Why is visiting colleges so important?

Long time ago around early 80s, I went to Cornell without a visit or research, just because it gave a lot of financial aid and was nearly free, and I was surprised to find out it was really cold, isolated and it belonged to Ivy League. Lol

However the college turned out, I adjusted and graduated.

Some upper class men from HS who already went there told me to apply there because it was a good school, so I did.