How does one go about doing an unofficial campus visit? Do you just show up and walk around? How much can you see? We are at the very beginning of the process (rising 7th grader) and just want to get a feel for what boarding schools are like. We are fortunate enough to live in a quick driving distance from many and I’d like to just show my son a few campuses to get a general idea of what “going away to school” is like before he starts looking at anything specific. Was hoping to do weekends so as not to miss any school.
I think I was just wondering about showing up at a campus unannounced due to all the safety precautions our local schools take. Doors are locked and you must buzz in and show id before even stepping foot into the school.
Can you just walk the campus? Sure. Can you go inside the buildings? Doubtful. If you just want to get a feel by walking around, and then return for an official visit - fine. Although, I’m not sure what you’ll really accomplish.
Most schools have tours on Saturdays, although they fill up quickly. Check with each school for the schedule.
Given how early you are in the process, why not wait until fall then stop by to watch a sporting event or performance? You can usually find these on the website. I recommend this kind of unofficial visit to anyone considering a school – it’s a great way to see how everyone treats each other when they aren’t actively on display. Great way to pick up the vibe of a school. And of course, you can still wander around.
A small number of schools, typically ones that have more day students, do open houses. These tend to have some programming but do not require the level of commitment a tour and interview do.
I don’t think there’s much benefit in visiting over the summer. Many schools lease their facilities to sports camps, day camps, and others. In fact, outside of the physical plant, the rest of it could be quite misleading depending on who’s using the campus.
I just filled in the inquiry info for some of the schools we are interested in. Hopefully, that might get us onto a list that announces any upcoming events that might be beneficial to look at this early (they did ask year of entry). Also, couldn’t hurt to show interest early.
We did some unofficial/drive-by visits last summer with my then-rising 8th grader. Throughout the process he tended to have a very visceral reaction to campuses, and it was useful to see them and walk around a little bit, even though we were of course planning later “official” visits. The general look and feel may matter more to some kids than others, but if it’s convenient, there’s certainly no harm. I think for him it was akin to the process of looking at houses and asking, “Can I picture myself living here, or not?” Some schools appear very different on the web site and in brochures than they do in real life.
We did a few “summer tours” the summer before applying. They helped just to get initial feel for locations, physical plants and sometimes other things too. Most of the schools were quiet and all these visits were informal. Guides ran the gamut from Admission Dept. staff to just being handed a map and set free to wander. There would often be several families at once on guided tours. I recall we had a lot of Asian families on tours and they said they were visiting many campuses all over the east coast. I am a huge believer in trying to get as much exposure as you reasonably can to the campus, culture and community of any prospective school (emphasis on what is “reasonable” for a family to do of course). Not a summer tour but on one of these “getting to know ya” events (hosted by a family in our area) we got a dramatically new perspective on one school that actually sent it from being near the top of my kid’s list down to rock bottom
We got on those mailing lists once we had submitted admissions inquiries through the web sites. We received invitations for local parent- and alumni-hosted events from at least 3 schools (and unfortunately were not able to attend any). I agree that parent input is very valuable; we had a few instances where current parents were available at open houses (both on behalf of the school and visiting with younger siblings), and it was really helpful to speak with them.
At Choate 4 - 5 years ago, you used to be able to go into any building, now they’re all locked and you need a key card to get in. It’s much like Yale, where ifyou show up on your own, you need key cards to get in and look around many buildings for everything but the exterior of the school. This is a recent change.
We did most of our preliminary looking with unofficial summer self-tours. Accessibility depended on the school. DS started in the summer before 6th grade researching, visiting, etc. We are in Texas, so Fall visits were unrealistic. Most of our visits were unannounced…a few we did have appointments for. Although he was able to cross a few schools off his list just by the campus setting, it was not until he did formal interviews with school in session that he got a feel for the right “fit”. Many preconceived notions were quickly changed in the presence of the school’s “people”.
I say go for it! See as many schools as you can, even the ones which you think you may not be interested in…it is usually the unexpected ones that end up being your hidden gem! And Good Luck!
Similar situation. In addition to trying to attend a meet or other campus event, we had already planned on son attending a swim camp at one school, prior to considering applying to BS.
Many offer summer programs as well. I’m so new to the process, so am not sure how many explore that route.
A few have a Marine Biology course my son may be interested in, so I’m watching for enrollments to open. I’m very pro traditional summer camp though, so trying to factor that in as well. Some of the summer programs offer interviews for potential full year applicants during the summer session.
To clarify, we are only looking at summer programs my son would otherwise be interested in. I’m not under any impression attending would provide a measurable leg up in applying to any particular BS. We homeschool, so it might be useful in demonstrating he can handle a classroom environment.
Remember that many, perhaps most, summer programs are attended by students who do not attend the school so assessing the environment in that respect will not be possible. But it could prove useful in letting your son see how he learns in a more traditional environment.
@vwlizard, I’d second the suggestion to go on a Saturday when school’s in session. During the summer it’s easy to be influenced by whatever group is using the campus for summer programs. If it’s a dance program you’ll leave thinking everyone at the school is one way; if it’s a science camp another altogether; an ESL you’ll get a third impression.
One of the advantages to a Saturday visit is that all the Saturday sports events provide a great opportunity to mingle casually with parents and ask questions. Just stand on the sideline and introduce yourselves as a prospective family. Most parents are very happy to talk about their kids’ schools and many are even willing to tell you about the school’s weaknesses. It also a good way to observe kids and teachers in their natural environment. Do the varsity players show up to cheer for JV when their game ends? Do the coaches keep pushing up the score to large cheers when they’re crushing the opponent or sub in all the weaker players and start playing the 5 pass rule? Do the faculty and kids look happy?
If you contact the school in advance you can ask if it’s okay to go to lunch in the dining hall. The school may say no but it doesn’t hurt to ask. The idea may embarrass your son but you can tell him parents are invited to drop by to have lunch with their kids so no one will think it’s funny to see you there, although they may try to guess whose parent and younger brother you are.
Remember that prep school campuses, unlike most public schools, are spread out. There will be kids and faculty coming in and out of buildings all the time. If you’re lucky you may be able to find someone (faculty or student) willing to show you the interior of an academic building or dorm.
