Should I send in my app before or after campus visit?

Applying to College
1

<p>I am going to visit Vanderbilt and UNC during the weekend of December 6-9. These are both pretty much reaches for me, and since I am flying all the way from New York, I figured this would show 'demonstrated interest'. </p>

<p>The applications are both not due until January, but since I am on the lower end of the applicant pool for both schools, I am unsure if I should send my application in earlier if this would help my chances at all, or after my visit, so they can see that I came to campus.</p>

<p>Please please please advice! Thank you!</p>

2

<p>I would wait so you can include your specific impressions of the visit in your essays. </p>

<p>Also, email the department you’re interested in (now) and request seating in on a class, touring the department and meeting with a professor. This will also provide good fodder for your essays. Demonstrate interest by way of your essays by telling the school what you specifically like about the school. Be very specific such that it can only apply to that school. For example - I spoke with professor smith about my major and …</p>

3

<p>I’ve never really heard about whether or not turning in an application early helps your chances at all. I may be wrong, and someone please tell me if I am, but from what I remember my counselors telling me, turning it in before the deadline or on the deadline makes no difference in terms of increasing your chances.
I’d suggest making your visits in December, then applying, because that way you get an idea of whether or not you’d commit if they accepted you. Sometimes, you just don’t click with a certain setting. It happens. But it’ll be less money spent on an app.
Even if you visited after applying, you can always turn them down if you didn’t like the campus or environment.
It’s up to you! Those are my two cents on the subject.</p>

4

<p>Neither Vandy or UVA consider level of interest:</p>

<p><a href=“https://virg.vanderbilt.edu/virgweb/CDSC.aspx?year=2012[/url]”>https://virg.vanderbilt.edu/virgweb/CDSC.aspx?year=2012&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[Common</a> Data Set: Institutional Assessment and Studies, University of Virginia](<a href=“http://web.virginia.edu/iaas/cds/Cadmission.shtm]Common”>http://web.virginia.edu/iaas/cds/Cadmission.shtm)</p>

<p>I’d wait to submit until after your visits, as you may find you don’t like them for some reason.</p>

5

<p>Thank you! I figured it wouldn’t make an impact.</p>

6

<p>^OP is not visiting UVA. </p>

<p>I can tell you my daughter visited UNC as a junior and met with a professor. The professor suggested she contact her when applying so she could put in a good word for her to admissions, which she did.</p>

7

<p>^Sorry that was my fault, fingers moving faster than brain. UNC-CH also does not consider interest:</p>

<p><a href=“http://oira.unc.edu/files/2013/04/cds_2012_2013.pdf[/url]”>http://oira.unc.edu/files/2013/04/cds_2012_2013.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>Entomom, on the Vanderbilt link that you sent (which is <em>very</em> interesting, btw), it says they <em>do</em> consider interviews (so at the same level as “legacy” for them). while a campus visit isn’t an interview, it certainly could turn into a conversation which then could tilt a decision, yes?</p>

9

<p>SH,</p>

<p>Except at the far ends of the bell curve, and mainly on the negative end, alumni interviews count very little in decisions. As far as what could ‘tilt a decision’, sorry but I’m not much of a ‘what if’ type of person, that game could be carried out ad nauseam.</p>