<p>For schools that do a more ‘holistic’ review, I think visits really do help. </p>
<p>A student that writes in their ‘Why SchoolX Essay’ that they visited campus and could see themselves ‘standing under the arbors on the school common green’ or something to this extent absolutely may beat out a student who has never set foot on campus, hasn’t met with faculty, and didn’t bother with a tour or info session. </p>
<p>Is a visit going to help at a school like Harvard? No. Is a visit going to help at a small LAC where faculty/staff, when asked by an admissions rep, might even remember meeting with ‘prospective student X’? Absolutely.</p>