<p>I feel your pain!</p>
<p>Many schools will only accept those that show a definite interest, i.e. Lehigh. If you don’t visit your chances of gaining acceptance drop dramatically.</p>
<p>^That’s not entirely true. Schools know that people have financial problems and parents like the OP has. I think it may be somewhat to really true at top LACs, though, which can be really selective with what students it picks. </p>
<p>I also didn’t visit schools before applying. I knew the two most important things for me were: great engineering and overall intelligent student body. I didn’t really need a visit to figure these out. And to further simplify things, the first requirement pretty much eliminated all LACs. I did go to some information sessions though, which I thought were very helpful in giving me a good taste of the school. And you can always just do some research if need be. </p>
<p>That being said, you should probably apply to a couple more schools than most of these people recommend, due to the fact that you haven’t visited. If you apply to eight, get into 3 and don’t really like either upon visiting (an entirely plausible scenario) you are in trouble. So apply to enough schools that you can project 4-6 acceptances, if not more. 4 acceptances will give you options. </p>
<p>And if you get into 8 schools, what are the chances that you will want to visit all eight? By the time acceptances roll around, if you spend enough time on this forum, you should have a good heirarchy envisioned (at least I did). I ended up only visiting one after acceptances, and enrolling there.</p>
<p>I take my post back, I have it worse off. I have to be accepted AND they have to give me money in some way shape or form (scholarships or grants).</p>
<p>Visiting is not the only way to show interest. Schools know that not everyone can afford to make a personal visit. Contact/communication with the admissions staff, professors, and students are all ways to show interest without showing up personally on campus.</p>
<p>you can also go to the school’s website and request information. this gets your name/information in their system.</p>
<p>Apply to as many schools as you can, then drag your parents around to every one just to get them back for their lack of assistance. You can follow their rules and have a month long family vacation. Win win.</p>
<p>Look at the school’s website Wiki youtube etc. Whichever schools appeal to you via web and discussion are the schools you should apply to and than visit the schools that you are accepted to. You don’t have to visit every school you are applying to. You can always decide not to go to a school after you have been accepted.</p>
<p>I am going to 10 schools this fall.</p>
<p>What’s the problem with not be allowed to visit schools until you’re accepted? You apply to the schools you think you want to go to and then when you get accepted, you visit them.</p>
<p>There is no problem. The OP was just asking for different ways he could learn more about prospective colleges. </p>
<p>You can look at their school website. I know some schools like JHU have virtual tours. Look at Wiki. Ask students currently attending certain unis how they like their particular uni.</p>
<p>The internet is a powerful tool.</p>
<p>This is a tough situation that I would think most kids picking schools are in. If you have a pretty good short list I think visiting after acceptances will work out fine … among other things it cuts down the number of schools needed to visit. That said, visiting any of the schools within a couple hours from your home should be doable … if not with your parents maybe with a good friend. With my kids we visited a lot of local schools initially not necessarily schools to which they would apply but schools to check out small/medium/large … city/rural/suburban … etc … then they could shape their short list … again this could be done with friends if not with your parents. Good luck and I’m sure things will work out fine!</p>
<p>(PS - visting after acceptences works very well as long as you are free your spring vacation week and can visit multiple schools then (and the colleges are set up for these visits) … my middle guy has a EC that limits his ability to do this so it’s a little trickier for him)</p>