We are flying from CA to Boston to visit 4 colleges during spring break in April-- and a vacation or family of 5. This is our last set of visits and was expected to fill out my junior daughters “apply to” list and possibly pick an ED school. Brown just cancelled all campus visits through April. It wouldn’t surprise me if other schools follow suit. As long as we are healthy we are planning to travel. If the tours get cancelled is the trip worthwhile-- to see the area, walk around campus on our own, etc.? This is the last chance to visit for our schedules and admitted student days across the U.S. are not really an option. Schools planned: Brown, Boston U., Tufts, Smith. Obviously all our flights and lodging is already paid for and ability to refunds is questionable. If she doesn’t go she has only ~4 colleges on her list and could choose to apply blindly to these, but then what if she’s accepted? What would she base her decision on?
Like many international kids, or kids who can’t afford to visit campus before they decide, she can watch videos, use websites like Niche and others, and interview to ask questions.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if colleges are going to offer some streamed events with student panels, etc…so that applicants can get a feel for a college.
There are going to be thousands of kids who will find themselves in this position. Back in the good old days, most kids didn’t visit campus. Many kids still don’t. My kid attends college with several kids who never set foot on campus until move-in day. I’m not trying to be flippant, but this is a first world problem. Have a fun vacation and enjoy family time together. There’s a lot of good stuff to see in the area.
P.S. Has she got a safety?
post pone until the summer…she has time
So sorry this is happening to you. I heard through the grapevine that a parent in a Wellesley public elementary school (is just outside of Boston) tested positive for coronavirus and all the Wellesley college student visits were cancelled. Even the admitted students weekend was cancelled. My son is a student in Boston and he said many public gatherings in Boston are getting cancelled.
I would suggest doing the virtual visits and calling admissions to see what alternatives are available. You can always apply and visit next year if she/he is accepted. But I hear you, it’s hard to narrow that list down without seeing the campus in person. Good luck to you.
Smith College just announced within the hour that all students need to vacate on-campus housing by March 20 and expect not to return this semester.
Most of what you hear in campus info sessions you can get online. I’d take the trip and get a feel for the different colleges’ communities and then next year you can always do a quick overnight or attend admitted student day in March/April. My daughter is waiting on one school still and we are trying to decide if we should visit on out of state school early next week (unless they tell kids to stay home after spring break)
I’m sorry to hear you are going through this. We are in a similar situation - only we are living in Boston and attempting to get to Accepted Students days elsewhere. Anyways…I think it might be a worthwhile trip. There is a different feel between the Brown campus, for example and Boston University. The cities of Boston and Providence, although closely situated, are really quite different. Certainly if you could postpone until the early fall, when the weather is beautiful and we are (hopefully) virus free, that would be ideal. If not, I would proceed with your planned visits. Good luck and safe travels.
I’m sorry you have to deal with this too.
You might consider not going on your trip so that you don’t risk bringing coronavirus back to your community, or get sick yourselves.
Cost, academic offerings, and other things that she values but can find out without visiting.
Visits are probably overrated in importance in college selection. And with many campuses switching to distance / online education, there won’t even be a possibly-representative subjective feel of the college that a visit may offer. You might see how nice the grounds, buildings, and surrounding areas are, but those hardly seem like the most important deciding points of choosing a college.
We are also planning on flying from CA to NY and Boston for spring break. Both schools in NY have now cancelled (NYU and Columbia) and in Boston we are down MIT. Unfortunately all other available time is fully booked between summer internships and international travel up to when schools start in the fall. We were hoping to narrow down our ED choices. I know there will be thousands of juniors in the same predicament going into next year; probably 100 just from her high school.
Have you considered not doing ED and then visiting next year after she finds out where she gets in? Just a thought. I’m trying to make a similar decision, but my son is a senior, so if he doesn’t get to see the one school he hasn’t seen, he will likely not attend.
According to the Boston Globe, MA Governor Baker just declared a state of emergency. MA now has 92 cases. Many (most?). Colleges are shutting down. If you visit, you may just see a bunch of buildings. I’d reschedule.
I know that there’s more to life than college admissions, college visits, and College Confidential, but this pandemic is seriously messing with people’s plans. The Ivies have told students not to return after spring break, and their sports playoffs have been canceled.
Again, what’s most important is to get this COVID-19 under control, but gosh, it sure throws a wrench into not only people’s plans but students’ senior year excitement (college visits, road trips for those visits, and so on).
I like @Lindagaf 's reminder because it’s one that I’ve made often. International students, who tend to come from wealthy families, do not routinely fly back and forth between their home countries and the U.S. to visit schools. I agree that because universities quickly switched to online classes for the rest of the year, they can quickly create/promote virtual tours (most schools have these already) and other events.
OK-- well it does look like many/all Mass. campuses will be shutting down for an extended period of time (not just visits). We will likely cancel the trip if we can get refunds. Unfortunately there is no other time to visit so she will have to go off online material, videos, and, possibly meeting with Admissions staff who visit our area. Such is life!
I just returned from a spring break trip/college tour with my daughter (2022) and am happy to answer any questions/talk about the ‘vibe’ she felt. We saw Harvard, Tufts, Brandeis, and Brown (along with NEC)
All of the dorms at Olin College of Engineering in Boston (actually a suburb of Boston) are closing. News just announced 2 hrs ago. Will be closed until safe to return. The students will Leave at Spring Break and finish the semester online. Tough to do if you’re an engineer since everything is project based. I believe Harvard, Smith, Amherst have also done the same. I suspect all the schools in Boston will do the same.
Yeah, you can argue that visiting each campus isn’t necessary but it’s really important. Some people were head over heels for a college but one visit changed their minds. There are some things you can’t tell from statistics, rankings, and words on paper. The campus visit could show a lot more than building architecture!
I wanted to visit a lot of schools in my area but many are shutting down and/or going online. I hope their transfer/visit events won’t be but it’s completely understandable if they do.
We can only rely on online tours like YouVisit and YouTube videos right now.
We are going to drive and visit the towns/empty campuses if the schools D needs to still see are closed. Although I just saw your daughter is a junior (mine is a senior) - you have more flexibility. I wouldn’t get on a plane unnecessarily (just me personally!) if I had other options.