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With Rachel Korn, former admissions officer at several top universities.
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Visiting Colleges
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Plan Summertime College Visits (if possible)
HEAD Start
If you'll be able to visit campuses in the summer, see if you'll have the opportunity to have an on-campus interview. If so, this will be important in your summer preparations and planning. Most interviews are conducted with alumni that live near you, but some schools will give you the chance to meet admissions professionals and students in an on-campus interview. This may be the method you prefer.

HEAD Lines
Summer is a popular time to visit colleges. Although classes aren't in session, you can attend information sessions, take tours, and speak with students. Some schools also interview on campus. Talk to your parents about the possibility of visiting schools in the summer, and make sure that if you want to interview on campus as part of your application, you make those arrangements when they become available.

If you can visit schools, check out the admissions Web page:
  • What are the admissions requirements (and do they involve interviews)?

  • What are the interviewing policies?

  • When can interviews be scheduled?
If they can be scheduled in the coming weeks, mark down on a calendar at home to call the school when the scheduling begins. It's generally first come, first served, so make yourself first!


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Counselor's Corner

Make the Most of Your Campus Visits

Juniors: Now is the time to start visiting colleges! Think of yourself as an investigator compiling information for a research project. In the end you will have a selection of prospective colleges that will result in the right match for you. You won't be overwhelmed by fuzzy memories of campus centers, dorm rooms and lecture halls if you plan ahead. Here are some tips:

Consider the first few visits as "discovery visits" and stay open minded. Visit colleges that you've always dreamt of attending, but also select all types of institutions - large-small, urban-rural, public-private, single sex-coed. You may be surprised. It happens more often than you think that those who have their hearts set on attending a big-city school, suddenly discover the benefits of rural liberal arts colleges for example.

Be proactive. The "visit campus" links on the admission websites have all the tools you need including schedules of campus tours, information sessions, directions and lodging information.

Contact the admission office. Tell them you are coming. Make appointments for a campus tour, information session and optionally, an admission interview. Information sessions are generally given by admission officers and the tours by students. If you have time, and you like the school, I recommend doing both. Plan to spend a minimum of two hours on each campus.

Arrange for an overnight stay: Colleges organize student volunteers to show you what life is really like in the dorms and in their classes.

Pay attention to your special interests. Whether you're most interested in advanced neuroscience research, athletics, political clubs, music, or drama, you'll find it worthwhile to meet with representatives of these programs. Faculty and coaches welcome visitors if the appointments are made in advance.

Don't hesitate to ask any question! The student tour leader or admission professional recognizes that all of your concerns are important. Also, talk to other students and faculty on campus. People's views vary widely so ask the same question to several people.

Don't rely on your memory alone: take notes and, bring a camera or video recorder. These useful tools will serve you well when your memory blurs on the plane ride home.

Get help if you need it. If the thought of organizing itineraries and driving for miles and miles leaves you anxious, you may want to consider a pre-arranged college tour. Offered by many agencies and independent education consultants, a scheduled tour will provide you with a personalized itinerary, access to the admission offices, and expert advice on the college admission and financial aid process while you travel.
Theresa Leary, M.Ed., TLC Education Planning for Global Learning
info@theresaleary.com
www.theresaleary.com


Here's an excerpt from a memo that I send to my students:

"Although it's helpful to visit colleges when classes are in session and students are on campus, you can always visit during the summer and during breaks (and then return when classes are in session if you really are interested in a school), but you can't redo your grades."

So for all of you who have made your classes your priority this year, good for you! Even if you're just finishing your junior year, there's still plenty of time to schedule visits to college campuses. Admissions offices are open during the summer. To get the most out of a visit, give yourself about two to two and a half hours on each campus so that you have plenty of time to attend an information session and take a student-led tour.

The views expressed herein are those of their authors alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of Hundreds of Heads or of IECA.

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From Other HEADS
I DID A UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED VISIT with my parents, and a visit with friends; both are a good idea. If I just relied on my friends, I'd only get a feel for the social scene (which was fun to experience, too!).

-- JESSICA NEWMAN
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY


THE MAIN QUESTION I HAD WAS, "Can I see myself walking across this quad and talking to these people for the next four years?" When I visited Harvard, it took me about three minutes on the campus before I looked at my father and pleaded with him to get me out of there. Listen to those instincts.

-- CATHERINE HOWARD
SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY


Web Resources
Curious about what other students think about school visits?
Check out this forum: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visits/

HoH Tip
Some schools ask for a "Why are you applying here?" essay, and your visits will give you material for the essay.


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