BY LISA SOHMER
Director of College Counseling, Garden School
Thanks to the Internet, students are now able to do “virtual visits” to find preliminary information about the colleges on their lists. Many colleges have online videos, web-based tours and blogs for communicating with students and staff.
Students will visit colleges and not apply and will apply to colleges that they have not visited. Still, before making a decision and sending a deposit, it’s important to really get to know the college by visiting in person.
Here are some tips to make the most of your visit:
? Make an appointment for a tour of the campus. It’s almost impossible to show yourself a campus.
? Arrive with questions about the things that matter to you. College tours offer a comprehensive overview, but may not address the things that are important in your decision-making.
? Remember that you will not always be a freshman. Look at courses, housing and parking for sophomores, juniors and seniors.
? Take notes and take pictures – you will need them once you get home.
? Get to campus the way you would as a student to see what the trip will really be like. If you will not have a car on campus, travel by bus or train.
? Try to imagine yourself as a member of the campus community. What classes and clubs seem most interesting? Which group would you want to join on the quad? Which table of students in the cafeteria would you like to sit with?
? If you are visiting more than one college, evaluate them using the same criteria.
? Ask questions about what your experience there would be like. Are students in groups or pairs or are most students alone? What’s the town/city/neighborhood like? Does it matter? Is the campus the focal point of the area? What is there to do on the weekend?
