| This all depends on your kid:
- what the kid expects to get out of the visit
- what kind of personality the kid has
- what priorities the kid has
Looking back to when we did road trips, I share the following observations:
- any trip jr year did not count for a whole lot because kid was not yet focused enough on the "big" decisions. We rather dragged her on a one week 10 school spring break trip.
- a trip just before HS started fall of sr year turned out to be great. Some schools were in session, some weren't. did not matter to kid. She was focused on the ambiance of the campuses and surrounding communities.
- my kid had no desire to visit classes, so visiting during breaks was fine.
- my kid had little patience for info sessions and organized tours, although we did a lot of both. Curiously, she ditched the tour part way through at the school she finally chose.
- visits most certainly did affect choices, but not with any pattern I could ever figure out.
your mileage will vary of course, but my main suggestion is to visit when you have the time and enjoy the process. Many campuses are beautiful places in wonderful settings. Take the time to enjoy. For example make time to visit Monticello if you visit U VA.
Most importantly, LISTEN TO YOUR KID about what they want. | 
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