If your family includes a high school student—then it's not too early to plan a college road trip. Educational consultant Kim Simpson says the best time to start college visits is the summer after the sophomore year. “Rising juniors can begin identifying colleges they might want to attend. Rising seniors can use their summer to attend an academic program at a school that interests them.”
College experts recommend you visit a campus when classes are in session, but that is not always an option. Our first college tour was at the University of Pennsylvania during a summer vacation in Philadelphia. More than 40,000 prospective students tour this Ivy League campus every year.
Simpson who is the owner of Collegiate Admissions in Covington, says the Mardi Gras break is a great time for Louisiana residents to visit out-of-state schools. Colleges are in session and fewer prospective students are visiting at that time of year. Spring Break is a popular time to tour colleges, so schedule your visit early—before the information sessions are booked up.
Most colleges offer tours once or twice a day Monday through Friday and some even conduct Saturday tours. If you plan to travel during a holiday—always check the college’s academic calendar to determine if the school will be open.
Sometimes there just isn’t time to take an “official tour.” We stopped at Elon in North Carolina on an early Sunday morning. The only student we encountered was a girl manning the information booth in the Student Center. We walked the campus and even peeked into the school’s theatre. Just remember, colleges create a file on every prospective student. If you don’t stop by Admissions and register as a visitor, your child will not be creating a paper trail.
Admissions officers understand it is impossible for students to visit every school on their list. However, a campus visit tells them you are seriously interested in them. We found that the closer you live to a college--the higher the expectation is that you will visit the campus.
Over a three year period, our family saw more than 20 colleges. Here are our tips on how to get the most benefit out of a campus visit.
- Just about everything you need to know regarding visiting a school can be found on its website and most provide online registration. If you have a question, call the Admissions Office and ask—they are happy to assist you.
- If your child wants to meet with an admissions representative, sit in on a class, or talk with a professor; appointments need to be scheduled a few weeks in advance. Some schools require evaluative interviews with prospective students and they are typically conducted after the junior year is completed. Simpson emphasized it is important for a student to be familiar with the school and prepared for the interview.
- Print a campus map or have one mailed to you. If you are driving, find out where visitors can park and if a special permit is required.
- The typical college visit includes an information session and a tour of the campus. Expect to spend at least two to three hours at every college. The Admissions Office can give you an approximate idea of how much time to allot. Never schedule more than two college visits per day. After the official tour is over, have lunch on campus. Pick up the school’s newspaper. Chat with everyone you meet and ask questions.
- Before booking a hotel, check to see if the college has one on campus. The Admissions Office website usually lists hotels that are in close proximity to the college and some offer discounts on the room rates. The advantage of staying near a college is that your family can continue to investigate the campus even when the official visit is over. Check the college calendar to see if any speakers, sporting events or artistic performances are coinciding with your visit. Drive and walk around the campus and surrounding neighborhood at night. Does it feel safe? Are restaurants located nearby?
One of the best tools for the college search is the U.S. College and University Reference Map. It contains over 1200 colleges in the US and Canada. (Available at bookstores or
www.hedbergmaps.com or call 800-933-6277.) If you are driving, the American Automobile Association (www.AAA.com) has a free online mapping tool—Trip Tik—that makes it easy to decide the order of the places you will visit.
If you can’t get out-of-town, take a virtual tour of a college campus using sites such as
www.CampusTours.com. Viewing pictures on a computer screen is not the same experience as walking on the campus; however it can help high school students narrow their list of colleges to visit in person.
Take the train
High school juniors and seniors who purchase an Amtrak ticket can get 50 percent off their companion’s ticket. Students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. (Additional children ages 2-15 can travel for half-price.) This offer is only offered online at
www.campusvisit.com/amtrak and is available through December 13, 2009 from travel between now and December 16, 2009. Tickets must be purchased three days in advance and some black-out dates do apply. A valid high school ID is required for families using this promotion.