<p>My son is going into junior year of HS. We live in the New York metro area and considering schools in the Northeast. I hear all kinds of conflicting things about the optimal time to visit colleges - some say fall of junior year, others say wait till spring. Does it make sense to visit all the colleges on our list once and then circle back for second visits/interviews at the colleges that are his top choices? </p>
<p>I'd really appreciate other parents' advice.</p>
<p>Not a parent, but I visited the bulk of my college list over my spring break of my junior year (10 schools in 5 days). Only one of the schools was also on spring break, luckily. I did not do any on-campus interviews; in some cases they were not offered but even when they were offered, I did not regard it as necessary to interview before I was sure I was going to apply just for the sake of having an on-campus interview. There were no second visits except to schools I was admitted to (the nearest school to my home that I applied to was still 500 miles away).</p>
<p>I'd start the process whenever you have the time & your student is receptive. Best time: when students are in session. I'd try to front-load this visiting job as much as you are able (don't push all the visits into your student's spring break/even summer break).</p>
<p>A caution: if your student is interested in a variety of schools and you try to cluster visits all during one vacation period, you could conceivably all end up tired, cranky and unduly negative toward an otherwise excellent school. </p>
<p>Also--my son developed some preferences about certain factors over time. We started out w/schools he really wasn't that interested in (but were geographically convenient). This was an easy entree into the process & he still formed some initial preferences/dislikes.</p>
<p>PS If your student really likes a school & is accepted, you can always visit again before he makes a final decision.</p>
<p>Either fall or spring of jr year are good. We did it in the fall, but only because one of the main schools that my D was interested in had the same spring break as us and she really wanted to visit when they were in session. I don't even think it's possible (or necessary) to visit every school once, no less twice (but we live out West, so that's a factor). Most of my Ds schools didn't have on campus interviews anyway, just alumni interviews in our town or close by.</p>
<p>zip personal visitations. Virtual was becoming popular in '01. S used pictures on paper with captions. We are Left Bankers, with S who went he to CMU, which was the only school he applied to that was more than 150 miles from any ocean. </p>
<p>Enjoy your trips whenever you/he takes them.</p>
<p>I agree with the above, and would add one story based on our experience. We visited one school late in the summer and it was just gorgeous. The gardens were magnificent-- color-coordinated flowers, manicured lawns, etc. But this school is in upstate New York. The winters there can be frigid, and there will certainly be no flowers. My recommendation is to go closer to the season the kids will be in school. Most students will not be on campus when the flowers are blooming. Winter can be a big shocker to people from warm climates. You are from the New York area, so you probably know all this, but I'm just saying.</p>
<p>If you have the time, money and energy, I think it's a good idea to do visits as a rising junior or in the fall of junior year so that your son has an idea of the type of college he wants. This way, when he talks to his GC later in the year, they can formulate a list based on desired criteria. Then, the colleges on this list should be finalized with visits. Another advantage of visiting early is that your son does not have to interview, so it's a no-pressure visit. </p>
<p>We recently completed a productive whirlwind tour, and now my son has strong ideas about what is important to him in a college. Of course, it would have been better to see the colleges when they were in session. We will try to do that with the final list.</p>
<p>My D is a rising senior. Last month we visited 8 colleges in Florida (all where on her list). I'm glad we did the tours before applications because out of the 8, she only saw 3 that she would apply to.</p>
<p>At one college tour there were freshman HS students on tour. I don't suggest you do it THAT early unless you happen to be in town. Case in point, D thought she had her whole life planned out with a certain major. In Spring of Junior Year we visited a local college and planned on just applying there. A few months ago she came to me and said she wanted to change her major. The school she "planned" on going to didn't have the major, so we had to come up with a whole new set of schools. I'm glad we didn't invest the time or money in college searches earlier in HS.</p>
<p>It doesn't occur often, but occasionally HS and college spring breaks are the same week. If you're traveling a long way, it's worth checking the college's academic calendar.</p>
<p>Along the lines of franglish's observation, if you live in a cold climate and are considering a school in the South, summer is an inappropriate time to visit.</p>
<p>You should visit whenever you have time when schools are in session. We have found that visits at "off times" ie summer or school vacations, are not at all productive.</p>
<p>Since you live in the northeast and are looking at schools within driving distance, that makes college visiting much easier. If your son is interested and willing to visit schools (some juniors are just not ready to start the process), then there's no problem going during both the fall of this year and the spring. </p>
<p>Our first college visits were in the summer before junior year, just a few schools that were on our way home from a vacation. We saw urban, rural and suburban; small to large. The schools weren't in session, but helped my kid decide what she didn't want.</p>
<p>Junior year, she visited colleges during every school break -- long weekends in both the fall and winter, and winter and spring breaks.</p>
<p>There were 2 schools she revisited, when she wanted to sit in on classes, have an interview, etc. She scheduled a couple of campus interviews in the summer before senior year, at schools she had visited during session during her junior year -- this way the second visits didn't interfere with school time. </p>
<p>At first, she thought we were pushing her a little, since none of her friends started visiting colleges as early as her. But by senior year, she was very glad she had started early. All her friends were in total panic mode, trying to fit in visits and writing applications and doing school work and ECs and stressing out in general. Our kid was just stressed out, but at least didn't have to deal with missing school for college visits.</p>
<p>Of course, all this changes if you have to fly to tour colleges.</p>
<p>I agree with those parents that suggest visiting as early as possible in the junior year. Our school system limits the number of days a student can miss for "excused" absenses, making it very difficult to hold off on visits until senior year.</p>
<p>It's good to check the college schedules and time your visits when your son has holiday and the colleges do not. I know for us, the Feb. break is a good time and many spring breaks do not coincide. Other than that, you can also do a school or two during a three day weekend, but see the schools on the weekday when in session. Since you are staying within the Northeast, it shouldn't be too hard to work out. You might want to make the schools your son is seriously considering a priority.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>Most scheduled campus tours are Monday-Friday. Some, but very few, schedule on Saturday or Sundays.</p>
<p>It's also best to sign up ASAP, spots fill up quickly.</p>
<p>Again, most, not all, colleges do not have campus tours during semester breaks (ie., 2 weeks or more around Christmas).</p>
<p>(1) I'd echo the "whenever you have the time & your student is receptive" thought. I dragged my oldest to a few schools fall of his junior year, really because they were on <em>my</em> list and we were going to be in the area. I don't know if it was a waste of time, but we all got more serious about it in the fall of his senior year. I really think it's fine to wait until then unless interest/opportunity presents itself sooner. (I will not be taking my rising junior son to any visits unless he brings it up.)</p>
<p>(2) I also agree that it's important to visit schools while they're in session. My son knew after about half an hour on every campus whether he could see himself with that group of kids or not. Very easy litmus test.</p>
<p>(3) We visited a total of about 10 schools over junior/senior year. We re-visited the two that were at the top of his list after all of the acceptances/rejections/waitlists/merit aid offers were in. It was valuable to make back-to-back visits and he ended up having a very clear preference.</p>
<p>(4) This is a fun and exciting time and, like labor, it will all come to an end, probably with the result that was meant to be. Relax.</p>
<p>One thing I'd advocate if your S is interested in the most selective schools is to visit safeties first, if possible. First, visits to the most selective schools are less important than visits to safeties, in part because schools the most selective schools don't weigh "demonstrated interest" as heavily in admissions decisions. Second, when a kid visits, e.g. MIT, and falls in love with it, it's a lot harder to make him pay full attention to what's offered by a WPI. Finding a safety he's happy with is, for many people, a lot harder than finding a reach school he is happy with. So, start with the safeties if you can--or at least avoid making the first few visits to his reachiest colleges.</p>
<p>A few thoughts:</p>
<p>Having done both whirlwind 5 colleges in 3 days and the leisurely 3 colleges in 4 days trips, I vote for the latter. Frankly, too many too close together and they all look alike. </p>
<p>Definitely you should go when students are there - empty campus tours never worked for us.</p>
<p>If you have time, visit an assortment of schools to create some contrast - big school little school, urban school suburban school etc. Just like looking at houses, once your student has seen a few, he/she will have a better perspective on what they are looking for. </p>
<p>Plan on an additional visit to the "finalists" if you can - DS did an overnight at the three finalist in March of his senior year and that really helped sort out the winner (which he is not attending but that is a long story - it was still the winner)</p>
<p>One version of what worked that may not be possible for many. Visited in September/early October of Senior year.
Visiting during the summer at most schools is pointless, at least for those who feel that "fit" is a priority. The advantage of Senior year is that testing and the academic biography is in. Should have a realistic idea of what a reach/match/safety is.
Also, the advantage of numbers. Group info consisting of 2 students (daughter and one other student) at Dartmouth and Princeton. Only student at Swarthmore.</p>
<p>I'll echo LilyMoon's comment about using holidays when colleges are in session. This worked quite well for my son, since he hated to miss school even though his school granted 3 days of excused absences for college visits in jr & sr year. He used the holiday mismatch paradigm to visit schools within a 2 hour drive. The only downside to this was that many other people used the same strategy and the sessions/tours were more crowded. If you need an appt., make it early.</p>
<p>If you are going on holidays when schools are in session, be sure you register well in advance. On holidays such as Columbus Day, schools book up weeks prior.</p>