By Olivia Richie
College visits are an important factor for students who plan to attend college for many reasons. It’s also important to know what to look for when visiting colleges. College visits allow students to get firsthand experience on campus, and what campus may be like. One of the main purposes of college visits is for students to know whether or not it’s the right fit for them. This includes not only seeing the campus but interacting with people who already attend the college themselves.
Many high school seniors hold back when it comes to making college visits, however it’s better to start visiting colleges as early as junior year. “I’ve visited around eight colleges already. I started visiting last year just to kind of get it out of the way since senior year was already stressful enough. I wanted to visit a lot of college’s just so I could compare and see what I wanted out of whatever college I choose to go to,” said Bree Freedman a senior at Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS). By starting her search earlier, it turned out that a few of her top pick schools didn’t really meet her standards when it came to where she wanted to be for the next four years of college. “One of things I pay attention to are the people around campus and their attitudes. If I see a lot of unhappy people walking around then I’m immediately uninterested because who wants to go to a school where it seems everyone is miserable,” said Freedman. Sometimes what should be looked for in a college isn’t as simple as if the campus is nice and clean, but the atmosphere of the school is equally as important. Do the students there look happy? Are the students an active part in campus life? It’s one thing to have a nice college but making sure the students there are displaying good attitudes and their demeanor is just as important, if not more.
College visits allow students to participate and see parts of the campus that can’t be found simply by researching it online. Visiting allows students the opportunity to get familiar with the area outside of campus as well. “Whenever I go on a tour, I make time to visit outside of campus, and I recommend students that are going on visits to make time to explore the surrounding area. I feel like not many students think about that,” says Grier Hopkins a senior at PVHS who plans to go to Florida Atlantic University.
College visits overall are extremely important to the application process. College is an investment that is worth thousands of dollars. Taking the time to choose the right college is one of many steps to being successful from the start. The importance of going to see and experience college life may help students weed out schools they may not want to go to. Applying for colleges isn’t a one and done, there are many steps taken to choose the right college and visits are just one part of that. “Today, one-third of college students transfer at least once before earning a degree. The schools you’re considering might be ones you end up leaving or transferring to eventually,” According to Jeff Selingo author of ‘Getting Ready for The Golden Mile: The Summer College Tour,’ ask questions about the percentage of transfers each year, as well as transfer credits. All these factors are important to write down and check off with each visit.
Understand that college visit does require planning, cost money and time. Be sure to have a plan in place when setting any college visits. If students are looking for an authentic experience, go during spring or fall when campuses have the most activity. Many say don’t visit during the summer, however that can be less stressful for students, and it all depends on what the student wants to get out of the visit. While there, take notes on the impression each school gives so when looking back students can list the pros and cons. Again, college visits do require time and money so doing the most to get everything out of the experience on campus is very important. Staying overnight at most campuses is always a great option to get the most out of the time students are there. Most importantly however, set a budget! A budget for college visits allows for students to choose visits for schools they are most interested in. While there is a lot to think about when it comes to college visits it’s also important to have fun. Start early and get it done. Choosing where to go to college and the process that it entails can be stressful. Do not procrastinate because the earlier students start the less stressful it becomes when it’s finally time to start college and remember, have fun on college visits. There are many factors that go into what school is the right fit for each person, but enjoy the time there as well.
Many high school seniors hold back when it comes to making college visits, however it’s better to start visiting colleges as early as junior year. “I’ve visited around eight colleges already. I started visiting last year just to kind of get it out of the way since senior year was already stressful enough. I wanted to visit a lot of college’s just so I could compare and see what I wanted out of whatever college I choose to go to,” said Bree Freedman a senior at Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS). By starting her search earlier, it turned out that a few of her top pick schools didn’t really meet her standards when it came to where she wanted to be for the next four years of college. “One of things I pay attention to are the people around campus and their attitudes. If I see a lot of unhappy people walking around then I’m immediately uninterested because who wants to go to a school where it seems everyone is miserable,” said Freedman. Sometimes what should be looked for in a college isn’t as simple as if the campus is nice and clean, but the atmosphere of the school is equally as important. Do the students there look happy? Are the students an active part in campus life? It’s one thing to have a nice college but making sure the students there are displaying good attitudes and their demeanor is just as important, if not more.
