<p>Do they keep a record of that stuff?</p>
<p>Some colleges have you sign in when you take a tour. Other colleges don’t care about showing interest and don’t keep track of who visits.</p>
<p>If you’re thinking about lying about it on an app (Columbia comes to mind) … don’t.</p>
<p>But colleges hate it when you write typical stuff about how it’s “good for engineering” or has “beautiful architecture,” right? If you can’t afford to take a plane trip halfway across the US to visit their college, how do you get around this problem?</p>
<p>Why not present the honest truth about why you want to go to school there? If you can’t sincerely express interest in the school, whether you visited or not, why apply? Do you think “checking a box” will relay your interest?</p>
<p>Is Columbia particularly careful about things like that? I know a couple of current students so I just screwed the tour+info session and went around with them. Does that not count as a college visit?</p>
<p>Confused…did you show up and sign in THEN blow off the tour? Because I did the tour with my D and they DEFINITELY have it on file because there is no way they’d still be sending reminders to my D that their application date is coming up. They are one of the schools from which we get the most mail and that didn’t come from “nowhere”.</p>
<p>Most colleges when you attend one of their tours that are usually held either daily or two to three days of the week do have you sign in and most keep that record. However, it is not for what you think. Some colleges believe visiting shows interest and consider it a factor (Emory is one). However, most don’t comsider that you visited as a factor and that includes your ivies and many other top schools. What colleges use the list of visitors for is mainly to keep a count and assure they don’t need to do more tours or determine if they can do less, and then use your info to send recruiting info.</p>
<p>Nah, I didn’t even bother signing up for the tour. Roomed overnight, went to some classes, rocked a party - the works. Guess I can’t check that box</p>
<p>I imagine only official tours count as a visit, because that’s the only way the admissions office will have a record of it. </p>
<p>As the the original question, I think the significance of a visit matters the smaller a school is–these schools want to pick not only the best and brightest but those who are a fit for their institution. Harvard and the bigger state schools generally could give a rat’s youknowwhat if you visited–in the case of the former, they know you’re interested (it’sHarvardohmygosh), and in that of the latter, they are trying to fill classes so large that the will she/won’t she attend aspect is a minor detail. </p>
<p>In regards to the “Why X?” essay, usually just poking around their website gives you an idea of what their school prides themselves on. Like, for Columbia, if you’re really interested in the Core, write about how that fits you because you love the idea of a true liberal arts education (I mean, make it sound less lame, but that’s the gist). Plenty of students don’t visit their prospective colleges because of a lack of time or resources. Colleges know this, but this also means you have to take that extra step and do some more research. Maybe email current students or the heads of departments you are interested in (but you should have legitimate questions if you choose this route, or you’ll look like you’re trying to find a back door into the school).</p>
<p>One college in their acceptance letter said to me “p.s. We loved having you on our campus and would…blah blah blah something”
So yeah some do keep track of it, especially some smaller colleges.</p>
<p><a href=“but%20you%20should%20have%20legitimate%20questions%20if%20you%20choose%20this%20route,%20or%20you’ll%20look%20like%20you’re%20trying%20to%20find%20a%20back%20door%20into%20the%20school”>quote</a>.
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<p>That, and it’s annoying when you email the Dean to ask questions on the website such as the cost of the application fee or the name of the school. It’s kind of stalkerish and annoying to bombard them with emails just to fake interest.</p>