<p>What are the advantages of visiting colleges? I hear mixed opinions, some say it is pointless to visit colleges, some say it's important. What advantages are there besides the fact that you get a feel of what the campus is like?</p>
<p>I have visited one college so far, and now I am thinking whether I should visit a few others, or should I just base my choice on online information alone.</p>
<p>There were some schools I was really excited about after reading about them, and then when I visited them I realized that they were totally different than what I thought they were gonna be. I think it is important to visit because colleges try to make themselves sound good in brochures and college books but they are not always being honest. There were also some schools I applied to that I didn't visit and when it came down to deciding where to go, I didn't want to go somewhere that I hadn't seen.</p>
<p>Don't take advice ever again from the person who told you visiting colleges is not important. Though the information you find online might help you to narrow your college search, it would be foolish to committ four years of your life and a small fortune to live in a place you've never seen.</p>
<p>Occasionally a college will think you were unserious about applying unless you've physically been there and signed up with them to receive information and such. I think this is the case with BU.</p>
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There were some schools I was really excited about after reading about them, and then when I visited them I realized that they were totally different than what I thought they were gonna be. I think it is important to visit because colleges try to make themselves sound good in brochures and college books but they are not always being honest. There were also some schools I applied to that I didn't visit and when it came down to deciding where to go, I didn't want to go somewhere that I hadn't seen.
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<p>Does that apply to top level colleges like Stanford, Cornell, Berkeley, Princeton, etc.?</p>
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Occasionally a college will think you were unserious about applying unless you've physically been there and signed up with them to receive information and such. I think this is the case with BU.
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<p>And how exactly would they know whether I physically visited or not? Sorry, but the statement seems absurd to me, because some people cannot visit because of money issues.</p>
<p>It does apply to top level schools. In the spring of my junior year, I did a big East Coast college visiting tour. While planning the trip, I originally did not want to visit Yale because at the time I had a bad opinion of it (for a variety of reasons that aren't really important for this discussion). My dad convinced me I should look at it, and when I did, I loved it. I'm going to start my freshman year at Yale this fall, a college I never would have applied to if I hadn't visited.</p>
<p>It matters even MORE, perhaps, at the top leve colleges. The reason is because when you get to the top tier, you can start to ignore academic quality for other criteria. Once you hit the top 10-25, there isn't a huge difference in education between different institutions, and the most important thing is to find a school that fits you.
Without visiting, there's no easy way to choose between the elites.</p>
<p>Visiting is sooo important and in no way pointless. I fell in love with one school over what they mailed me and what I read on the internet. I thought it was the perfect college. Then I went there... and I absolutely hated it. I got a terrible "vibe" from the students and the administration came off as sort of silly. That's stuff you can't read in any book or website. I already have four college visits planned for August... I'm hoping I get some good vibes from them.</p>
<p>i was convinced for years that i was going to a certain school, based on what i read...that is, until i visited and i was so turned off, and didnt bother applying</p>
<p>The thing I liked best about visiting colleges were seeing the dorm rooms, you get to see what you're living in the next year or longer. You won't be able to see that online; the size, the quality, what's provided. I also got to see what the student body really looked like. If the statistics were true, and they did have a bunch of diversity. Also, when people introduced themselves and where they were from, if there truly were people from all over, or if it was a state school and only from that state.</p>
<p>However, I should say that I think it's a waste of money for most applicants to visit until April. Unless you can easily afford it, you should wait until financial aid packages, acceptance letters, and compare schools then. Most likely, you'll only need to visit a couple schools because of what they are offering financially.</p>
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Once you hit the top 10-25, there isn't a huge difference in education between different institutions, and the most important thing is to find a school that fits you.</p>
<p>Without visiting, there's no easy way to choose between the elites.
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<p>Thanks, the same thought has been floating in my head, I just wanted someone to confirm it :D.</p>
<p>kac88, huskem55,
Mind telling me what school was that?</p>
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However, I should say that I think it's a waste of money for most applicants to visit until April. Unless you can easily afford it, you should wait until financial aid packages, acceptance letters, and compare schools then. Most likely, you'll only need to visit a couple schools because of what they are offering financially.
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<p>Hmm, good point. Do you mean the April after I get accepted? But I have to reply by May in most cases. There don't seem to be any vacations from school in April...</p>
<p>Also, what if I apply to a school, get accepted, and then don't like it when I visit? Then it would be a waste of application time... :(</p>
<p>You can get time off school if you go on a college visit. Just have your parents call it in. And it's senior year second semester, you think your teachers will care if you miss a class? You'll be skipping class at this point. And what ever happened to Spring Break? That's in April.</p>
<p>If you apply, are accepted, and don't like it, then you don't go there. It takes less time and money to fill out an application than it does to visit.</p>
<p>To the OP:</p>
<p>Berkeley couldn't care less if you don't ever visit before coming to move-in to dorms. Though being Out-of-state does hurt...a good deal.</p>
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It takes less time and money to fill out an application than it does to visit.
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<p>It takes less money, true, but time? Maybe you are right :-)</p>
<p>Psionic Vision, visiting colleges you are interested in is highly important, not only because the visit may (or may not) validate your interest/fit for the campus and college life, but because a number of highly selective colleges will tell you that it's important to demonstrate interest (through visiting, preferably). </p>
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And how exactly would they know whether I physically visited or not? Sorry, but the statement seems absurd to me, because some people cannot visit because of money issues.
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Colleges track "official visits", that is those visits/tours that are coordinated through the school's admissions department. </p>
<p>An observation: You have been given responses by a number of people, all of whom share a common point of view that college visits are important and provide an advantage to you -- both in terms of slight edge in admissions chances and also in allowing you to know the school, their programs and campus environment better. There's a good reason why they have unanimously affirmed the importance.</p>
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Colleges track "official visits", that is those visits/tours that are coordinated through the school's admissions department.
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<p>Hmm... When I visited Cornell University, I wasn't required to register. Weird.
Besides, it also seems weird that a visit can "tip the scales" because, as I said, some people cannot afford to visit. And they shouldn't be disadvantaged for it.</p>
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An observation: You have been given responses by a number of people, all of whom share a common point of view that college visits are important and provide an advantage to you -- both in terms of slight edge in admissions chances and also in allowing you to know the school, their programs and campus environment better. There's a good reason why they have unanimously affirmed the importance.
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<p>Ok, I agree with that.
But there was another point, that I should visit after I am accepted. Seems like it could save money, so now I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Seems like April is not a good time to visit:
<a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/college-visits/27829.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/college-visits/27829.html</a></p>
<p>So, I'll do tours this August. After all, three of the colleges I'm looking at are in California, so it's just one trip for three colleges. Then, two others are in Boston. :) Two trips in total for both CA and MA...</p>
<p>April's not a good time if your high school's spring break coincides with that of the college you're looking at, which is not necessarily the case. </p>
<p>It's very tricky, planning these things!</p>
<p>The one problem with August is that you will probably not be there while a school is in session. Visiting a college when students are around gives you a much better sense of what the college is like.</p>