If she had to name one step of the college selection process
that applicants should absolutely not skip over, Admissions Consultant Aileen
Kelley would probably say, 'the campus visit.'
"If it's possible, try and visit the campuses of the schools you are considering," says Aileen.
"Seeing the size of the school, the housing or dormitories, classrooms, and other facilities can help you determine if the school is a good fit for you."
Unfortunately, many applicants are only
able to visit their target schools during the summer,
when classes are not in session. "The feel of campus will be different than
it is during the year," says Aileen. "Keep that in mind.
There may not be as many students there, or there may be physical renovations going on, or summer school,
etcetera."
Prospective applicants should not limit
themselves to passively observing the campus and its
buildings. They should ask questions, too. "If you haven't already read up on class size
at the school, you can ask about class size you might encounter as a first year
student. You might also ask about the accessibility of instructors
and the resources that will be available to you in terms of advising, sports
– either varsity, JV, or intramural. Extracurricular activities
and dining hall food are other topics to ask about."
If you're not able to visit all of the schools you're
considering, all is not lost. "If it's not possible to visit some of the schools you are considering, there are other ways to get the information you'll need to make
a decision about applying," says Aileen. "College fairs can be a good resource.
You can use them to meet with a representative of the school without having to travel to
there. Often, an alumnus of the
school will attend college fairs to help the admissions representative.
"College admissions officers also schedule visits to individual schools each year.
Call the college admissions office and see if a staff member is planning a visit to your school
or area."
If you're accepted to a school that you
haven't been able to visit, you should do your best to
tour campus before making up your mind about whether or
not to attend. "Remember that most schools will have
events for admitted students," says Aileen. "If you were unable to visit prior to spring of your senior year, now may be the time to see campus with other admitted students.
"Again, if travel to the school in
question isn't possible and you have to decide whether to attend, ask the admissions office if it is possible to speak to an alumnus in your area,
or if there might be a local gathering of admitted
students."
– Aileen Kelly served in admissions at Harvard University
from 1994 to 2000. Her experience includes service on Harvard's freshman and transfer admissions committees.
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