<p>Hi everyone, I'm going to be a junior. Throughout this year, and the next summer, I want to start visiting campuses. So, do most people just visit nearby campuses, or do they visit all around the country. I'm sorry if this question is vague; I'm curious as to what all of you have done or plan to do. I'm pretty openminded about where I'd go. I'd prefer to get into an 8 year med program anywhere in the nation to be honest haha. DO any of you have tips or experiences you could share? Thank you guys!</p>
<p>There are lots of reports of visits, also some funny ones in the Parent’s thread.</p>
<p>Many people say to look at nearby colleges so that you can get a feel for features you like or not. Visit a public, and a LAC. Certainly visit nearby ones you might apply to.</p>
<p>Some people have ability to do a few regional tours. Others not. My daughter looked at one instate and one out of state only, that’s all we could do. We didn’t think at the time to look at more nearby schools just to get a feel for features she liked and might want to look for elsewhere.</p>
<p>Lots of people start close to home. They might visit a large public university, a medium sized school, and maybe a smaller liberal arts college. Maybe seeing both urban and rural campuses in that process. It helps you figure out what sort of campus appeals to you.</p>
<p>Next you probably want to figure out what schools offer the types of program you want AND what you can afford. No point in visiting a lot of schools you can’t pay for. Good sources of information are the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the school websites. There is also a search function here on CC that can help you, too. For the cost piece, each college has something called a net price calculator you can use to estimate the cost for you. You will need help from your parents to fill it out, though. And if they have a small business, are divorced, own real estate beyond your house, or there are any trusts in your family, that can make the calculator less accurate (usually you will have to pay more than it shows).</p>
<p>Regarding distance, you need to talk to your parents about that. If you identify some schools you want to visit that aren’t close to home, you will likely need their help. We did some visiting while on family vacations or summer program pickup/dropoff trips, too. If you can group a few colleges together geographically, you can try to go over spring break. Summer visits are also possible, although there are fewer students on campus (but my D2 just started at a college where she first visited in summer and there were no summer classes, so it can still work out).</p>
<p>And you want to visit schools you have a good chance of getting into. No point in visiting Ivies if you don’t have the stats for them. 
The Fiske book can help you figure out test score ranges. And you can always start a “chance me” thread out here once you have a possible list of schools. :D</p>
<p>Start by visiting campuses near you, even if you aren’t particularly interested in them. It’s good to see a big one and a small one, one public and one private, and do a tour and info session at each. After a few of these you’ll start to see what’s common to all schools and what differs. More important, you may spot things that appeal to you or that you don’t like. Based on those initial visits, research to find other schools with the characteristics you like. The web has excellent virtual tours and lots of information about nearly all schools. </p>
<p>Don’t spend money visiting distant schools until you’ve done your homework and have a good feel about a school. Also, until you have your test scores back and have a good sense of where your grades will fall this year, there isn’t a need to be looking at many reach schools. It’s more important to find safeties and target schools. Finding desirable reaches is easy. </p>
<p>When you visit, try to go on a day when students are in class and pay attention to the students, not the other kids on the tour with you. Eat a meal in a dining hall. Sit in on a class, if that is allowed. Stop in to the local coffee shop or other student hangout between classes.</p>
<p>Google combined medical programs (Brown and Northwestern are notoriously tough to get into) and GWU, also Albany Medical College , and some state schools such as U Missouri have programs too, for example. Visit one at a time, interview with admissions and try to speak with professors and other students attending. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone!</p>