As seniors are officially finalizing their plans for the next four years, and juniors are stepping into the process of applying, there is a lot more that goes into college plans than an essay. College is where you will live for the next four years of your life, and a potential place you may want to stay, so choosing what is right for you is so important. Whether you want a big school, a small school, the East coast or the West coast, it is extremely beneficial to visit a school you may be interested in (or even know nothing about) so you can really get a feel for it, because you never know what you really like until you see it. For these encouraged visits, below is a list of dos and don’ts for the occasion. Good luck, juniors!
DON’T: Go to all the same kind of school.
DO: Get a taste of lots of different schools, something might surprise you.
DON’T: Tour schools with your friends.
DO: Go with one or two parents.
DON’T: Visit a school already having a bias, or let your parents’ and friends’ opinions influence you.
DO: Go into your tour with an unbiased, open-minded view of the school.
DON’T: Only visit the schools when the weather is good.
DO: Visit schools even when it is cloudy, grey, and rainy.
DON’T: Only do the official tours through the admissions office.
DO: Get the college experience (dorm life, social scene, etc.) by visiting a friend or sibling.
DON’T: Forget to talk about what you think about the school with your parents.
DO: Debrief right after. Take notes or have a parent take notes while you talk about what you did and didn’t like.
DON’T: Only get food or coffee away from the campus before and after you tour.
DO: Eat at on-campus food spots, nearby restaurants, or even the dining hall.
DON’T: Stay quiet the entire tour, or be afraid to ask questions.
DO: Ask questions, even ones that you think they might not answer truthfully. You can often tell what the real answer is from how they respond.
DON’T: Be shy about going into buildings or dining halls.
DO: Explore the campus and go into the buildings, they’re often open to anyone. Also, walk around off campus to get a feel of the area, including the town, housing, neighborhoods, and Greek houses.
DON’T: Only visit over breaks or on weekends.
DO: Visit during the week when students are on campus, so you can get a feel for the student life, even if you aren’t doing an official tour.
DON’T: Feel like you have to do everything by yourself, or that you have no one to reach out to.
DO: If you have specific, hard-to-search questions, reach out to admissions officers or current students at the school you are looking at. Often, the college counselors will have contact information for these people.