<p>I’m only in the midst of this process for the first child, but I’m finding the value of our visits to be immeasurable. We’re attending the formal open houses and such, and what I find fascinating and telling is HOW each campus chooses to present itself. </p>
<p>One campus played a long and fancy video of nice music and tons of smiling faces while we drank cozy hot chocolate and tea. (Focus more on appearance than substance?) Another didn’t even try to play on people’s emotions and got right down to business - how their academic program sets them apart. (The message was clear - “we are very serious about learning”.) A third had the president involved - he spoke at the luncheon and walked around introducing himself to and chatting with the prospective families. (Very personal.) And yet another didn’t even have us sign in anywhere to acknowledge our presence. (Why didn’t they care about knowing who made the trek there??)</p>
<p>I’m finding these visits fascinating when looking at them as objectively as possible and discussing them as objectively as possible. </p>
<p>And that first college? Well, that is head and shoulders the favorite of our 7 and 9 year olds. “MOM! Didn’t you see how happy everyone was there? Didn’t you see all of those pictures of everyone smiling?!”</p>