So I live in California but am interested in several schools on the east coast. The problem is, my parents say we don’t have enough money for me to visit those schools before committing to them. They want me to choose a school based off of internet research and brochures. I know a lot of people on these forums and college admission officers are always talking about the benefits of visiting schools and how vital it is and all, so what should I do? Should I just choose a school in California (pretty sure my parents would be fine driving me to any of the UCs) or should I take a chance and choose to spend four years of my life somewhere I’ve never set foot on? Or are campus visits just vastly overrated?
You can get a fair amount of information by looking at virtual tours on college websites, at promotional videos on youtube, using street view on Google to do some virtual wandering, and by reading reviews here and elsewhere. You also could visit different types of schools in California - small liberal arts, large state university, suburban/urban/small town and see what feels right to narrow your search and get a better idea of your preferences. It also depends how adaptable you think you are.
A professor once said to me that 80-90% of your college experience depends on you and what you make of it. Chances are, you’ll settle in wherever you end up and will end up loving your school.
+1 for using google. also, there are videos online as well showcasing the college
My D’s first time on her college campus was when she moved in her freshman year. We lived too far/didn’t have the money to visit before she applied. She was waitlisted, and then was offered admission and had 3 days to decide to attend. No time/money to visit on such short notice.
She had done a lot of research ahead of time, and it was just like she imagined it would be - if not better.
Visits are nice when you are deciding what type of school you want to attend (large, small, etc.) but if visiting ahead of time is not possible, it can still work out.
If you have specific schools in mind make a thread in each school’s forum here on CC and you can get responses from current students and maybe alumni. But only do this after you have looked at the website and viewbook.
My niece visited a number of colleges and universities in her home state and a few more on family vacations, but she applied to many without visiting. After she was admitted, she and her mom traveled to visit the place half-way across the country that gave her the best aid package and that showed the most promise for her major. Ask your parents if something like that would be possible once you know where you have been admitted and whether the places are affordable.
My D didn’t visit her college until she was accepted. I took her and my next son up for an accepted students weekend. My son then decided to attend the same school.
The college I attended was 10 minutes from my home but it was my last choice. I had to go there for financial reasons. As a result, my first visit to the school was at orientation.
This thread may be helpful as it has some very detailed descriptions of visits taking by students/ parents this year.
As @TomSrOfBoston suggested, if you have a handful of specific schools in mind, create a thread in those schools forums. Also read through the existing threads.
By visiting local colleges, you can get a feel for whether you might like smaller/larger, city/suburban and then focus on what you like on the East Coast that matches. Google maps street view is excellent for “walking” around campuses and reading on various websites from students can give you an overall feel as well. If you decide to apply and get accepted, that would be a good time for a visit - before you make your final decision.
I think college visits are overrated. I never visited the school I graduated from, my wife never visited the school she went to, my kids never visited the schools they went to. We all did fine and were very happy with our colleges.
^^^That worked for your family but it may not work for the OP and others. I never visited my undergraduate college and had a great time too. But that was back in the Paleolithic Era.