Get the most out of your college visit

With spring break on the horizon, and with many universities relaxing pandemic restrictions to allow the resumption of in-person tours, this is a great time of year for high school juniors (and younger students!) to get on the road and visit college campuses.

Campus visits are a fantastic way to see which environments appeal most to you. A day spent on campus can make a huge difference in helping you organize your overall list. Furthermore, many schools value the “demonstrated interest” that comes from taking the time to visit them in the first place, so making the effort to show up in person will have a positive impact on your chances of admission. At Arthur Smith Advising we work closely with families to plan out these visits to help maximize their impact.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of these visits:

• Plan ahead online. Invest time in virtual campus tours beforehand to get an initial sense of the scope and feel of a particular campus. Check out the campus newspaper. Look over the campus map ahead of time to identify key parts of campus to explore. And, above all, several weeks before your visit, be sure to check the admissions office website and sign up for any official in-person tours and information sessions that are available. It is important, whenever possible, to leave an official record that you visited to prove “demonstrate interest.”

• Take the in-person student tour. Student tours have lots in common from school to school: big groups and an enthusiastic guide somehow walking backwards without tripping! Nevertheless, there are lots of great insight to gain from attending a tour at each school on your list.

• Do your own tour. After the student tour, do your own, at your own pace. As part of your planning before the visit, identify key parts of campus that are likely to be a big part of your day: the buildings where your academic interests are located, dorms, dining halls, main campus quad, athletic facilities, and the student health center. Once the official tour is done, seek these out. During the process of walking to each of these points on the map, you’ll cover a large part of campus while getting a sense of how your daily life as a college student may unfold. The insights you gain from exploring on your own can often become a key part of your supplement essays when you apply.

• Talk to as many people as you can. If a college offers an information session, introduce yourself to the admissions officer afterward. Above all, try to talk to current students that you encounter. They were once in the same situation you are in – so don’t be afraid to ask them questions. And their insights could provide a useful perspective when you craft your application essays down the road.

• Eat in a dining hall. If you have time, and if the university allows it, try to grab a meal in one of the campus eateries.  This is also a great place to ask current students some questions!

• Visit the surrounding area. Your campus will be a huge part of your experience, but so too will be the town or city you live in. If you have time, be sure to check out the new zip code you may be calling home.

• Take notes and follow up. There are a lot of campuses out there, and it can be hard to keep your impressions fresh in your mind.  Keep a journal about your visits and take notes on what you did, the people you talked with, and what your overall impressions were.  These memories can fade quickly, particularly if you have a series of visits planned in a short timeframe, so put your thoughts down before you go to bed after a visit. And, above all, if you met with any staff or faculty, or have the contact information of any students you met with, follow up with a thank you!

A college visit is an exciting opportunity to breathe life and energy into your college search. When you get the most out of them, you’ll be more prepared to organize your college list and you can gain an edge in the admissions process.