To visit or not

<p>Second opinions welcome! D has been accepted to 6 schools, one of which is top choice, Indiana @Bloomington (business) we went for visit / tours last week and loved it (she rates it a 10). She no longer wants to visit 2nd choice -Arizona, I do question whether or it is wise to only visit the one school.
We are from northern CA, she loves the idea of a full range of seasons (she says) and I do think the learning enviroment would be a good fit. My gut feeling about Arizona is that the enviroment would be too much poolside entertainment even though it is a good school.
Your thoughts?</p>

<p>DS got accepted to six schools two years ago. He had already visited each twice (once to visit, and once to audition). HOWEVER, he wanted to visit his number one choice again once accepted. After that visit, he felt that he didn't need to go to see any of the other schools again (we would have taken him to his top three choices....all would have been easy to do from here). His mind was made up...he came home with a T-shirt from his U the day of that visit...and that was that. To be honest...to this day I do NOT know what made this school rise to the top over number 2. If your daughter feels comfortable with her number one choice...that is great.</p>

<p>Is it Arizona State or U of Arizona? Arizona State does tend to have something of a party school reputation and is huge to boot. Still, if she hasn't visited, it might be good for her to do so --- I am not sure I would try to visit all 6 schools, maybe just her top 2 or 3 choices. Indiana has an excellent business program and works very hard to provide smaller classes than most large schools. It also has more of a "college feel" town.</p>

<p>If she is happy with IU business (my alma mater, by the way), go for it. No need to visit Arizona. She sounds like she knows what she wants.</p>

<p>I think your child's situation was different Thumper in that he had already seen each school at least once. </p>

<p>I think in the case of Control25's child, she has not yet visited any of her schools but one. I think before making a final choice, it would help to see at least one other favorite school on her list. I say this because she doesn't have the total perspective. I know when my kids visit a college, they have usually had such a great time. I think it really helps to be able to compare apples to apples...do similar things at each school, and THEN decide. A school she has had a nice time at compared to one that is only a brochure or website, is not comparable yet. I think before making such a big decision, more perspective would be gained and more a sense of being "sure" if she could compare it to one other favorite school on her list and do similar things on that visit. Just my thoughts. </p>

<p>Susan</p>

<p>I would ask her! Something to this effect - "I want you to make the best decision you can, I'm concerned that you haven't seen any of your other choices - do you want to go look at your #2?" If her reply sounds something like this "I like Indiana." - you're finished, she may not be open-minded enough to even give the #2 school a reasonable look-see. If her answer is "Hhhmmm", "Hmmmph" or (this would never happen at my house) "Maybe you are on to something, Mom" - then start planning a visit to school #2.</p>

<p>Honestly, I think Soozie is exactly right, another visit is what she should do - the reality, though, is based on her personality a visit may be a waste.</p>

<p>have my son/daughter arrange an overnight if at all possible. Two things are accomplished - the obvious one re: campus environment. The not so obvious - what it takes to get there and back again (apologies to Bilbo).</p>

<p>I agree with Susan. Apples looked great in my NYC grocery store until I saw what they looked like in Vermont. You just don't know what you don't know until you have seen comparisons. I guess I also see this as a chance for a life lesson: don't just choose the first thing that looks good. </p>

<p>In my own experience, choosing a high school, college and now a grad school, the schools that were my first choice before seeing did not turn out to be the ones I chose.</p>

<p>My S made up his mind after a visit to a certain school. I got him to at least visit another school Pomona which was at the time not his # 1 choice. He reluctantly went and loved it and is still so thrilled with his choice.He could not have a better fit. Sometimes as parents we actually get thanked for our gentle pushes.</p>

<p>Wow, thanks all! It is U of Arizona and it really is the only other one she was considering (even though 2 others are in state). I have mentioned several times that we should see Arizona just to confirm the Indiana choice but she is pretty clear. She does have friends from school who have traveled to AZ for sports and have said that unless you are into desert/southwest 24/7 along with golf(?) and HOT weather, skip it...
I personally think it would be a great idea to see it and compare apples if for nothing else than when it is 29 degrees in January she's not thinking 'I knew I should have looked at AZ'. Even though we did just get back from there and it was quite chilly(30's-40's)
Maybe, because the flights are about the same price, actually cheaper to IN(just longer) we could go back to 1st choice and confirm that way.</p>

<p>Oh, ps. Carolyn, you are right the classes are small, some are smaller than her crowded CA high school classes, it is a cute college town, it's not Cambridge but it works! MomofWildChild yes,my D really does seem to know what she wants.</p>