<p>I tried searching the database for similar posts but couldn't find any. So here is my story:</p>
<p>I talked to my parents about possible college visits (presidents day and spring break) and found out I don't know as much as I though I did. I talked to one of my friends, who is now a freshmen in Swarthmore, and he said he had interviews with the admissions when he visited the colleges. I'm wonder if that true for most places or just the smaller schools? Also, do I need to prepare (in anyway) for a college visit? Will I need to schedual an appointment or can I just show up? What should I be looking for (away from the politically correct lists and stuff that really doesn't matter)? Etc etc.</p>
<p>I'm currently considering heading over to GWU for a visit to see what its like (I live in NoVA) before I tackle more important schools on my list. What will I need to do in this week before the visit?</p>
<p>If you want to just walk around the campus on your own, you don't need to pre-schedule anything. </p>
<p>However, just walking around doesn't always give you the full story - for that, I recommend you take a formal tour of the campus (usually led by a student tour guide) and either talk to an admissions counselor or attend a group presentation. That way you get to ask questions about admissions, daily life, academics, financial aid, etc. and you also get a clearer picture of just what all those buildings are for. (The tours also include a visit to a dorm room - it's difficult to get into the dorms at most schools if you're not on a tour)</p>
<p>However, for a tour, presentation, or a meeting with an admissions interview, you do need to plan in advance rather than just show up. Setting all of this up is very easy - just go to the admissions web site of the schools you are interested in visiting and look for the link for "scheduling a visit." Usually, it can all be arranged via email. It's best to contact them at least a week in advance, but it's not always necessary to give a week's notice.</p>