<p>Okay, I'm in a situation I'm sure many of you also find yourself in. I can only visit a couple colleges, the ones close to where I live, because of certain restraints. Some of it's due to money, but there are other issues too. The point is, I'm wondering whether I should apply first, and visit to decide if I happen to get acepted. The problem with this is 1. no demonstrated interest 2. I won't know what I like about the school (aside from brochures and websites) and that will show on the application.</p>
<p>So what does a guy in my situation do? I've visited my first-choice school and that's it. Best case scenario, I get in and my worrying is done. But if first-choice schools were like that, college admissions would be no problem =(</p>
<p>A friend of mine did what you suggested, which is apply first and visit later. Her reasoning was that she didn't want to fall in love with a college and then get rejected. She would rather visit all the ones she is accepted to after the admissions process and decide which ones she likes best.</p>
<p>While that seems like perfectly good logic to me, I nevertheless recommend that you visit the colleges. It really helps to get a feel for the college and if you really want to go there. Sure it will cost you, but applying to schools which you later decide are not right for will cost you too (though probably not as much). What you can do as an alternative is to research the college a little, visit its website, take a virtual tour online, and talk to people who are familiar with the college. Good luck.</p>
<p>There are ways of demonstrating interest without physically visiting a school. You can contact the admissions office by phone or email and ask questions. You can get on their mailing list -- perhaps they will have an informational meeting in your area. (For instance, we are in Maryland and managed to go to meetings for Brown and Chicago locally.) You can apply early and request an interview.</p>
<p>As far as knowing about schools, you aren't limited to their brochures and web site. Check out places like studentsreview.com, where current students and alumni offer comments about what a school is like. You can go to the specific school forums and ask questions. You can also go to the local bookstore and read up in assorted "what these colleges are really like" books. Ask around and see if you can find alumni or current students of the schools. Finally, you can order videotaped campus tours from <a href="http://www.collegiatechoice.com%5B/url%5D">www.collegiatechoice.com</a>.</p>
<p>Just make sure your spring schedule is open. I waited to visit most of my college options last year, and since I play a spring sport, I had trouble finding time to visit.</p>
<p>Yeah, I was the same way, I had applied to twelve college last year, only two of which I actually visited because for various reasons including money and distance, though my situation became especially harder once acceptances came because it was impossible for me to visit all the colleges on my list, so really I cut it short [three colleges], and I made time to visit those, and though at times I question if I made the right decision, I generally know in my gut that it was the best one for me, so I say try to get down some visits, even sporadically, though if it comes to crunch time I would say follow your gut, and that's definitely the best answer.</p>
<p>julyinoh: What my D did was visited her top choice, then applied. She THEN applied to 3 more. (Financial restraints kept us from visiting all 4, as 3 were scattered on the east coast & midwest)</p>
<p>Accepted to #2, with great scholarships. Went to visit. Liked what she saw.
Waitlisted to #3, did not visit.
Accepted to #4, her super safety. Did not visit.
Accepted to #1. Grabbed the acceptance.</p>
<p>Do NOT spend all your money visiting schools. IF there's a way to see some of them, great. SOME schools will make note that a visit didn't happen. To combat that INSIST on an interview in YOUR area with a rep. Every school's got 'em. THAT shows interest.</p>
<p>Actually Stanford doesn't have regional reps. That's my first choice school but of course I need other reaches/matches (my state u is safety) and I'm having a hard time deciding which ones from just brochures I get in the mail. And I don't have time or money to go and visit every school I'm interested in to see if I like it =( Maybe I just haven't done this college search process very well..</p>
<p>Hmmm, have you tried perhaps any of the online surveys/quizzes which give you an idea of what are good places to look at [though I find most of these are fairly strong at environmental matches but fail to really get down the aspects of selectivity]. Also, perhaps look into PR's Top [insert number] colleges, I find that this gives a very nice overview and perhaps if you get interested in a certain list of colleges read up on College Prowl3r which can get really specific, at least that's how I did it and I think it really helped cut my list down which was once at about 50 and by December of my senior year was down to a complete 12, so...</p>
<p>Actually, I didn't offically visit any of the schools I had applied too (too far away just to visit), though I had been to Stanford and Ohio State before for other things (Stanford-Waitlisted. Ohio State-Accepted). Ended up committing to USC, but I still haven't been there yet.</p>
<p>julyinoh: If Stanford is your #1 choice, you may be in luck. They don't necessarily consider an interview in their decision process.</p>
<p>Apply.</p>
<p>IF you are accepted, THEN find a way to get there to spend a day/overnight. In the meanwhile do some heavy duty research on the general area, student body, fields of study, etc.</p>
<p>What attracts you to Stanford? Prestige or??
What are you considering studying?
Are you going into your senior year?
A deep conversation with a guidence counselor at school might open some additional prospects.</p>
<p>Due to time constraints and financial issues, my son did not visit any schools until after he was accepted. Even then, he only visited his top options. </p>
<p>I'm not sure that "demonstrated" interest, or lack thereof, played any part in the acceptances. WashU offered to fly him out for a visit and cover all expenses, but he didn't have time (summer programs, ECs during school year, etc.)</p>
<p>He still ended up receiving acceptances at all the schools where he applied (Ivies, MIT, Stanford, etc.)</p>
<p>Hm there's no way I'm reading through this whole thread. But I can offer my two cents:</p>
<p>Certain schools I knew I had to visit because they met all my criteria (in terms of academics, prestige, diversity, location, etc etc), but I wanted to make sure the environment was a good fit for me. Some other schools, however - like Cornell, for example - I knew I'm definitely going to apply to because they have one of the best programs in my field of interest, so I would consider going there whether I like the campus or not. The ultimate choice of top program but not so great campus vs. average program but very comfortable campus, I'll leave for when I can actually make that choice, once I know where I've been admitted. Just beware of the few schools - in my case, that included Georgetown and the College of William and Mary - that look good (but not outstanding) on paper that aren't that great in person, either. In those cases, since those schools have nothing especially attention-grabbing to offer, you don't have to waste your time, money, and effort in applying to.</p>
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The ultimate choice of top program but not so great campus vs. average program but very comfortable campus, I'll leave for when I can actually make that choice, once I know where I've been admitted
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<p>That was definitely the decision that I had to make, and it was definitely a tough one, though I ultimately decided that it would be impossible for me to go mit because I absolutely hated the environment, but again that's personal preference. Though nonetheless I recommend at least getting in a visit before you ultimately live on campus because you don't necessarily have to love, but it has to at least be bearable.</p>