<p>Hi i'm a high school junior who will be applying to colleges shortly. I live in Oklahoma and wish to visit some LACs around MA and ME (Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colgate....etc). However, my family does not have the financial ability to buy plane tickets. So....what should i do? My main purpose is to gain the college's attention, to let them know that...hey..a kid from Oklahoma is interested in your school!
Or, i can visit U of Chicago and Northwester since I'm going to my brother's graduation in Chicago this summer. Do visiting universities like U of chicago(where my bro goes) and Northwestern raise my acceptance chances? I know HYP dont' really care.</p>
<p>There are video tours available that you can get. Also reading a lot of material should help furnish a picture of what it looks like. You can let colleges know you're interested by visiting colleges fairs in your area where the admissions officers for the area will be. Make sure you talk to at least one person at the booth and ask a couple of questions. Be sure to fill out a card with your name and address. They do keep track of these cards.
I'm a high school senior and thus what I say about the admissions process should be taken with a grain of salt- but I doubt that visiting is a big factor- colleges can't reasonably expect everyone to visit. Also -at least for Chicago- there are essays that let you prove your passion and interest in the school and that will matter way more than a visit.
College fairs are probably your best bet for showing interest.</p>
<p>Some schools will pay for you to come visit once you've been accepted. Or potentially even before that if they're interested in you. It wouldn't hurt to ask the admissions offices about this.</p>
<p>if you want to make sure you get your name out there at the colleges you're interested in, without visiting, send an email with a few questions about X school and explain that you can't visit.</p>
<p>Visiting doesn't help your chances.</p>
<p>so visiting is for people who are already accepted but can't decide if they want to go or not?</p>
<p>what about the Bowdoin november invitational event? can i invite myself in?</p>
<p>Many schools have admissions counselors responsible for the various regions of the country. Call or e-mail admissions and find out who the regional rep is, and contact them to let them know about your interest.</p>
<p>Re post#6, no, visiting should be done before you bother to apply. But if you don't have the time or money, then for SURE visit after you've been accepted but before you commit. Your choice of a college is like a 4-year marriage...sleep with it at least ONCE before you say "I do."</p>
<p>"Do visiting universities like U of chicago(where my bro goes) and Northwestern raise my acceptance chances?"</p>
<p>I got rejected to both after I visited. :D</p>
<p>Seriously though, you should visit the colleges you apply to if you can. Then you'll know if you really like the school or not, and if you fit in.</p>
<p>Visiting does help in some cases, especially if a school is off the beaten path, or less competative to begin with (ivies don't care if you visit) because you'll impress the school with your interest and they'll think that if you get in you'll go (every school wants a high yield.) For schools like Northwestern and Chicago, Georgetown or NYU, where the school is in a place lots of people go anyway, it doesn't really matter. If, on the otherhand, you trek to Walla Walla, Washington to check out Whitman, Oberlin, Ohio to look at Oberlin or wherever Grinnell is in Iowa, the schools are more likely to take note.</p>
<p>There's a college fair held at a city 50miles from here. The colleges will include some ivies(Cornell, Columbia) and some LACs(Bates). How should i approach those adimission officers? Should I find something related to their school to impress them?</p>
<p>Just have a conversation with them. Don't try to impress them; that nearly always backfires. Have your questions ready - that will be impressive enough if it shows that you've researched the schools.</p>
<p>Be sure to get on the mailing list for any colleges you are interested in. Sometimes (at least in my area) selective colleges from elsewhere in the country will have local informational meetings.</p>
<p>You shouldn't have to try to impress the college reps. They are looking for students who fit their school, socially and academically. That fit is also what you should look for. All of the schools you've mentioned offer an excellent education, but which one is right for you? Going to the college fair is a good introduction to the schools, but you will have to follow up with your own research and self-introspection to see where you would prosper for four years.</p>
<p>One of your main considerations seems to be cost. You should develop a list that has some affordable schools in addition to your reaches. Don't count on your Oklahoma residency for much weight in admissions.</p>