visits/tours in the summer?

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>I'm an international student who currently resides in Asia, so I was wondering whether anyone who was/is in the same situation could tell me about their experiences visiting schools? Also, is it possible to visit schools in the summer, just to get a quick feel of what their campus is like? I'd like to narrow down my list of schools by checking them out first, before going through the full application process. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>We are in the US, but did schedule some tours over the summer. I personally liked that, as the AOs seem like they have more time to spend with each family.</p>

<p>A few points:

  • Our St. Paul’s AO said that they often get international visits in the summer, so it’s not out of the ordinary.
  • At St. Paul’s and Choate (of the schools I know something about), the Admissions department is closed for a few weeks in the summer. So call now to make your appointments now for a time when they are around.
  • If you do plan to interview (and not just tour), be prepared. One AO told me that sometimes summer interviewees (because they are not in school) aren’t able to speak to questions like “So what’s your favorite subject and why?” or “What most excites you about learning?”
  • While there are upsides to summer visits, keep in mind that you are seeing the campus in an unnatural (no kids, or summer program kids) state…not the same kids or energy level there would be in the Fall. So you don’t really get a true “vibe” for the campuses.</p>
3

<p>Re: “is it possible to visit schools in the summer, just to get a quick feel of what their campus is like?”
YES. Many schools regularly schedule tours and interviews during the summer, and even if
they don’t publicize it, you should inquire. Of course you don’t get quite the comprehensive view that you would during the school year but you can get an idea. My son could only visit during the summer and he was very happy with the school where he ended up.</p>

4

<p>You also can arrange a tour and “chat.” We did this last summer at a number of schools and it worked out well. Since we were visiting boarding schools for the first time, I didn’t think it was appropriate to interview yet. The chat is not a formal interview, yet provides an opportunity to meet with an AO and ask questions. Our chats were scheduled to be 20 minutes, but often went longer. Later, in the fall, my son did his formal interviews (some on campus and others locally) when he knew more about the schools and how they fit his interests.</p>

5

<p>We went to visit some of the schools while they were on vacation, empty, just drove thru, spoke to no one, because we happened to be visiting the area then. I do not recommend it. Many of the schools are in rather quiet areas or are self-contained, and it was hard to imagine why anyone would want to be exiled in such a remote, quiet place. It was very different when we went back for interviews: campus full of students, high energy, seeing the inside and meeting faculty makes all the difference.</p>