<p>DS thinks he wants to apply ED1 and ED2 (if he doesn't get in to ED1) to two schools on his list. We have visited both schools, twice and done the info sessions and tours twice. Once was in the summer when no students were on campus. We are in a disagreement about whether he should visit both for an overnight. I told him he should, especially since he is planning to apply ED....it would give him a better feel for the vibe of the campus. He says no, that he knows whatever college he goes to, it will be a lifestyle adjustment and he knows that, and will deal with it. </p>
<p>Did most of your students overnight at colleges before making decision to apply?</p>
<p>Of the students I know who applied last year very few stayed overnight. I have my doubts about the value of doing that at the very selective colleges, especially as first semester college finals are coming up and most students will have very little time to incorporate prospective applicants into meaningful activities. </p>
<p>My opinion is that a better approach than staying overnight is to attend 2-3 classes. The vibe of classroom depth and interactions should come through.</p>
<p>Parent of college sophomore here – although my son did overnights at several schools and found them informative, I don’t think they are essential. There is a randomness in the overnight assignment, similar to the tour guide. You get a slice of college life, but seen through that person and a few of their friends. If they party, and you don’t (or vice versa), your student can take a single, isolated impression. In addition, if they are cramming for an exam or big project, the student can be left to their own devices. Kids tend to over-generalize from their limited exposure, whether on a tour or on their overnight. </p>
<p>I cannot imagine kids doing overnights at every single school they apply to – for some kids, that is a lot of overnights! My son visited all the LACs that he applied to, sat in on classes, and did an overnight at 2 of them, but the overnights were at schools we could get to easily and could be worked into his fall schedule. </p>
<p>I don’t think there is a right answer here, but I would agree that it is not an absolute necessity.</p>
<p>Presuming your son understands the seriousness of the ED commitment, I think you should let him decide whether he needs to go back for overnight visits.</p>