How to Maximize Your College Visit
posted by Victory Briefs on March 30th, 2008
SPONSORED POST – Spring break is upon us. High school may be out, but college visits are definitely in. Many of you are planning to tour schools that you’re considering applying to in the fall. Whether you are a younger student planning an exploratory visit, or a college junior looking to narrow down your college list, this is a time filled with excitement.To anyone interested, I’m happy to email you a copy of the thorough checklist I provide my IvySelect students prior to their school visits. Send me an email at mgoran@ivyselect.com to receive the IvySelect Visit List. The following general points, though, should be addressed to maximize your college visits.Before you go:
Do your homework on schools you’ll be visiting: review college web sites, course catalogs, online student newspapers and view books to help formulate questions.
Contact the admissions office ahead of your visit. Many private colleges offer overnight visits for seniors and juniors. Also, you may need to make an appointment in order to take a tour.
Consider contacting faculty members to meet and explore undergraduate research opportunities.
Ask the admissions office whether it would be possible to sit in on a class or two.
If appropriate to your area of expertise or interest, contact athletic coaches, music department professionals and theater department members to discuss special requirements and potential financial aid. The visit:
Wear comfortable shoes & clothes.
Bring a camera – schools tend to blur together.
Bring lots of questions – use the IvySelect Visit List.
Visit the campus when classes are in session.
Keep contact information of admissions staff.
Question the admissions officer, question the tour guide.
Better yet, question random students about why they chose the school, what they love about their college and what they dislike about their college.
Talk to students in bookstores, the student union and campus dining halls about the dorms, what they do on weekends, whether they can get the courses they need, whether professors are accessible, the social scene, campus diversity, safety and security, & the availability of research and internship opportunities, etc.
Eat the cafeteria food – you could be eating it for the next four years!
Scan the college newspaper and the bulletin boards.
Schedule an interview, if the college offers one. Come prepared with questions.
Talk to a financial aid officer – loans versus grants? Need-based aid? Merit aid?
Don’t visit more than two schools in a day. After the visit:
Congratulations! By visiting colleges before you apply, in some cases, you may slightly increase your chances of admittance.
Keep in touch with the college; sending a note to a professor you met with.
You may follow up with members of the admission staff, expressing your interest in the college and asking questions as they arise.
Evaluate your notes and thoughts about each college you visit. Does it feel like the right fit? Can you see yourself at that school for the next four years?
Consider adding the colleges you loved to your application list.Michael Goran, J.D., is a college admissions counselor and Director of IvySelect College Consulting, a private college counseling company that works with high-achieving students interested in attending top tier and other top 100 colleges. Mr. Goran can be reached at (877) 489 -8671. Visit the website at www.ivyselect.com.
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