Summer is at its peak with the latest heat wave! A time to soak up some sunshine, enjoy dinners from the grill, and…plan college visits? Although untraditional, a summer visit to a college can be a beneficial way to see a school in its quieter off-season. If you or your student are too busy to travel during a school’s academic year, visiting a school during the summer or during a break in that school’s calendar is still a great opportunity.

Who is on campus during the summer?

There will be less students on campus, but that can also be an ideal time to get to know the people that are present: students taking summer courses or living on campus while working at an internship. Be aware that you might also find high school students on campus taking academic or sports programs and this can give you an unusual picture of campus life that may make it appear significantly younger than it will look in September. Schools may also offer summer housing opportunities to international students or those who travel a far distance to attend their chosen school (something to keep in mind in your own college decision journey). Visiting during the summer may also give you a chance to chat with professors or department heads.

It can be said without a doubt that it’s a very difficult time to be a student. This generation of students is faced with so many unpredictable factors, that it puts even more strain and stress on them than most of them can handle. The pandemic has made them more isolated, less social, and perhaps more fearful.

In addition, this year’s college admission statistics have brought a new level of uncertainty to current high school seniors making final decisions. But this unprecedented college landscape also extends to younger high school students, as they look at admit rates as low as the single digits. 

When it comes to college, competition seems only to be getting more intense. Students are pressured by expectations to get perfect test scores, have unique and incredible talents and be accomplished and successful just by the age of 16 or 17. How long will students be able to live up to these expectations? According to a recent article by Jeffrey Selingo in the Atlantic, “The College-Admissions Process Is Completely Broken, but it doesn’t have to be”, the college admissions system might not be able to hold up for long.

Colleges already responded to the pandemic with measures meant to ease minds like test-optional policies, but in the long run that didn't eliminate competition, just changed it temporarily. (Note that M.I.T. just went back to a test required model)

Generally, there are two types of high school students: those that have no idea where they want to go to college, and those that know exactly where they want to go and where they “belong.” A lot of these students become fixated on their dream schools, either because of reputation, legacy, or a dreamy, beachside campus. Whatever the motivation, students shouldn't let a particular school become too much a part of their identity, because what happens if they don't get in?

Here's a common story of how things can happen at school. You get good grades, you do tons of unique extracurriculars, volunteer work, foreign languages, musical instruments, and you still don't get into your dream school. It seems like you’ve checked off all the boxes and would be the ideal student. So, what's the deal? Are you still not good enough to get in, or are there other factors coming into play? With the increased applications at most competitive schools, it is a mathematical reality that there will be more rejections and waitlisted students than anytime in history.

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.