As summer approaches its end and the school year sneaks into the lives of thousands of students across the US, rising high school juniors and seniors will find themselves tasked with visiting and applying to colleges. For those fortunate enough to live near their prospective colleges, visiting is a realistic and truly helpful way to get to know how you relate to a school. Since I've been fortunate enough to attend quite a few of these campus visits, I figured I would share a few helpful hints I've picked up along the way.
First, as you arrive on campus, take in everything you can. The weather, the trees, and the faces you pass on the way to your lecture hall. Some of the most telling details about a school won't be explicitly shared; you have to look for the things that matter most to you. If you like the outdoors, see how many species of plants you can see within eyesight. If you like hustle and bustle, watch for how many people you pass match your normal walking speed. First impressions are important; make sure to remember yours.
Most colleges begin with an information session where they disclose all the opportunities they offer as well as the school-specific details of their application. Pay attention to the parts that matter to you and take notes on those parts. Most of what they say is information that is available online -- you're looking for the details that turn you off from the school or make said school shoot to the top of your list. If the representative giving the information session is available for questions, it never hurts to go and introduce yourself. They might be your regional representative or the one who will eventually read your application. Admissions officers are often alumni of the school, so asking them some personal questions can help build your profile of the school. The chances of them remembering your face are low, but your impression of them also builds your impression of their school.
The tour, I find, is the most telling part of your visit. Tour guides are usually current students, and therefore offer the clearest window into what your experience as an undergraduate student will look like. They'll fill you in on the coolest coffee bars and what to expect from the academic rigor of the school. Though few people do it, I recommend taking notes during this part of your visit. This is the part where you see the school; all other exposures are on paper, and paper is inherently flat, incomplete, virtually dimensionless. Take notes on the quirky things about the school that catch your eye -- the farmer's market in the main quad every Thursday or the superstitions of the campus. Take notes of any opportunities your tour guide mentions that you want to take advantage of or of any extracurriculars that just scream your name. Also, see how your tour guide interacts with the other students you pass along the way; again, it speaks a lot to the culture of the campus.
That night, when you get back home, think about the campus: how you would fit into, how it attracts (or doesn't attract!) you. Take your notes and write a small "Why This School" paragraph. It helps keep the details of your day fresh and will help when actual applications and supplemental essays come around!
Good luck to all those currently caught in the storm that is finding and applying to college!
