the academic and social atmosphere, see the facilities to be used for study, living and recreation, talk with students, and gain an understanding of the surrounding community.
WHEN TO VISIT
While most admission offices are open throughout the school year, the best time to visit a college campus is when college classes are in session. Although summer visits may work better within your schedule; remember that while you can take a campus tour and talk with a member of the admission staff, you may be unable to talk with students and faculty or attend class. It may be difficult to gain a good feeling for the atmosphere of a college community if you visit during the summer. If you visit campuses in the summer, plan to make return visits to your top choice institutions when the institution is in session. Spring break of your junior year in high school is a good time to take a trip to get an overview of many different schools. Once you have narrowed your list in the fall of your senior year, you may want to make return visits to schools to which you have chosen to apply. Some students will apply to schools, wait to see where they have been admitted and then make return visits during April of the senior year as they are trying to make their final decisions.
BEFORE YOUR VISIT
1. Contact the school at least two weeks in advance to schedule your visit. If possible inform the college of your areas of academic or personal interests. This information may help the admission staff to plan a more meaningful visit for you. The college admission office can arrange for you to talk with an admission counselor and take a campus tour. Some colleges will offer the option of an individual interview or a group information session. Many offices will be willing to help you set up housing, classes or other appointments. Plan to spend as much time as you can on the college campus, a minimum of half a day. Keep in mind that a thorough, well planned visit of a college campus may take a day and a half. Make sure that you have good directions to the admission office.
When scheduling your campus visits the following things are important to include:
- Talk with an admission counselor.
- Take an official tour of the campus.
- Attend classes, preferably a freshman level class and an upper level class. List of classes to visit are usually available in the admission office.
- Meet with a professor in an academic area that interests you.
- Eat a meal in the campus dining facility.
- Speak with a coach or an advisor of an extracurricular activity that interests you.
- Spend the night in a residence hall.
2. Read the catalogs and brochures from each college you plan to visit. After reading, come up with a list of questions that are important to you.
3. Check with your high school or ask the college to get a list of the names of current students who may have graduated from your high school or who may live near your home. Contact them before you visit.
4. Ask for the names of faculty members in your areas of interest and try to schedule appointments with them before you arrive on campus.
5. Buy a notebook to keep a journal of impressions from your trips to all of the schools you visit.
AFTER THE VISIT
1. You will probably visit several schools on your trip and it is easy for your impressions to run together. Once you have left a school, while your thoughts are still fresh, write down your impressions. Be sure to note what you liked and what you disliked.
2. If you think of questions that you did not ask during your visit, don't hesitate to contact the people that you met.
3. Write thank you notes to those with whom you had appointments and to student hosts if you stayed overnight.
4. If the school gives you a campus visit evaluation form, take time to fill it out. Your thoughts and suggestions are important to the admission office and may help future visitors have productive, positive visit.
Best Wishes,
A2Z College Planning
www.a2zcollegeplanning.com
info@a2zcollegeplanning.com
919-450-0171
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