DEFINITION OF COLLEGE VISITS:
A college visit is the best way to truly get to know a school. Time spent on a campus can include:

• Visiting the college admissions office and/or attending an admissions office presentation

• Taking a campus tour, organized by the college or on your own

• Sitting in on a class or two

• Meeting a professor in your field of academic interest

• Meeting and talking to one or more current students

• Looking into your extracurricular, athletic or special service interests

• Walking or driving through the adjacent college community or town

THE BOTTOM LINE #1
Visiting colleges is a critical part of developing a good college list and also in making a wise, final college choice. College visits also offer one of the best opportunities to develop relationships with college admissions personnel. Although not guaranteed, having frequent personal contact with a college’s admissions office can be a tip factor in your being admitted to a school. (Read Guide 7 on Relationships with Colleges for more about this.)

When you see a college for the first time, what may be most important is your “gut feeling” about it. The author, Malcolm Gladwell, calls this the “blink” factor. That is, if you like (or don’t like) the look and feel of a school during the first few minutes, you will probably feel the same from that point on.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I turned on by the look of the campus?

• As I walk around, do I find myself smiling and feeling comfortable with what I see?

• Is the campus beautiful and well cared for?

• Do the students I see seem to be the kind of people I want to know and spend time with?

• Is the atmosphere friendly and inviting?

• Do I feel excited about the prospect of spending four years here?