A lot of weight hangs on a college visit. Visiting a college is a chance to give the college your own in-person “interview.” Even if a school looks great on paper and a student is totally convinced, that moment a student steps foot on campus can be a swing factor. “Feel” is something that can’t be beaten out by college stats, majors offered, and highly-reputed faculty.

There are a lot of students that think they know what they want from the get-go. A legacy at Penn might think that Penn is the right choice, for example. Or a high-achieving student might think the best choice is the most competitive Ivy League school. But until there is some kind of personal interaction with the school, there will always still be an element of doubt. That’s why we’d like to help you make the most of your college visit with these tips.

YOu have heard the negatives of summer college visits, what are the positives?

SUMMER COLLEGE VISITS:

I gained a new perspective on college visits from a recent article by Nancy Griesemer of Admission Intel . For many years, I had only preached the negatives of summer college visits, that families should avoid college visits during the summer due to the lack of students and activities on campus. But, I now see the other side; the positives of seeing a school during the summer:

• More quality time with admissions representatives and professors
• Less crowded tours
• Greater chance that both parents will be available to make the trip
• Ability to assess the school's location and the off-campus environment
• Less stressful and less distractions
• No high school academic schedule to deal with, less overlap with athletic and extracurricular schedules

sprinkle some cOLLEGE PLANNING BACK INTO THE SCHEDULE :

With school out and the beach beckoning, you might be wondering how to interest your Rising Junior or Senior in anything but a towel and a bathing suit. As a parent with three college graduates, I can tell you that it doesn’t take long to wish they were back in school. Whether it is vacations, summer jobs, sports teams or hanging out at the pool, we are all on different schedules during the summer. But, there should still be time to plan some college work. Nancy Griesemer outlines a long list of productive things that a rising Junior or Senior can do over the summer.

If you have a high school student and want to get started on the right path, contact us at 914-273-2353, nschwartz@collegeplanningofwestchester.com or visit us at: www.collegeplanningofwestchester.com 

WHAT IS DEMONSTRATED INTEREST, WHY DOES IT MATTER AND HOW CAN A STUDENT SHOW THEIR INTEREST?

what is DEMONSTRATED INTEREST:

• Demonstrated interest means different things to different colleges, but it generally shows how interested a student is in attending a particular college and gauges how likely they are to enroll there.. After the transcript, SAT/ACT scores, student resume, and college application essays, the next most important student attribute is how well they have demonstrated their interest in a school.

Although this advice could be used all year long, many high school juniors will be visiting college campuses during Spring break. Keep these ideas in mind:

The Basics; Tried and true advice:

• Officially record your visit by logging in at the admissions office. This is usually associated with the official information session. A visit without a record will NOT be recognized.
• Take Pictures to document the college tour.
• Take notes immediately after each visit as a family. If you are visiting similar schools, their pitches may be difficult to differentiate, and they will blend together after you leave. By sharing notes, the different things your family may have heard or seen will have be more meaningful.
• Make sure you have enough quality time at each school to make an educated decision. Most schools have both a one hour information session and a one hour tour. Find out when the last sessions or tours are; if you get to the college in the afternoon, you may only have time for one. Plan your trip well in advance. 
• Try not to visit while students are taking final exams.
• Pick up a student newspaper. It might highlight issues on campus that are not mentioned in the info session or admissions office.

Bonus Tips:

Tip #1 – Get off the tour and talk to some real students  

A tour guide can make or break your student’s feelings about the school. A less than enthusiastic guide or one to whom your student does not relate, can totally turn them off. If you can talk to students off the guided tour, you will get a genuine perspective of the school that hasn’t been “coached” by the admissions office. Where do you find these off-the-tour students? Plan to eat in the dining hall and visit the student center. Have your student contact academic departments in advance and, if possible, sit-in on a class. They might even be able to talk to a professor. If your student can stay overnight with a student, that experience can be invaluable. 

Tip #2 – Find a time to visit other than school breaks  

As attractive as vacation time may be for school visits, you will likely be herded around campus in larger groups than normal, which will impact your lens into that school. Better would be a regular school week, if you can get some time off. If your trip was booked well in advance and you are already on your way, take a look at Tip #1!

Tip #3 - Find out who your Admissions rep is

Be sure to get the email of the admissions person in charge of applications and visits for your region. This is who will be reading your application first. They may even know their upcoming schedule for visiting your student’s high school. Most people don't take advantage of this tip. If your student can get to know the regional rep, who can then relate their essay to a face and a visit, that could very well mean the extra nudge for admission. 

If you have an early high school student and want to get started on the right path, contact us at 914-273-2353, nschwartz@collegeplanningofwestchester.com or visit us at: www.collegeplanningofwestchester.com