Pro: Add it to your vacation schedule. With most colleges offering two information sessions and tours a day, even in the summer, many families cram visits to several universities over the course of a few days. Big urban schools, like NYU, tend to have robust summer sessions with a lot of students on campus, so teens and their families can get a good idea of what the campus is like during the regular school year. Plan in advance during your student’s junior year. Many larger schools offer summer sessions, so visit those schools during the summer and focus on smaller suburban or rural colleges during the school year.
Con: It can be difficult to get an authentic feel for campus life if there aren’t a lot of people around.
You might do a mix of organized campus tours, unscheduled visits, interviews and class trips. During the summer, campuses are quiet, but families have more time to roam and explore the university and surrounding area. Opportunity: There are experts on campus to answer questions. Colleges know that families want to ask questions about admissions and financial aid, so those resources are likely available year-round.
Obstacle: You’re only getting the summer viewpoint of a school. Months of harsh winters can affect your student's experience! Students considering schools with distinct weather need to visit them at different times. Students who can’t visit schools can connect online. For example, virtual tours, and social media sites. In addition, if you can’t tour the college’s campus, contact the admissions’ office to let someone there know of your interest in their school. While on the phone set up a phone interview with an alumnus or an admissions’ officer. This could cement your college acceptance!! Are you just beginning the college search process and feeling overwhelmed? I can help. Contact me at:
Dianne@LaunchingCollegeSuccess.com
or 240-285-1920.
This presentation contains images that were used under a Creative Commons License.
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