Top 5 Tips for Best Campus Visits that Save Time and Money

Many college-bound juniors are visiting campuses in March and April during Spring Break. Those campus visits are an important step in the college admissions process and can shape the application process in surprising ways. Given that many colleges will also have “Admitted Student” events in March and April, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for times when your teen can visit.

These visits are informational so they offer a great opportunity to learn as much as you can about the admissions process and for your teen to envision their college experience. Visiting a campus should confirm your teen’s decision to apply or not to a college. Once your teen has RSVPd and the schedule is set, here are 4 quick and easy tips for a successful visit:

1. Campus size doesn't always matter

Visit colleges of varying sizes to understand whether size matters or not.? When reading about campuses on-line, it can sometimes be difficult to get a feel for the size. Also, the physical space of the campus may attribute either a “small” or “big” feel more-so than the enrollment numbers suggest. Depending on the urban-ness or rural-ness of a campus, it can feel more “big” or “small” when you visit in person.

2. Not everyone should go

For parents, it can add to the stress if disinterested siblings or friends also come along on the visit. I recommend that parents attend the campus visit with their teen, so that their teen is the center of the college vetting process. When I took my son on campus visits, his sister stayed at home. Her interests were so different that she would have been bored and distracting.

Especially, your teen’s high school sweetheart should stay home.? I have actually been on visits where students are there with a sweetheart hanging on to their every hip move. Think about how this looks. Not to mention that the visit can be short-changed by their sweetheart’s impression of the campus.??

3. Check out the neighbors

Many college campuses are shaped by the neighborhoods surrounding them. Some neighborhoods are good and some . . . not so good. Check out the neighborhood surrounding the college campus. If your teen is not comfortable there, perhaps that’s a sign! Prospective students should feel comfortable with the surrounding area because the on-campus life is often intertwined with off-campus life.

If you are concerned about security, I would suggest that you get an on-campus (and off-campus) police report of recent incidents.

?4. Have questions ready

Researching the college prior to your visit almost always generates more questions than it answers. You and your teen may prepare questions ahead to ask during the campus visit.? Questions can be about parking conditions, security, food quality, dorm life, et al. There are a number of other topics or concerns that may come up in the moment as you’re listening to a tour guide or admissions presentation.

Make sure your teen always ask questions during your visits. Asking questions demonstrates interest and intellectual curiosity.

Throughout the year, I visit dozens of college campuses and learn something new every time. With each visit, it's important for me to write notes so that I keep track of all that I learned. Please download our campus visit checklist in our College Prep Toolkit so that your teen remembers what they learned and keep track of how each college would be a fit for their interests and needs.

Where are you visiting this spring?