Top Tips for Visiting Colleges as an Admitted Student
Shelly Humbach • March 13, 2020
Receiving your letter or email of admission is a time for celebration! What's your next step? Many colleges will be inviting you to visit the campus as an admitted student.
These visits can be:
• A designated day event on campus
• A designated weekend or overnight event on campus
• A designated window of time in which to visit
• A scholarship competition
• An orientation
Here are tips for making the most of these visits.
Preparing for the visit:
• Review your priorities for a good college fit. As discussed in the blog What is College Fit, fit includes 4 components; academic, social, emotional and physical.
• Brush up on the details. Refresh your knowledge about the school’s size, academic options, and other details that interest you. Your visit will be more meaningful if you have the basics down.
• Explore advising options for your major. When do you start advising?
• Review housing options. Where would you live?
• Explore activities offered. What appeals to you?
On Campus:
Prepare a list of questions to ask during your admitted student visit. Plan a visit when the college is in session. You need to see the college from the perspective of a student. As a part of the visit, see if you can make the following appointments:
1. Academic Advising. If possible, meet with an academic advisor in your area of study. Learn more about the courses and professors in your selected field of study.
2. Tour housing/dorm options. Where will you live as a freshman?
3. Meet with a financial aid advisor. What is your financial aid package? Do your parents have questions that need answered?
As you visit the campus, ask yourself these questions:
• Would I fit in academically here?
• Would I fit in socially here?
• Do I feel comfortable with the physical location?
After Your Visit:
• Send a thank you for the visit.
• Record your thoughts as soon as possible.
In June, I hosted my annual Senior Essay Writing Workshop. This was the first in-person workshop since 2019. I bet you can guess why. I was elated to meet my students face-to-face after months, even years, of connecting through the screen. Imagine my surprise at their height, super-smiles, and warm laughter. Dang, it was wonderful. So, essentially, all my in-state seniors gather at my house for a three-hour intensive workshop on crafting a killer college essay. As I was preparing for the event, it occurred to me that I might be in competition with their PHONE. Classic directness (this is probably a character flaw) led me to inform my students and their parents, in advance, that this would be a no-phone gathering. My messaging went something like this, Important: Phones are placed in a basket at the door and retrieved at noon. No exceptions. Parents: If you need to reach your student during the workshop, text me directly at **********. Now, I am fully on board with the phone-free movement. I support it, advocate for it, and live it (I brilliantly quit all personal media last November). And I thought: my event, my rules. I was a little concerned about how this announcement would land. Turns out my concern was mainly about the parents. The kids? Not so much. In fact, research indicates that students crave phone-free learning environments. Suffice to say, the workshop was a smashing success. Not a single student pushed back against the policy. One poor soul forgot to retrieve her phone and left it sitting all alone in the basket. Not to worry, though. She didn’t get far before turning back to grab it. Here’s the truth: We don’t have to bow down to every technological whim or societal pressure. As adults, we know the phone is a problem, and it’s our job to foster healthy, happy individuals. So let's keep this momentum going. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “When you know better, do better.”
I work with incredible colleagues; collaborative, smart and supportive. They make me better and I am deeply grateful. Every year, Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy of Big J Educational Consulting share invaluable information regarding college admissions. Their research is impeccable and accurate and provides crucial data to help students and families make informed college decisions. Read on, share broadly and give a shout out to these generous professionals! Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid Class of 2028 In-State and Out-of-State Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Financial Aid for International Noncitizens Class of 2028 International Noncitizens Acceptance Rate and Yield Class of 2028 Percentage of Students Submitting SAT and ACT Scores Class of 2028 Athletic Divisions and Conferences (partial list) Class of 2028 - NEW! These charts are visual, interactive, and easy to use. They make it possible to instantly sort using any column's metrics and to easily compare subsets of colleges. They are free and can be accessed at www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources . From Jennie and Jeff: We hope you find these resources helpful in your work guiding students. Please feel free to share them broadly as long as they remain in their original unedited form. Permission is not granted to those charging a fee for their distribution. If you find an error after cross-referencing with an institution's Common Data Set, please contact us at info@bigjconsult.com . Thank you!
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