Why You Should Go
Connie, Raul, Jeff, and Mandy, students at different high schools, all shared the same concern: Not one of them had any notion of what a college was actually like. They had read the vital statistics about various colleges in the big, comprehensive directories, looked at college Web sites and brochures to get a sense of the ambience at those colleges, and talked to a few friends about their colleges when they were home on vacation, but they still didn't know what a college was really like or how it felt to be on a campus and away from home.
Connie's first notions of a college came from listening to her sister and her friends talk about their experiences, and each one wanted Connie to apply to the college she was attending. Although each made a good case for the college she had chosen, Connie knew that she needed to check them out for herself since she didn't think that what suited them would necessarily suit her.
Raul, a student at a large metropolitan high school, decided that a college in a small town offered few distractions and would therefore be more conducive to studying. Yet, when he made his visits to the colleges he had chosen, he was struck by how frustrated he felt at not having a wide choice of movies or foreign restaurants nearby. He realized that although the students he met liked the closeness and togetherness ofthe college environment, he needed the variety of choices available in a larger community. To test out his revised priorities, he embarked on visits to his state university and to smaller urban colleges to see what they would be like.
Jeff, on the other hand, had little idea of what type of college suited him. He thought that a small college would offer him good contact with faculty and he would get to know most, if not all, of the students quite well; but he also imagined that a large university would have a broad range of academic courses and social activities from which to choose. He decided that a serious investigation of different types of colleges was called for so that he could determine what best matched his interests.
Mandy's mother had always spoken enthusiastically about the wonderful education she had received at her women's college, but Mandy resisted the idea of going to a single-sex school. To placate her mother, however, she arranged for a campus visit and interview at her mother's alma mater. Much to her surprise, she found herself talking easily to the admission counselor about her reluctance to go to a women's college and her longtime ambition to become a lawyer. Afterward, Mandy stayed overnight with two sophomores, one from a small town in Georgia and the other from Chicago, talking most of the night about the advantages and the drawbacks of the college. They were frank and funny about a lot of the campus doings. Although Mandy and the two students came from dissimilar backgrounds, she was delighted to find that they shared an interest in mystery novels and funky earrings. The next morning she sat in on two classes and was enthusiastic about the give-and-take of the discussion. Pleased by what she was discovering, Mandy decided to put her mother's college on her own list of schools to consider seriously.
These four students were getting a good start on their college search. Sometimes high school students are so uptight about college that they forget that they control their own choices. Students can, and must, determine for themselves which colleges are best for them, and not choose a college because it is well known or popular. It is essential for students to figure out which colleges match their needs, desires, and aspirations.
Many students still choose colleges that their parents picked out for them or ones closest to home or ones that cousins or friends said were "just great." But it is important to realize that choosing a college is a big decision that will affect lifelong interests, career, and friendships. Students should look for colleges where they can be successful academically, stimulated intellectually, and happy socially--where they can learn, grow, and make friends.
To find the right colleges, students must be good shoppers, especially now when a year at college may cost as much as a new car. Just as no one chooses a car without a test drive, no one should choose a college without a test visit. Looking at Web sites, talking, or thinking about colleges doesn't replace the road test: the campus visit. Visits give students a personal insight into the campus style, student body, social atmosphere, available facilities, and academic dynamics. Visits to a number of colleges make it possible to compare them and to evaluate to what extent they match students' requirements. Visits answer the questions a college shopper should be asking, "What would it be like for me to go to college here?" "Do I fit in?" "Will I feel comfortable and happy here? "Will I get the education that I'm looking for?"
Who Should Go When
Jim and Ann-Li, two junior-year honors students with heavy academic programs, were worried about the timing of their campus visits. Their top-rated colleges weren't holding interviews between January and June, not much would be happening on campuses during the summer, and they weren't sure they could take time out from school the following fall. They talked to their high school counselor who showed them the next year's academic calendar, and they saw that there were four autumn school holidays, including Labor Day, when they could conveniently make campus visits. They compared the colleges' academic calendars and found that the colleges would be in session on those holidays. Aware that campuses are lively places to visit in early fall, and that interview appointments are best booked early at the more selective colleges, Jim and Ann-Li got busy.
Mike, a varsity high school soccer player, hoped he'd make a college team. Since he practiced every day from mid-August through the fall, he had to plan his college trips during his junior year spring vacation or after the soccer season was over. Luckily, when he called for appointments with the coaches, he found that the colleges were in session during his spring holiday, and he would have a chance to talk to players, go to some classes, and have his interviews at the same time.
On the other hand, Liz, a brass player in the school band, waited until her senior year before researching the colleges. When she was a junior, she had gone with the band to Boston, and had briefly ambled around Back Bay and wandered onto a campus. She had liked what she saw, but she knew she would have to devote much more time and energy to serious college visits. She reviewed the band schedule and determined some dates for visits when she wouldn't be involved with rehearsals.
These juniors and seniors were doing sound planning. Each student was devising a schedule appropriate to his or her needs, for there is more than one right time to make campus visits. The one essential factor for upperclass high school students is that the college be in session.
Getting an Early Start
If a high school student lives near a college, it is worthwhile to walk around the campus or perhaps use the college library for study or research. This is especially useful for freshmen and sophomores to get acquainted with the "feel" of a college. Families who are traveling by car on their vacations could use the opportunity to do a drive-through of a nearby college campus just to get a general idea of what a college campus looks like. A student who is doing a summer sport camp on a college campus should use the opportunity to explore any of the buildings and facilities that are open. It is useful on any of these casual visits to go to the admission office to pick up college information: an application form, a course catalog, the newspaper, a schedule of college events. Doing some of these things will give the student an early start and take some of the mystery out of the college process. However, serious, in-depth looks should be saved for the upperclass years.
During School Week
Juniors and seniors must be purposeful college shoppers. They should explore colleges when things are buzzing: when classes are meeting, students are studying, and ordinary day-to-day activities are taking place. This means making visits during the school week.
High School Holidays
Since junior and senior years are also intense academic periods, it is important to balance high school requirements with college trips and schedule visits so that not too many school days are missed. High school holidays are choice opportunities for college visits. National holidays, especially those falling on Mondays when colleges are generally in session, are appropriate times. A good plan is to travel on Sunday and be on campus Monday. If several colleges are on the itinerary, Tuesday and Wednesday could be added. The early part of the week--Monday through Thursday--is ideal for campus visits because things are bustling then. If you are planning to get interviews, make your appointments with the admission office in June or July for the following autumn.
Spring Vacation
Juniors who have researched the colleges (see Chapter 7, How to "Read" a College Catalog and Chapter 8, How to "Read" a College Web Site) and put in the time to analyze their needs and requirements (see Chapter 12, Putting Your Best Foot Forward) should consider using spring vacation for college visits. Players of fall sports, and students considering early action or early decision with application deadlines in November of their senior year, should use these opportune holidays, but should check...
