<p>Personally I would reccomend summer visits if they are the only time you can go. I have done some summer visits because this was the only time my mom could get off from work. I went to Boston College and it was very busy with people all around. It is better to visit during the school year, but summer is better than nothing. It's also a good opportunity to see the surrounding area.</p>
<p>A family I know recently returned from a Midwest college tour. They were in Minnesota at the end of June, where they took part in Minnesota Private College Week. See: Minnesota's</a> Private Colleges - Minnesota Private College Week Information</p>
<p>The 17 participating colleges offered tours and info sessions for the visitors as well as other special events (e.g., panel sessions).</p>
<p>Students picked up a "passport" at the first college they visited, along with a stamp at that school and all subsequent ones. Those who got four or more stamps received a corresponding number of application-fee waivers. </p>
<p>The student I know was very excited about two of the colleges she saw, and her mom said that it was a great week to visit the MN schools.</p>
<p>Even though it's over for this year, the Minnesota Private College Week sounds like a good deal for those who will be on the tour-circuit next summer.</p>
<p>There will most likely be students around, and the best way to meet them is to ask Admissions for lunch passes and eat in the cafeteria. After visiting ten colleges last year, and coming back several times to the one I am ultimately going to attend in the fall, i can tell you almost all college students are very approachable. Sit at a half-full table and talk! Students may not be as visible on the grounds, but you will definitely find them in the dining hall :)</p>
<p>If you have the chioce, probably best to visit a school when some students are around to talk with and get a general view of things. With a bit of net surfing, you can probably figure that out for most schools.</p>
<p>Visiting the school is not about beautiful flowers or summertime settings. Is the school someplace you feel you would fit it? Do you prefer rural or city locations or large/small campuses and why? You only get a real sense of the 'atmosphere' of the school by experiencing it first-hand. That is an experience no college catalog or net site can provide. </p>
<p>I doubt few people buy a house site unseen and for the cost of a college education today, it certainly makes sense to actually see first-hand the places you are serious about attending.</p>
<p>I think it would be a huge mistake to show up at a school for the first time the day you are moving in.</p>
<p>I just got back from a college visit trip, 6 total, so I must say you don't figure out too much about the students from the tours, though they are sometimes the only students you might find near the campus. </p>
<p>I would say ask a lot of tough questions for your tour guide or whatever students are working admission's office (for example, describe your school in 5 words--I tried it and got some helpful answers). Additionally, a lot of students stick around on campus during the summer....but don't forget the surrounding area too, especially if you're looking at a state school!!! When I was looking around in shops occasionally there would be a current student from the nearby college and I would talk to them about the school and get a fairly unbiased opinion. Good luck if you end up going now!</p>
<p>I read only one post on this topic but some schools will definitely look for a visit as an indication of strong interest - you might be surprised at which ones. My son was waitlisted at several schools. He called them all and one openly admitted that he was not offered admission because he did not visit! His "stats" were better than average and we thought of the school as a high match, possibly a safety. We live 6 hours away by car and had visited it with an older child 4 years earlier so we didn't think it worth visiting again. </p>
<p>Not every school cares if you visit and surely most understand if you are across country and can't afford a trip, but schools do not want to offer admission to kids who are not likely to accept - they still want to control their yield even if it isn't in the US News anymore. Kids who are far away are often not in the "most likely to accept" category (excuse the Ivies) as most students end up choosing a school within 3 hours drive. A visit to a far away school followed by an application will suggest more interest. Plus, stepping on campus means your student and you know what you are potentially "buying" and you are still interested enough to send in an application. </p>
<p>I am sure many will respond that they never visited and were still accepted but there will always be those students who have the specific "qualifications" or "stat" that the college is targeting. I think those with national recognition and/or other outstanding credentials, certain "hooks" may not have to do so much visiting. Wallking on campus beats any website or college information book. When you walk on campus you can "feel" the nature of the school - you can "feel" the differences. Your student can picture or not picture him/herself there - why write 6 essays for a school you don't want to go to?</p>
<p>Finally, I agree with Taxguy. For many, college tuition is a huge investment - what's a few hundred or even a thousand dollars in travel $$$ to make the right investment?</p>
<p>We used the visits to assist D with deciding where to apply. We strategized so that we could visit at least 2 schools per trip, i.e. Georgetown/UVA; Duke/Wake Forest/UNC; Notre Dame/U of Chicago/Northwestern. Considering one app fee of $60-$75 equates to the cost of a tank of gas, we found the visits valuable in that some schools were eliminated from her list.</p>
<p>It takes visiting a number of schools to begin to understand what your priorities are and to fine tune them. I know that my S in particular has had his opinions of schools change once he saw some of the campuses more than once. He is reconsidering his strategy of an ED and may do all of them as RD. We just came back from a trip and we have more to visit this summer. We are also only looking at small LACs within a day's drive and we're lumping 2-3 together.</p>
<p>Just returned from a visit road trip. Very beneficial in that it really made my son aware of the options available to him. Before the trip, I think he was planning to just apply to one college (rolling decision) and hopefully be over and done with in early fall. Now he sees what other colleges have to offer, and he is more interested in weighing those options. Makes the decision harder, but now he will be making an informed decision.</p>
<p>How on earth can you apply to a school not having any clue whatsoever what it looks like, what it offers and whether you think you can live there for four years? Agreed, you dont know if you will get in and you dont know if they will offer enough aid or scholarships, but its a two step process. Begin searching NOW, particularly the summer before Junior year, and then some more schools in the summer before Senior year, then get down to applications in September of Senior year, whether ED, EA, or RD. Once the offers come in, you only have about three weeks to decide in April of Senior year, because they must RECEIVE your acceptance BEFORE May 1. That does NOT leave enough time to see them and decide if you have several you are still unsure about.</p>
<p>You should PRIORITIZE them in a list of your preferences and put down 3 reasons WHY next to each name. That keeps it clear and simple.</p>
<p>You can always adjust or change your mind. Also make LOTS of inquiries from LOTS of different people.</p>
<p>Embrace your match and safety schools and hope for the reach schools to come in for you. But even if you get into a reach school, it isnt always the BEST FIT for you. Do you want to be STRESSED and FREAKED out for four years?</p>
<p>My D made SEVERAL trips to SEVERAL colleges along the way. We learned what we liked and didnt like along the way. Some ups and downs in the admissions process and then the BIG EPIPHANY. She is now VERY happy and THRIVING.</p>
<p>(Plus she was able to adjust her sophomore class schedule recently online and got a class in Constitutional Law she was dying to take that opened up when somebody dropped!) </p>
<p>This is a PROCESS. Enjoy it.</p>
<p>Good luck to all.</p>
<p>I just visited two colleges, and I have to say: I would have preferred just staying home.
I mean, it was good to be able to see the dorms and campus and stuff- but it was so empty and echoing and-
well, frankly, a little creepy.
plus- it's really hot, so visiting in the summer, (esp. in the South), might give a less-than-optimistic view of the weather/landscape.</p>
<p>just an observation.
however, I'm still going to visit a couple more during the summer, b/c it's better for my schedule.
So I guess if budget/scheduling comes into conflict, then summer's an okay-but-not-great compromise.</p>
<p>I am interning at an advertising agency this summer that created a great new college info site. It is called College Click TV and it features video interviews with thousands of students from hundreds of schools across the country. Youll definitely save a ton of gas money by visiting it instead of having to drive to each school. Of course, its not ideal but its a great way to get real feedback from people who are actually at the school! The website is located at CollegeClickTV</a> formerly lvutv.com: College & University Live Online Video Search & Student Guide</p>
<p>I recently visited UVA (I live in MD) and i thought it really opened my eyes to what the university was like. It shot up my list of college choices and before it was at the bottom. I think visiting schools is pretty important.</p>
<p>I am traveling with my son next week to see 7 schools from the midwest to the east coast. So far, every school has had a campus tour and information session available (some already fully booked) and every college has been super to schedule appointments for us for particular departments within the college. I had an interesting experience with my s in Feb. when we visited Stanford and Berkeley! Berkeley had been on the top of his list and is now off the list completely. You never know what will "speak" to one person over another. It is WAY too much time and money to invest to be unhappy for 4+ years.</p>
<p>hi my name is becky and I am a student admissions representative from Unity College in Maine. In addition to my role at admissions, I am an RA, a volleyball and basketball player and i am very active in clubs on campus. I recommend going to visit the colleges you are interested in during the school year because you will be able to experience a taste of college life and really be able to see what the college is like. You won't get the whole picture during the summer if no students are around. Here at Unity College, we offer many oppurtunities for students to visit. We have a fall preview in october, an open house in november and march and also a winter preview in february. We also offer campus tours and encourage students to visit at any point during the semester. When a student requests a visit, we try to set him or her up with a meeting with the head of the department(s), coach(es), club leader(s) he or she may be interested in. We also allow our students to sit in on classes and if interested we allow visitors to spend a night on campus with fellow students. I definately recommend trying to do all of these things when looking at the college you are interested in and of course the best time to do it is during the school term not during summer.</p>
<p>I would recommend that you visit as well. I had two out of three children who knew exactly where they wanted to go as early as 6th grade. They worked very hard to have the grades etc. to gain admission. The first child was all over the board as she made her list, her GC said anywhere but an Ivy. She loved big state universities, middle sized state universities and smaller private schools. As she gained acceptances and scholarships we re-evaluated and revisited. Number 2 child, had less options, but we visited all of his schools and made #3 come along. In the spring and summer of 07 it was #3's turn, we had much less visiting to do, but we did take him back to his first choice.( and a whole bunch of others just to make sure he felt the same way.) Thanks to the GC at our high school, we had lists that were reasonable as far as targeting reaches, matches and safties. Child #2 only wanted LAC's and #3 would only apply to Catholic schools. Interesting, but visiting is important.</p>