It’s that time of year. Summer break is in full swing, and is a great time to plan college visits and tours. But before you hit the road to visit college campuses, check out our 5 tips to make sure you’re in the know before you go and make the most of your time and travel.
It Starts with a Plan
Make a list Write down the 3-5 colleges you have always thought about attending. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for in a college (e.g., public or private, geographic location, small or large student body), make sure your list includes colleges that offer different characteristics related to student body size, public or private and environment.
Make the most of your time Plot out the 3-5 colleges you’d like to visit on a map, and then research another 1-2 colleges that are geographically nearby. You may be able to make 2 college tours in a day (a morning tour and an afternoon tour), and have an opportunity to get a feel for different types of colleges in the area.
Talk about it Pitch your list of 3-5 colleges to someone whose opinion you trust. This can be a parent, relative, teacher, coach or anyone whose advice you trust–we like to call them Advisors. Your Advisor is a person in your corner, ready and eager to help. Talk with your Advisor about the colleges you’ve always thought of wanting to visit. Together, decide if these schools are reasonable possibilities for you in regard to distance, cost and admission criteria. Don’t be afraid to visit reach colleges–it’s good to shoot for the stars–but make sure you also have some sure bets in the mix too.
Ask your +1 Before scheduling a campus tour, ask your +1. This can be a friend, parent or anyone whose advice you trust and you know is in your corner, ready and eager to help. Find out when they can go on the campus tours and visits with you.
Schedule it Now that you have your list, feedback from your advisors and your +1, it’s time to schedule the college visits and tours. Check out the college websites to see the days and times that they offer college tours and if pre-registration is required–if it is, we recommend registering ahead of time to reserve your spot. Figure out how to make the most of your time by scheduling a max of 2 tours a day, or college visits on back-to-back days. It’s helpful to see as many colleges as possible in close time proximity as possible so your memory is fresh in comparing them.
Now that you know how to plan and prep for our college visits road trip, check out our other blogs with tips on how to make the most of each college visit and tour, and how to get a better feel for whether a college is the right fit for you.
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