<p>I will be heading out on a 10 day road trip with my dad from DC to Boston next week to look at colleges. Everyone says that this is way too long and that by the end of the trip I wont remember one school from the next. Unfortuantely this is the only block of time that works. So I've come up with a few questions to answer for each school. I'm also planing to biring a digicam. Any other ideas? And is it wrong to take pictures of the tour guide or admissions person? I just think I would remember things said on a tour or in a conversation better if I had a face to go with it.</p>
<p>Unless you can find an appropriate time to pose with the tour guide (ex. get your parent to take a picture of you with the tour guide in front of a campus landmark or something like that), I think it'd be weird to ask.</p>
<p>I think that taking some pictures of the tour guide or admissions office is perfectly fine. It may be unusual but you have a good reason and the guides and adm officers will be willing to please, that's their job. Just explain what you are doing and why before the tour starts and then be as innocuous as possible. I'm sure you realize that visiting campuses in the summer when few people are around is very suboptimal for getting a real feel for a campus' "vibe". If there is any way of returning during the school year to some of your higher ranked schools I would strongly encourage it. But at least make sure you find some real students to talk to when you visit next week. There should be some around, but it may take a little work to find them. It will be worth it. Keep in mind the tour guides will be literally selling you on the place and it's important to have some less-biased info from real students. Don't be shy!</p>
<p>Thanks. Aren't tour guides real student volunteers though? Or are they paid? Also any other techniques people have found useful to sort out the mangle of campuses in their minds after such a trip?</p>
<p>they are paid</p>
<p>At some schools they are paid and some they are volunteers. If they are paid it's usually not big bucks - just pocket money.</p>
<p>They are paid, but I may not have been completely fair. The tour guides are actual students that are paid to give tours. Obviously they are also highly motivated to say positive things about their schools. By "real students" I meant kids that are not so motivated to be positive, that might be more honest about revealing some of the negatives that all schools have and maybe won't always try to put a positive spin on their answers. Keep in mind that at every school there are going to be kids that love it and those that are having a poor experience. By talking to as many kids as possible you will be able to get a better feel for what the experience might be like for you.
As to keeping them all straight, I would recommend that you deconstruct after each school that you visit: write down your impressions (pro and con), any leftover questions that you will need to follow-up on, maybe even grade your experience on a scale of 10 to be able to compare as you go. Be as organized as possible; you will be glad you did!</p>