One of the most effective ways to get a first-hand feel for colleges and narrow prospective college lists is to get on a college campus and take an in-person tour. This is also a way to show a “demonstrated interest” to a college, which can be considered as a factor in admissions at some schools (key note: if visiting campuses in-person is not financially feasible, know that most schools also offer great online tours)
If you are able to make it to campus in-person, we wanted to share a few notes on strategically planning trips and what to do once you to campus:
Research the school ahead of time using online resources and by talking to school counselors, alumni and family friends. These are all good resources to gather initial information about a college.. Another great way to get the inside scoop is to see if friends/family/school counselors know any alumni or currently enrolled students. Ideally, recent alumni and currently enrolled students can provide their own perspective on essential campus destinations, and insight gleaned from their own college experiences.
Book the official college tour. Most schools offer a calendar and booking arrangements online, or families can call the admissions office to sign up for a tour. A guided tour may include perks like a look at the dorms or classrooms, as well as a sense of the community and selling points from the guide. In addition, spending some time in the bookstore or eating a meal at a popular student destination can also be great compliments to the official tour. Try to also speak with a few random students about their undergraduate experiences as well, as sometimes, the best details come from unexpected and spontaneous interactions.
Inquire about meeting with an admissions officer during the visit. This is an option at many schools, and it’s a great chance to make an in-person impression on the admissions office. Think of this as an opportunity that can only help students’ chances of admission, so do some homework and have a few questions about the university at the ready. Tip: Dress nicely, as if going to a job interview.
Try and visit a range of schools, but rest assured, there is no need to fly all over the country. We advise scheduling one or two regional visits if possible, with a plan to see 3-5 colleges in each region. So, for example, if you are flying into Boston, you might visit a few schools in Boston, and a few within driving distance. If you live in a region that has some different types of campuses (large public, small private, near a city) those campus visits can provide helpful perspectives on overall campus feel. We recommend visiting campuses that vary in size, class offerings, surrounding environment and community feel. If it is cost prohibitive to travel widely, you can always visit the campuses within driving distance of where you live. Here in the Bay Area, that could mean visiting Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State, San Francisco State, St. Mary’s and Santa Clara—a fantastic mix of private, public, small, large, urban and suburban schools.
Use the information gathered about college lists. Feedback from campus visits often proves to be one of the most valuable tools in developing and refining college lists. Taking ten minutes at the end of each campus experience to jot down notes and capture impressions about what stood out or didn’t resonate with a particular school can provide key insights (Pictures help too, as details from multiple campuses tend to blend together over time). Beyond just refining college lists, saving and organizing this research can be incredibly beneficial later, particularly when it comes to writing college-specific “why” essays.
We hope these tips are helpful as students start to think about campus visits this spring or summer. For more information about Green Ivy’s college counseling and academic advising services, click here.