<p>OP, it seems that schools will ding you if you don’t visit and you live nearby. So your strategy of visiting schools nearby makes sense. As for schools that are far away, if you can’t afford to visit, you can’t afford it…I disagree that schools will ding you for that when it’s a question of a plane flight. That said, if it’s possible to visit, then it does add a little cherry on top. Figure out which schools care about demonstrated interest. Find their Common Data Set (CDS), and look under the admissions factors. Some will say that interest is “considered”. Others won’t consider it at all. If your family might have some budget for visits, concentrate on the former, not the latter. </p>
<p>Don’t just go to big college fairs. See if a rep from the college is going to be speaking in your area, or at your high school. If you’re not sure, email or call the adcom at each school who is in charge of your geographic area, saying you’re interested in learning more about the school but can’t afford to visit, and wanted to know if they are scheduled to come speak at your school. You may instigate a visit! At the very least, you’ll get “interest” points. Similarly, if you’ve got questions about the school or a department, email your adcom to ask if he/she can put you in touch with a prof or student who can answer your question.</p>