<p>Hi there. I'm a 24 year old student who will be transferring as a junior next year. A far flung transfer wasn't on my radar until recently, so I made no trips the past summer. Now, I only have the winter when most campuses will be closed, and I'm running very low on money for the visits anyway. </p>
<p>How many of you went to a school you didn't physically visit? How hesitant should I be to do that?</p>
<p>You could visit after you are admitted and before you make the decision to attend.</p>
<p>You should be very hesitant. What is making you think about transferring?</p>
<p>I’m in community college and will have to transfer.</p>
<p>Looking again at the school calendar I suppose I could go between winter and spring quarters too (window of March 20-30). What time does one usually have to commit to a school?</p>
<p>I agree with SiliconValleyMom - more pointedly what’s on your “radar” has little to do with your situation. Get into the school, see what the financial package is and then raise these questions. At this point, you don’t have the cash or the opportunity so it’s only mental masturbation. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what going to a private school across the country is going to provide an English major that he can’t get at the University of Washington. That said, if some elite school offers you a ‘full boat’ ride to attend, I’d figure a way to visit.</p>
<p>Have you tried looking at each college’s online Virtual Tour? </p>
<p>But, more info is needed…</p>
<p>How much can you afford? </p>
<p>It’s very hard to get good aid or scholarships as a transfer student.</p>
<p>I go to Penn State and did not visit, and I hate it. (Granted I didn’t visit ANY colleges. I’m very poor. My EFC is literally 0.)</p>
<p>My mom can’t afford to have a college road trip so I simply won’t be able to visit any of the possible schools I may attend in the fall. I just use google street view, and all other resources possible.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>google street view will give the “lay of the land,” but it won’t tell you about the academics or facilities.</p>
<p>Most schools have online “Virtual Tours” (or something similar by a different name.) Go to the school’s website and look around. Look at the website of your major. Try to learn as much as you can about a school’s academic programs, clubs, dining venues, rec facilities, etc. You also need to determine whether a school is a residence, suitcase, or commuter school.</p>
<p>Be sure to look at the Housing website to find out the “kinds” of dorms a school has. Some schools’ dorms are just gross, while some schools’ are really nice.</p>
<p>Coolbrezze - what are your stats?</p>
<p>Beren - What is your financial situation?</p>
<p>^
My stats are below the average cc.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Still…what are your stats?</p>
<p>Where are you applying?</p>
<p>^
[I’m applying to many universities, so far I have only applied to about four successfully: University of Minnesota, University of Iowa (accepted), University of Arizona (accepted), University of Michigan, University of Illinois ( apparently they don’t have my transcript etc…). Plan to also apply to other universities such as: GWU, BU, NYU, USC and more. Likely I may add and/ or remove a few schools from the list for financial reasons.]</p>
<p>Coolbrezze. You really should apply to MSU. You need a good instate school just in case you don’t get into U-M.</p>
<p>Hello again. I didn’t mean to imply that I’d been set on UW for awhile then after getting a few good grades I decided to go east to accrue 100K in debt for the imagined prestige of a private school. I mean when I started not longer ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do, had no clue about SATs and transfers and financial aid. I planned to go to UW tacoma, but I now see they offer very few programs. So I’m late to the game and trying to catch up in knowledge.</p>
<p>UW Seattle is an excellent in state option, and I’m glad to have it. Still, I see no reason to close myself off to all other options. I plan to apply to a few need based aid schools such as Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>I should have about $800.00 to spare by the time of a possible trip, but wow are car rentals expensive! </p>
<p>Thank you for the replies.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a big deal. A lot of students don’t have money to visit their schools before they go. You think that one or two day visit tells you a lot about a school, but it actually…doesn’t. I visited the school I went to for undergrad but only because it was in my hometown. I considered schools that I had not visited and I was fine with that.</p>
<p>I personally think visits are best saved until after admission, as it makes little sense to visit a school before you are admitted (unless you have a lot of money).</p>
<p>I’d also advise you not to plan to rent a car. What you should do is get admitted, then see if you can arrange to stay with an already enrolled student in the dorms for a night or two. That way, you don’t have to worry about transportation or hotel fees AND you have a built-in connection to help you visit classes and maybe talk to some professors. I hosted a couple of prospective students who wanted to visit my undergrad and it was a good time, and they also came to class with me and I had a little time to show them around. A lot of college towns/cities also have fairly good public transportation.</p>
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<p>I’m concerned about the OOS publics that you are applying to. Most OOS publics can’t give any decent aid to OOS students - so you’d likely have a big gap. (without a hefty merit scholly)</p>
<p>And some/most of your OOS publics don’t give merit aid to OOS students. So, how could those be affordable?</p>
<p>What are you expecting to get from these OOS publics? I’m concerned that you won’t get much or anything from most of them. Do you have high stats that you know will merit some money from any of your listed publics?</p>
<p>There are some OOS publics that are generous to OOS students.</p>
<p>Are you a NMSF? Or do you have really high stats?</p>
<p>^
Well for University of Iowa I’ve earned scholarships and one may increase base on financial need (which I have). Um, Minnesota I really like the school so if accepted if I’m in luck it will be affordable ( less than 5K of loans). Well for the private schools I’m also concern about the funds I may receive if accepted so I do know the university I choose to tend 9 times out of 10 will be which is more affordable I( or best price for its education). </p>
<p>
Yeah MSU is a great school and wish I could have applied there but I can’t. The only instate school I can attend is University of Michigan, if not there I will be out of state somewhere.</p>
<p>^Coolbrezze should clarify the fact that he only lives 10 min. from MSU’s campus ;)</p>
<p>Anyways OP, I personally will not be visiting most of my prospective colleges. To be honest, I really doubt it matters, because you can easily get a feel for an institution by talking to an admissions rep, spending some quality time with their website, Fiske Guide/PR/Collge Pr owler, etc. and any threads here on CC.</p>
<p>The true test will boil down to finances. If Prospective U is within range financially and passes your likeability and academic quailty tests, then go for it.</p>
<p>If Coolbrezze is 10 min from MSU campus, why is he only “in-state” for UMich? Are you across the state’s border? If so, why would you be in-state for UMich?</p>
<p>Are you getting in-state rate for Minnesota, too? You mentioned it being very affordable. It’s about $26k per year for OOS COA. Not high, but might not get covered with FA.</p>
<p>How much is Iowa giving you in scholarships? I don’t believe that UIUC is going to give you anything if you’re OOS. Have you heard differently?</p>
<p>Arizona is often good with merit; have they indicated how much you’d get from them?</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>^
I live in Michigan, and live only about 10 minutes away from Michigan State University. I didn’t state I’m only in-state for UM, I stated that UM is the only school within my state ( MI) that I’m applying to.</p>
<p>I don’t know what I can get for Minnesota if accepted, I would like to get scholarships ofcourse but may have to look for outside funds if accepted and decide to attend.</p>
<p>Yeah I was looking at UIUC finanal aid for need base in-state students and it wasn’t well at all, they were literally taking out about 10k of loans… if I were to get any scholarship funds from the school if accepted I’am likely to take out 10k or greater too, so I’am definately having rethoughts about the school.</p>