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Health & Fitness

Summertime College Visits

Summertime College Visits

by Ann Rossbach

 

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Yes, the conventional wisdom is that college campus visits are best when colleges are in full swing.  For some families, though, visiting colleges in the summer might be the only option.  The biggest advantage to a summer campus visit is time.  In the summer, parents and students have the flexibility to visit schools in distant parts of the country or even outside the U.S.  In addition, families will have extended time to explore each school's campus and the surrounding area; students can imagine themselves spending time on the campus and the area.  Most importantly, summer is not as busy for Admissions Counselors.  Students will be able ask multiple questions, potentially see and do things that are not on standard tour routes and possibly schedule an interview in a more relaxed atmosphere.

 

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If you are visiting a campus in the summer, you may want to schedule around a summer session, when the dining facilities and library are more active, or at a larger school where students are more likely to attend in the summer.  Also, supplement your actual visit with a virtual one so that you can see real students.  We advise using a less formal approach for this. YoUniversity http://www.youniversitytv.com/colleges is a great place to start as well, as these are more "natural" videos than those you'll see on college websites.

 

As in all your college visits, you need to be an active participant.  Have your questions ready, look for activities that interest you, and be sure to keep a simple list of your likes, concerns and further questions.  Additionally, take a checklist with you.  The following link may help you in tracking your visits: http://www.cappex.com/media/collegeVisitChecklist.pdf.

 

And remember that stepping foot on campus is one of the best ways to judge if the college is a good fit for you.  

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