<p>People have told me that I should visit colleges during their school year, but I really don't think that I'll have the time to do that this year (I'm a junior). </p>
<p>I was just wondering if there truly is a DRAMATIC difference between a college not in session as opposed to one in session. Have any of you visited a college over the summer and hated it, but then went back during ths school year and loved it?</p>
<p>in my experience, it is very difficult to get a feel for a school during a summer visit. Either there are no students, or summer programs going on with non-students. On the other hand, you can at least see the physical surroundings and in some cases that's all you need to know to realize you don't like it. I know it's tough to fit in school visits with everything else going on but if at all possible I would go during the year, Sept/Oct of Sr Yr works even though it's a little chaotic.</p>
<p>I think there is a big difference. You won't be able to sit in classes, meet any professors or coaches and the student center will be full of summer campers instead of college students. Some of our best information and insights came from students we bumped into as we toured around.
There are factors that will always be the same...location, town appeal, dorms, layout of the campus...so you will like or dislike some schools regardless of when you see them...you will just have more information if you can see the school in session.</p>
<p>Do you have a chance to visit during spring break? It may be during a time when school is still in session.</p>
<p>I first saw Stanford in the summer, and I wasn't falling in love. It just looked like an empty ... farm. It was also very hot and humid. I visited again in the spring. Total 180. I think that if you can't visit during the school year, you're just wasting money visiting in the summer.</p>
<p>Some are better (Wisconsin) and busy. Others really dead. Most small schools are dead while the large ones still have 10-20 thousand people around.</p>
<p>Don't do it if you don't have to!</p>
<p>I felt that I would only get out to the Chicago schools (i.e. U of C and Northwestern) if I did it during the summer, so I did. Almost dead campuses. Nice, and I liked them both, but D.E.A.D.</p>
<p>It depends on the school. If they have a summer session, which larger schools often do, there may not be that much difference for a short visit. If it's a LAC, they may be closed up tight, or besieged by preteen gymnasts or some other camp rental.</p>
<p>Start your visits close to home and try to narrow down your choices. Use your "teachers conference" or what ever your school calls those random free days during the year, to the best advantage. Also, plan to travel when you have breaks in your ECs, so you aren't overwhelmed with school work.</p>
<p>I also agree that more useful vists happen during the school year. That way you can talk to some current students and sit in on a class or two.</p>
<p>Most schools give you excused absenses if you fill out an application for them or whatever. My high school lets you miss a day or two for a visit- I took some time off in the beginning of senior year to do some visiting. If you can, pick a day that isn't too busy and go visit.</p>
<p>my first born and i visited most of her schools in the summer, including the one she went to! and we visited others IN session during snowstorms that hurt us more than the summer visits. if you have/want to in the summer, go for it!</p>
<p>id say you should try to push in your visits in the week or two right before you go back because college usually starts earlier than HS and if not, there are bound to be at least SOME students coming back early.</p>
<p>that said, yeah its nice to see the students walking around and interacting but its not essential i think. if you absoluetly cnat make it when students are there, try to talk to your tour guide more to try to find out more about the students at the college. or walk into a dining hall, there should be at least ONE student there willing to answer your questions.</p>
<p>@ purell1</p>
<p>The best time to visit classes is during the fall and spring quarters/semester. October-November and March-April are perfect times to visit a campus. If you live in a warm climate, you can visit during the winter too. Otherwise, if you live in the Midwest and Northeast, avoid the winter months. Campuses are empty during the summer. Not a true reflection of the college life.</p>
<p>We visited a large number of schools (10) the summer between junior and senior year. After that, son was able to narrow down the list where he wanted to apply. He did a return visit in the fall to 2 of the schools and visited a third during accepted students days in the spring. If you really are trying to get an idea of where you want to apply, visiting in the summer can be helpful.</p>
<p>i have about 10-15 colleges to visit, and havent even visited one yet. i am supposed to visit 4 in april, but i just realized that that's when i should (theoretically) be studying for my APs...i guess i'll visit the ones lower down on my list during the summer and the ones im actually interesting in during beginning of senior yr. would that be too late, though?</p>
<p>i visited in the summer mostly, and u can still get a feel fo the campus, school, etc. Alos, its better than not visiting at all and shows demonstraed interest. I meen if u visit in the school year there will be students and stuff, but how mucha re u gunna learn about the student body in one day or about classes by sitting in one class. I think it's really not as big a deal as people think</p>
<p>There is one college we visited in the summer only.
We learned
1) how was the cafeteria food
2) how easy was it go get around campus
Student gained
1) the ability to say in her "why X University" some personal comments about her observations from when she was visiting there. </p>
<p>We really didn't get a feel for what it would be like to go there. Summer just doesn't give you a feel for the campus. </p>
<p>A summer visit is better than no visit at all, but a visit when the students are there is so much nicer.</p>