<p>Junior winter/spring with D: 5
Summer after Jr year: 2
(she plays a fall sport, we had to be done before the season started)
Applied to 5, withdrew from 4 after ED decision</p>
<p>Junior spring with S: 4
Summer after Jr year: 1
Fall Senior year: 3
Applied to 6</p>
<p>We must have visited 9 or 10 colleges junior year. Since D doesn’t know what she wants to major in, she really had to find a college with the programs she might be interested in and, more than anything, was a good “fit.” Location, campus feel, etc. was important. But before visiting, she had absolutely no idea what she was going to like. We go to Boston a lot to see family and friends so every trip there involved at least one college visit; sometimes we’d hit another school on the way back (Even on a Sunday, when the college didn’t offer a tour, I pre-arranged for a student from Hillel to show us around - that was great!).</p>
<p>We also did a few SUNY schools (tying one in with a visit to a camp friend) and headed down to DE-MD-DC on various two day trips when D had long weekends (Veteran’s Day, etc.). Hard to figure out when with her sports and marching band schedule, but it was definitely worth the time in her college search.</p>
<p>By seeing what she didn’t like, she knew what she liked when she eventually saw it (that took several visits until she started liking campusus/schools). We both enjoyed the mother-daughter time too!</p>
<p>There was one school where she decided that it was exactly what a college should look like. All of a sudden she cared if she could get in. It was such a change from the other places we visited. She was accepted last weekend and we are planning to go back for the accepted students day!</p>
<p>I think I will do it the same way with S (he is now a freshman); his interests and personality are very different, so I will get to see a host of other colleges. I loved my college campus, so I am excited to go do this all over again in a couple of years!</p>
<p>2, both by default.</p>
<p>We took D1 back to college after spring break and so D2 visited her school for a day, and we happened to go shopping and to a play near NYU while spending a few days in NYC.</p>
<p>During my son’s spring break we did a southern visit to Virginia and NC but just saw four colleges that time in 2 - 3 days, I think. Then in the summer we did a New England visit (and NY - Vassar) and Philly trip and saw 9 schools (plus one quick walk through) in 6 days (I think). We also flew to Chicago to see U Chicago and Northwestern over two days. Oh, he also saw a local school in the summer.</p>
<p>Now as a senior we are trying to use his break but all admittances aren’t out yet anyway. So we have done a one day local visit where decisions aren’t out yet, an admitted student local day at our state school and we are away right now for two days at another acceptance. I’d like my son to also visit another local school where he was admitted, as he probably needs to get a better feel.</p>
<p>hisess, listen to your daughter and don’t push it if she has had enough. on another note, if you visit colleges in the summer and they get towards the top of her list go back when they are in session. in 2008 my daughter selected a small liberal arts school in oregon ( we are in california) after a summer visit. once there she realized the campus was always as quiet as it was in the summer. we assumed it would be more active and involved. she was back home after a semester. now, with child #2, we are returning to our son’s first choice school for an in-session visit as our only other visit was last summer. want him to get a real feel for the student population/campus vibes before he commits.</p>
<p>Colleges are so plentiful around here that it’s pretty easy to visit two colleges in a day without driving more then 40 minutes between them. Heck, where I live there are probably 10 four year colleges within an hour of my house. To really appreciate the amount of colleges on the East Coast you have to get Professor Pathfinder’s U.S. College and University Reference map. My SIL and I are going to NC to visit four colleges next week and it’s only a lack of time that’s preventing us from visiting more.</p>
<p>With my oldest we visited five, she applied to and was accepted at four. #2 Child visited about 10, (3 by himself), applied to 8, waitlisted at two and accepted at 6. Now with #3, HS junior, we’ve visited 6 (He did 1 by himself) and hoping to see about 8 more. The reason for the larger amount is that he’s still deciding between LAC’s and more techy oriented colleges. I’m also trying to get in the smaller colleges before summer. It’s hard to get the feel for a student body without the student bodies!</p>
<p>Mebber- thanks- it is all so overwhelming- we actually are going to a “private” counselor- and she is the one that wants her to see all of these campuses- she was all the way" I want to go away and out of state" now an in state BIG school is back on her list. I think we will wait awhile and go see some more this summer- this site is nice but i read so much info it’s over my head- she is an average 3.4 GPA student with a 32 ACT so not a bad or exceptional student- just plain average and it seems like many “average” students get in good schools</p>
<p>I think it is a good idea to visit her top 3 and visit top 3 maybe 4 her senior year for confirmation. I know a lot of people don’t agree with narrowing it down to that small of a number as some people make vacations out of their college visits. I think it adds a lot of confusion to the decision to visit 10 + schools.</p>
<p>I want to put in a plug for senior year visits. We submitted apps in early fall and the schools didn’t seem to mind that we hadn’t visited (should note that they were not top tier schools). One school sent out the acceptance the day before our tour, which was a nice touch. I felt we got special treatment on our tours because of the fact that D was a senior. One of the schools even had a special info session/tour for accepted students.</p>
<p>Spring break of junior year visits: 3
Summer after junior year visits: 4
Applied to: 11
Acceptances: 6 (two unvisited but in state)
Rejections: 1 (SCEA)
Pending: 4 (one OOS unvisited)</p>
<p>This summer, we’ll be taking our jr to at least 4. They just happen to be where we’ll be visiting or she’ll be playing tournaments.</p>
<p>We did not visit any colleges. My son picked out the six he wanted to apply to because they were the top schools nationally in his probable major. Except for one “safety” with a solid reputation in his field, they are all extremely competitive schools and I could not see the point of touring them given the chances of admission: it just seemed to be setting the kid up for disappointment. Once he has acceptances in hand, I have promised to take him to his top two choices (if he has two top choices). So far he has received two acceptances, from his safety and from another, to him more desirable school which he will probably end up attending, whatever happens on April 1.</p>
<p>During the spring and summer before she was a junior, D visited around 8-9 colleges. They were just so she could get a feel for the whole process - try and figure out what she liked and what she didn’t. She had a couple of different tournaments at these schools - so we fitted in the college visits around these. Also saw a couple near home that she expressed interest in.</p>
<p>During junior year, it has been very difficult to find the time to visit. She plays sports all three seasons and there really aren’t many free weekends. She did visit 3 schools during a break in Feb and will be visiting 4-5 more this spring break. There are a couple of on her list that are far (a plane ride away) that we will not be able to visit. If these schools make it to her final list, she will apply and visit if accepted.</p>
<p>Question about these junior year visits - did your son or daughter interview during these visits? So far D hasn’t done that - but we won’t be able to get back to these colleges (some of them are a 10 hr drive from home) - so wondering if she should set up an interview while we are there…</p>
<p>My junior son will be having an interview at one of the colleges he’s visiting this weekend and had one at another college. My other two kids had a couple junior year as well, for the same reason you mentioned. It just makes sense that you do it while you are there. For the most part my kids have found college interviews friendly and helpful, not intimidating.</p>
<p>15 colleges:</p>
<p>Skidmore, Middlebury, Smith, Mount Holyoke, MIT, Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Wellesley, Connecticut, Wesleyan, Williams, Vassar, Franklin & Marshall, Lawrence</p>
<p>The visits were worthwile. Made D able to decide and apply early. D appled ED1 to Mount Holyoke, was accepted 
and is on clound nine to go there in the fall (though she wishes it were fall right now). She applied no where else due to ED1 decision on December 12 – before everyone’s RD deadlines. She refused to interview during our visits, and was able to interview in town (NYC) by a travelling admissions director.</p>
<p>Our son’s interviews were all local and were with alums who live in the area. He did not interview while on campus tours; he wasn’t ready for that then any way.</p>
<p>I’ll get to the tally in a bit, but I also want to add that only four of these trips included an overnight hotel expense, and two of the four could have been done without it. We are lucky to be in a college heavy area.</p>
<p>You didn’t ask before Jr year, but she attended a summer program where she went on visits to two or three colleges. Some she wasn’t interested in but were a fun trip.
We also did a drive by of one school on the way skiing which had been a possibility but she didn’t want to get out of the car so it was the first school in the reject pile</p>
<p>Before Jr year summer
1 trip 2 colleges incl overnight between them. Applied to both</p>
<p>During Jr year
fall days off from school
2 day trips, one college on one two on the other, applied to all
Sat Jr visit day to a school she did not apply</p>
<p>winter day off from school
day trip to one school, brought along a friend, applied</p>
<p>spring day off from school
overnight visit to two schools, applied to one of the two
missed a day of school (only time) for a Jr visit day, flew (only time) and overnight, applied</p>
<p>summer after Jr year revisits to the three from the fall with interviews at all</p>
<p>early fall Sr year day trip revisit (on day off) to school considered for ED</p>
<p>So tallying up the Jr year plus the summers on either side brings us to 10 distinct schools with revisits to 3. She crossed three off the list in the whole process. Her final app included visits to all the schools she really considered (there was one safety she did not really consider, we attended the admitted students day this month) and on campus interviews at all where they were a factor. </p>
<p>I’ll also add there were other schools which I thought would be a good fit for her, but after amassing this list she thought she had enough in a good range and wasn’t interested in adding more which seemed to be more of the same without a really stand out reason. By the spring of Jr year she also started sitting in on classes and had her first interviews in the summer after Jr year. I think earlier than that would have been premature, but we were able to easily revisit. If they were farther away she would have interviewed on the initial visit of an oncampus interview were a significant factor.</p>
<p>For most of these trips I took her as I have a lot more vacation time than H. He went on one of the summer trips and did/will do some of the trips this/next month.</p>
<p>Many very good colleges send reps to do interviews, thus if you don’t want to travel, you won’t have to.</p>
<p>For our DS, every high tier college contacted us via alum or admissions rep. That is one thing to realize, many higher tier colleges are not on common apps. You can visit them, but it doesn’t mean they are going to send you an application. If you are considering a higher tier, contact the admissions dept and find out if the school pre-qualifies first. It could be a waste of your time if they do, and the school, says sorry we don’t think you will make the cut.</p>
<p>Notre Dame did this in NC. Our DS was invited to their ND applicant open house at a nearby school (45 minutes away). I know that it was invite only since a friends son wanted ND and they said SORRY, we won’t be extending you an invite to the open house. They took this as a sign that it wasn’t worth their time.</p>
<p>All military academies also do this. You may want to apply to the USAFA or Annapolis, but they decide who can and who can’t.</p>
<p>I can’t remember if it is Princeton or UPenn that also does it, but one or both follow the procedure that they send to your home the application, you can’t do it on line. Again that was coming up on 3 yrs ago so they may have changed the policy…call and talk to an admissions rep. before traveling to any school. It would be horrible to get their hopes up and fall in love with a school to find out that the school isn’t going to even give them the chance to apply.</p>
<p>Also check with your hs to find out what schools usually come to them during the fall. Their slide shows are very good, and you can gain a lot of insight just by having the ability to sit in a room for a q & a session. In NC it was with parents at night, at our VA school it was student only. I think the student only way is better because kids are more open to ask questions. I will also say the admission counselors they sent were young, so kids could easily relate to them and didn’t see them as parents, but just older siblings. Parents get wrapped up in stats for acceptance, kids ask different things like football games, dorms and classes for when they get there.</p>
<p>None. 
I visited the top school I got into. That’s it My family has major problems so it’s not as if touring campuses was at the top of the list anyway. lol, it’s all good though.</p>
<p>We went to see 11, in 2 separate trips. D is an art major. First trip was to Maine and New Hampshire, consisting of 3 what I call stand alone art schools (1 in Maine, and 2 in New Hampshire), UNH and USM. Second trip was to the Midwest, seeing art schools in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City and 2 in Chicago, and NMU in Michigan. </p>
<p>She ended up applying to 3 art schools, and did not like the universities at all. Too big and less than stellar art departments except for NMU which had a good art dept but was in the middle of nowhere.</p>