Importance of visiting schools?

twinshk2 · 11-12-2012, 05:44 PM

Do you think it is necessary to visit the schools to have a higher acceptance rate? Do most schools require you to visit at some point?

ijamjl · 11-12-2012, 05:47 PM

Probably depends on the school. I didn't have to visit any, but I didn't apply to any prestigious institutions.

However, if you have the time and your parents want to go, then it doesn't hurt to see what the school looks like. Also, if you're going to dorm, then I would suggest you visit so you can see what your everyday life might look like.

Sundlun · 11-12-2012, 05:51 PM

I think it is important to visit a school to see what it is like and how you would fit in.

paobs12 · 11-12-2012, 07:46 PM

Absolutely agree with Sundlun. When my eldest son went through this process a few years ago, he had several "favorites" heading into the visitation process. They were quickly winnowed down after he saw the campuses, met the kids, and spoke with teachers. In a very real way, the school that you attend will be your home for the next four years. Make sure you want to live there.

twinshk2 · 11-12-2012, 08:45 PM

The problem is that my parents don't want me to go; I would love to and I think I have the time but my parents don't think I do. I am also applying to HADES so I'm not really sure...

ijamjl · 11-12-2012, 11:05 PM

Well, you're about to become an adult, and you have to learn to act for yourself. Your parents will matter, and I'm assuming that they are going to financially support you through college, so you'll have to explain the importance of what you want to them. If they continue to refuse, then you have two options: either listen to them, or find ways to get yourself through that college you want to go to. It sounds terrible, but most likely you'll be getting a loan.

GMTplus7 · 11-12-2012, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Well, you're about to become an adult, and you have to learn to act for yourself.
... It sounds terrible, but most likely you'll be getting a loan.

@ijamjl,
You do realize that you are responding to a middle-school student who wants to apply to a high school boarding school. No bank is going to allow a minor to sign for a loan.

ijamjl · 11-13-2012, 03:19 AM

Oh, no lol I saw the thread on the CC app and didn't look at the forum's section title. Sorry.

SevenDad · 11-13-2012, 08:02 AM

Going back to the OP:
Do you think it is necessary to visit the schools to have a higher acceptance rate?
While I recommend visits whenever/wherever it is possible, from anecdotal evidence shared here by other parents/students, it seems that it does not adversely affect candidacy if you interview off-campus.

Do most schools require you to visit at some point?
Of the schools with which I am familiar, only Thacher requires a visit for application. Honestly, a visit to Ojai pretty much makes you fall in love with the area/the school...which I'm sure explains Thacher's incredible yield rate.

friendlymom · 11-13-2012, 11:57 AM

I would guess that visiting isn't going to make or break anyone when it comes to acceptance, but visiting is incredibly useful for understanding if boarding school is something you really want, and seeing which schools feel like the best environment for you.

One thing that schools are very attuned to is the whole family's attitude towards boarding school. If your parents are not on board then you have much more of an uphill battle with the whole process. There's also a substantial parent-prepared section of each application so your parents need to be willing to put some effort into it.

SharingGift · 11-13-2012, 12:37 PM

Most of prestigious prep schools require you to either visit them in person or at least interview with an AO (when s/he is traveling near your area or over Skype) or an alumni/us. If your circumstance allows, it's best to visit in person. You may be able to better present yourself in person than over the phone. In my daughter's case, these visits changed her order of preferred schools. They might be quite different from how they appear in web pages or viewbooks.

MA2012 · 11-13-2012, 01:45 PM

Many schools require an interview, or strongly recommend one - either on campus, with a visiting AO or via Skype. If distance is an issue, schools understand if you can't visit. If you are local, then many schools prefer an on campus visit. You can find out required information on the specific school websites, but I understand you are asking for more global information here.

WillemS · 11-15-2012, 10:03 PM

If it's really impossible to visit schools, then you REALLY need to visit you top two or three choices fire acceptances come around. It is impossible to judge whether or not you like a school without being with. Visiting schools made me fall in love with schools that I thought I would hate and that my parents dragged me to, and made me change my mind about schools that were my favorites- they look good on paper, but actually being at the place that might be your home for four years is essential. That being said, I doubt that not interviewing on campus will matter to most schools. I'm assuming that you live pretty far from the schools you're applying to, however. For example, if you lived in, say, Maine, and you couldn't bother to come don to Connecticut for a visit, that might not look like you're committed to a school.

twinshk2 · 11-16-2012, 12:18 AM

I live on the West Coast, applying for mostly East Coast schools.

2prepMom · 11-16-2012, 01:13 PM

You can arrange for interviews with West Coast alumni, and it should not be an impediment to admission. However, if admitted, I strongly suggest you visit the schools to make your choice, they are very different in person than on paper, and have very different "feels."