Spring term flies by and is usually packed with activities. If you plan to visit colleges over Spring Break, now is the time to make tour reservations, as they fill quickly.  

Hot Tip: It’s easier to cancel than try to get a last-minute reservation.

Why visits are valuable

Think of all the high schools in your area. Would you want to attend just any school or do they have different reputations? And are reputations always accurate?

Campus visits are valuable for information gathering and getting a sense of the campus personality, which is hard to get remotely. 

The tour guide is not the only expert. Listen to what other families ask and talk about. Many have older siblings and have been through this process before. 

Planning your visits

• The admission home page of each college will have a link to sign up for tours.
• It isn’t worth going without a formal tour. You will be looking at a collection of buildings. It also shows demonstrated interest for colleges that track that. 
• This is a super helpful sorting tool: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Note: It is citing six-year grad rates, not four (most rankings also use the six-year rate FYI)
• Reality check: Do not only visit the popular ranked schools. For example, your odds of admission to MIT and Harvard are less than 4% (yes, even with straight As, top test scores, steller extracurriculars, a patent to your name, etc. The other 54,007 applicants have these things, too. It doesn’t make anyone stand out.) Boston College and University are only slightly better. There are at least 20 colleges in the Boston area alone. If that’s your target area, choose a variety.
• Approach every college with the attitude of “If this were my first choice college, what would I want to know?” Be open and curious.
• No more than two visits per day. It is tiring, and you need to build in some fun.
• Take notes as you leave campus with what you liked, did not like, and what surprised you. These notes may be useful for writing supplemental essays later, and I guarantee the schools will blend together without notes.
• Can’t take long trips to see schools? Most of you live within easy driving distance of at least five schools. Any visit will help identify what does or doesn’t make a good fit to refine your search criteria.

My top three favorite tour questions (anything is fair game; these are suggestions only):

1. Pick three adjectives to describe the personality or feel of your school.
2. What does it take to succeed here, and what makes it hard?
3. I am touring many schools. What would make this one memorable and distinct from the others?

Happy planning!