How To Plan Your College Visits Over Spring Break
Elton Lin
6 Tips for Successful College Visits
Planning for spring break? Check if college visits are on your itinerary! For all high schoolers, especially 11th graders who are building their college lists and 12th graders who are waiting to hear back from schools before National Decision Day, spring break is the optimal time to visit college campuses.
Seeing and experiencing a college in-person always provides a different dimension to a student's understanding of a school and whether or not it would be a good fit for them. This information can be crucial when researching schools or deciding which college to say "yes" to before May 1st!
Here are some of our tips to help students make the most of their spring break college visits:
1. Map It Out
Spring break is (typically) only one week. It may not be feasible for students to visit every single school on their list. How can you maximize your college visits during this time, while still taking advantage of your well-deserved week of rest from school activities?
Plan out your spring break itinerary by prioritizing the schools you definitely want to see in-person, then seeing which other schools on your list are around the area. This should help you optimize your time and energy (you can only visit so many campuses in a week!) while also making travel easier on you and your family. Having an itinerary in place will also help you keep track of scheduled events you want to attend on different campuses, such as organized college tours or department open houses.
(For colleges you can't visit in-person, many schools have virtual tours available. While it’s a stretch to say that a virtual tour can replace an in-person tour, you can still learn valuable information you wouldn't get otherwise.)
2. Go on a College Tour
Speaking of college tours: go on one! Schools’ organized college tours are always a solid start to a prospective student’s exploration of campus. Try to register for these tours early, so that you can both snag your spots and plan ahead. High school spring break usually doesn't fall in the same week as those of colleges, but it's good to double-check. It's always best to visit a campus when the college semester/quarter is in session.
Your tour guide will often pause to ask your group if you have any questions—so ask! Your guide, likely a student themselves, is a key source of information. Ask them about their own personal experiences and impressions of the school, such as their favorite classes, the extracurriculars available, the campus traditions, the dining options, etc. Their answers may give you some leads on where to explore the campus after the tour is over!
3. Explore Without a Guide
Touring the campus with an admissions officer or student tour guide will show you the sights and college life hand-selected by the institution itself—but there’s still a treasure trove of value in exploring the campus without a guide.
Explore the quadrangle and buildings, and discover hangout spots and coffee shops. Look at flyers to see if any student organizations are holding events at the same time you're visiting, and check them out if you're interested. Observe the students, and feel free to ask passersby for their favorite places on campus!
Wandering around outside of campus can also give you insight into the student lifestyle. You’ll get a chance to see what students at the college do outside of campus-oriented academics and clubs. Bring the family or a friend familiar with the area, both for safety and fun, and check out the restaurants, parks, entertainment, and cafés beyond campus borders.
4. Get in Touch
Contacting the recruiter in charge of your area is a surefire way to be prepared for both your visit and the application process. Introduce yourself, express your interest in the college, and fire away! They’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have, and, if you ask, they may even serve as your ticket into buildings that may have student- or faculty-restricted access.
If you have any connections to current students or alumni of your college of interest, contact them and ask them what they recommend for your campus visit. Getting information from college-sanctioned tours and official recruiters is helpful, but unfiltered feedback from actual students is irreplaceable. You’ll want to hear the student perspective to help guide your exploration of campus and the college itself.
Ask questions like: “Why did you choose this college?” “Is there a particular kind of student that fits in here?” “What do you like and dislike most about this college?” In the case that you end up applying, being accepted, and attending, you may also land yourself an upperclassman friend.
(And don't forget to thank everyone!)
5. Attend a Class
Contact an admissions officer, recruiter, or a current student you're in contact with and ask them to arrange for you to sit in on a class and experience a lecture or discussion yourself, even if virtually. If you do manage to get a seat, you’ll get a much better idea of the academic approach of the college’s professors and students.
Do the students seem intellectually challenged and engaged? How is the relationship and communication between the students and the professor? It’s all well and good to see staff-to-student ratios and passing grade percentages online, but a college visit calls for more interactive experiences. The greatest benefit in most of these college visits is allowing you to experience key facets of college life. Take advantage of your college visit and immerse yourself in the life of a college student.
6. Take Notes
Ideally, you'll be touring multiple colleges, and those experiences could easily blur together by the time you get home. You want to have reliable reference points to help you remember specific experiences and thoughts you have during your many college visits, and keeping notes is a great way to keep track!
This will help you as you focus on your list of colleges to apply to, and with your actual applications later down the road. Mentioning very college-specific details in supplemental essays or college interviews, for example, does wonders for demonstrated interest, and you want to make sure you’re not mixing up your campus experiences when the time comes.
If you want to learn more about how we at ILUMIN can tailor a specific plan and college list for your student, feel free to set up a free consultation with us!