<p>So I have been on a few visits, and I just feel like I am doing something wrong. The info sessions inform us prospective students on things I feel we should already know just from looking at the college's website. The tours are fun to learn random facts, but other than that, I can see more faster just walking around campus by myself. I want to ask questions and learn more from visits...but I just don't know what to ask!!! Anyone else feel this way? My college counselor keeps telling us how important these visits are and how it is our chance to make an impression on the admission counselors, but for most of the schools I have visited, we can't even MEET with the admissions counselors...UGH. I want to demonstrate interest but I am not going to ask mindless questions just for the sake of asking questions. Any tips on what kind of things to ask about/ talk about and how to make the most of visits???</p>
<p>I feel the same. I’m from the Midwest that visited East Coast schools and didn’t learn much. Just got a feel for the environment, the rest is on the website haha. There’s not much to care about until AFTER you get accepted!</p>
<p>D1 tried to attend one english or philosophy class and one math class at every school she visited. Seeing similar classes taught at several schools was very helpful to her.</p>
<p>I agree the for a parent/student who has done their homework, the info sessions are largely a rehash of what you know and they all sound the same after a while. But if we had academic/application related questions that is a good venue to ask them. We found the student led tours better places to ask questions about what life is really like at the school. I think the biggest thing about college visits is to determine if this is a school you or your child can feel comfortable and happy at. Look at the students, think about the the size and location of the campus, look for interactions between professors and students, try to get a sense of what students do outside of class etc… Pick up the school newspaper to see what the issues on campus are. We often would eat in the cafeteria and if my kid saw a friendly looking student she would ask if she could eat with him/her and this was a great way to get information on the school. Going when school is not in session is never ideal.</p>
<p>(sorry to be so long) and we made longer return visits to the two top schools in the fall (before applications) or in the spring (after admission decisions) – in many cases my kids were able to arrange with admissions to do an overnight or shadow a student for a day (attend classes, eat in the cafeteria etc.) which proved to be very helpful. Not everything needs to be decided on the first visit.</p>
<p>I agree that sitting in on classes was the most useful part of the visits, and it gave the opportunity to talk to random students about their experiences at the college.</p>
<p>Understand how you feel. D1 felt the same. The original visits with the presentations were really just a way to get an overall feel for the campus and the surrounding area. Overnight visits in a dorm, going to on campus activities, and sitting in on classes were the things she found most helpful in deciding if the school was right for her.</p>