Seeing Is Believing: The Campus Visit
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
At the risk of stating the obvious, there is a good chance your college education will represent one of the most significant investments in your life. Whether you choose a place that costs $50,000 or $150,000 over four years, that’s a lot of money—and four years is a big chunk of your life! When you consider everything that is at stake, how much are you willing to leave to chance?
As a result, visiting college campuses will represent an important investment of your time and energy as you prepare for college. There is no better way to assess in real terms the opportunities at, and appropriateness of, a college or university that is on your college list.
By investigating college campuses in person, you reach beyond the marketing propaganda to make first-hand evaluations. The college is there for you to discover on your own. Now is the time to challenge assumptions and replace preconceived notions (biases introduced by family, friends, the media and promotional brochures) with information processed through your own filters. Now is the time to begin developing your “gut feeling” with regard to colleges.
When you approach the college selection process as a consumer, the value of the campus visit becomes clear. Each place you visit could become your home for four years. Spending time on its campus gives you an opportunity to check out the merchandise before buying. In many cases, the campus visit also gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the institution and tell your story (more on that in a future blog).
So, plan to visit colleges as early and often as possible. Talk with your parents about combining college visits with business trips, family gatherings and vacations. See as many places as possible early in your search. Even if a college does not appear on your initial list, spending time on its campus will give you valuable perspective for more informed decision-making later in the process. Besides, you may discover things at a previously unknown college that may impress you. More than a few students have chosen such colleges that emerged from random visits.
Ideally, by the time you enroll you will have visited the college three times. Each visit serves a different purpose as you become acclimated to the college search and advance your interest in specific schools.
1. Look/See
This is the initial survey visit. Get out of the car and check it out—there is no such thing as a good “drive by” visit! Take a tour. Attend an information session. If the college is far from your home and an interview is offered, take it. The purpose of this visit is to determine if you want to add the college to your list. Visit as many colleges as possible. Resist the temptation to make emotional commitments right away. You may find yourself falling in love with a place, but there is much more to learn before you are ready to rule out other options.2. Investigate
When you have determined your short list of colleges, begin planning a second round of visits. The point of these visits is to learn as much about the place as possible—from an insider’s perspective. Visit when the college is in session, preferably in the fall or winter of your senior year. Try to achieve immersion. Become a student on that campus for 24 hours. Talk with students, meet with professors, and, if possible, stay overnight on the campus. Get inside the culture of the place—especially those elements of campus life that are important to you (athletics, music, theatre, volunteerism, etc.).If the cost of attending will be an issue, you and/or your parents should meet with a financial aid officer. Many financial aid officers will review costs as well as sources and methods of payment. Some will work with your parents to determine your estimated family contribution.
If Early Decision is a possibility for you, do not begin the ED process until you have immersed yourself in at least two choices—the potential ED school and the school that ranks second on your list.
3. Time to Buy
You have been accepted—hopefully, to several colleges—and now it’s time to “buy.” Assuming you used your priorities and the five points of a good fit as a compass bearing thus far, you need to rely again on your gut feeling in making a final decision. Attend programs for accepted students. Stay overnight—again. Imagine yourself in the classroom, the residence hall and the dining hall every day. How does it feel?
In the final analysis, visiting college campuses is probably not at the top of your list of things to do right now. Every day spent visiting campuses is time away from things you would rather just be hanging out with friends. Multiple visits at colleges that are geographically removed from you can also represent a major disruption in your schedule. Nonetheless, they are essential if you are going to make good, well-informed decisions about your educational future.
The June 8 Web-Side Chat, “Window Shopping: Getting the Most Out of Campus Visits,” featured an extensive conversation about the role of the campus visit in choosing a college and provided a check-list for a successful campus visit. On June 22, the Web-Side Chat series provides a real-time webcast that focuses on “Tips for a Successful Interview.”
To participate in that program and view the June 8 segment in the archives, become a Best College Fit™ Member.
