The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts from across the US answering questions submitted by students and parents about college admissions and succeeding after high school.
Slideshow contains images of colleges in Boston=>
To have your questions answered visit www.unigo.com/expertnetwork
“With several campus visits scheduled, I want to make the most of them – what are some uncommon, but important, things to do, look for, and ask while I’m there?”– Jason C., Boulder, CO
Plan for the visit. Know what you want to discover
If at all possible, visit the campus when the college is in session. See the students. Talk to students on campus. There will be many organizations advertising events. Are the students engaged? Is there activity? How important is Greek life? Can you visualize living with students you observe? If you want specific information regarding a program, contact that department prior to the visit to determine if someone can be available to meet with you. Be certain to sign in at the Admissions Office. It is important to show “demonstrated interest”.
– Gwyeth Smith – President & CEO, College Quest Inc.
An evaluation form is a good tool when visiting colleges
College tours require significant planning and expense to make them productive. Remembering what a prospective student and his family have seen and heard after visiting five or six schools over 3-5 days can be overwhelming. To address this problem I have developed an evaluation form for students which helps them assess the pros and cons of each school while touring the campus, during information sessions and while talking to students so they can easily compare schools. The form contains a rating system for evaluating each aspect of a school’s academic and social environment including geographic location, dorm life, academics, preferred major, sports, Greeks, costs, etc. plus a column for personal observations. It concludes with the question, “Can I see myself as a student there?…for four years?” Students find it very beneficial when visiting multiple campuses in a short time.
– Estelle Meskin – Certified Educational Planner, EstelleMeskin.com
Use All Five Senses when test driving a campus visit
The 549-mile college road trip with your parents is a rite of passage. This is your college audition time. Use all five senses to determine how you feel about a campus. Experience the taste of the new FroYo option in the cafe at the student union; hear the cheering coming from the soccer field as the school clinches their conference title; feel the benefits of suite style dorm living and what it may mean to share a room freshman year; see a classroom in action and experience the professor engaging in a lively classroom debate; smell the lilacs on the college’s 100 acre arboretum. This is how to test drive a campus.
– Joan Koven – Founder & Director, Academic Access
Get to Know the “Real” College
Campus visits are students’ opportunity to get to know what the “real” college is all about. A student’s job when visiting is to dive much deeper into the college’s make-up than what a website or marketing brochure can tell him/her. Some activities that should be on the top of every student’s list are to talk in-depth with students to get their feedback, thoroughly explore the targeted department, and visit with the activities/organizations that are of strong interest. Lastly, students should get acquainted with the local area, as they should be happy with both the college and the surrounding area.
– Jeff Haig – Co-Founder, Maximize Your Education
Current students will be more honest about their college
When visiting a campus, students and their families should understand that admissions officers want to showcase the best that their campus offers. Ideally, going on a tour and sitting in on an information session can give prospective students a good all-around view of a campus. But to see more about actual student life, it can be beneficial to talk with current students who are, more often than not, happy to speak honestly about the quality of life on their campus. Walk around library lobbies or student unions after the admissions tour and pick up copies of any campus newspapers (assuming they’re still being printed). Read what students post on bulletin boards. I also advise parents to try to keep their thoughts and opinions about a given campus to themselves and to allow their children to reflect on the visit and to talk about it when he or she feels so inclined.
– Wynne Curry – College Advisor, Seven Hills School
Get the full story from 30 more experts – including the Dean of Admissions from University of Pennsylvania, Wesleyan, and more – at www.unigo.com/expertnetwork. To send your question to our experts, visit www.unigo.com/expertquestions