When: The spring of junior year, when colleges are in session, is the best time to begin visiting colleges. By this point in time students know enough about themselves as learners to evaluate their academic fit with various colleges and universities. Additionally, in the Junior College Prep course students have researched several colleges, completed career interest and learning style surveys, and discussed how colleges review applications.
Where: Within two hours from Poughkeepsie, we have every type of institution represented. Vassar College gives you a feel for the small liberal arts college, SUNY Albany for the large state institution, New York University for the mid-large size urban campus, and Fordham University for a mid-size private university. If you are interested in engineering or architecture, you can visit Union College and RPI, both in the Albany region. Any visit is helpful, especially if it clarifies what you don’t want. As you visit campuses you will begin to see similar categories (athletics, academic advising, extracurricular activities, housing, meal plans, and so on) of the college experience; however, it is the cultural differences that distinguish schools from one another. Finally, don’t focus on the “brand-name” schools with acceptance rates of less than 25%. Be open-minded to schools you may not have heard of before and be realistic about your chance of acceptance to highly selective schools – college is what you make of it when you get there and scores alone do not get you into college.
Itinerary: Identify a part of the country you plan to visit – Pennsylvania, Delaware and Washington D.C., California, Vermont, and so on. A typical visit contains 2-3 hours of densely packed information; don’t visit more than two campuses a day as you will be tired, and the schools will begin to blur. Conduct some initial research into the colleges you plan to visit. Contact the admission offices to schedule a tour and information session – most colleges handle reservations through their websites. If you can attend an Open House, do it.
Visiting: Don’t judge a college by a single person; namely, the tour guide or the admission officer. Keep an open mind. While on campus, take photos (the first photo should note the name of the school), listen and take notes during the information session, and write down feelings and impressions immediately after the tour. What does your gut tell you about fitting in, learning and community in this school? During the information session and tour don’t hesitate to ask questions to clarify such aspects of the college experience as advising, roommate selection process, core-requirement versus course distribution, internship opportunities, and so on. Visit the dining hall, read the campus newspaper, and take a look at the flyers posted on the walls. Find out where students hang out off campus and take a look. In short, investigate the school to determine if it’s the right fit for you.
The spring of junior year is an exciting time. You are engaging in thoughtful self-reflection as you look for a college that will enable you to learn, to discover yourself, and to realize your passions. Enjoy it.