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GUEST STUDENT OF THE WEEK: Zai Dawodu overcame a low GPA to get into top schools like Northwestern or NYU. She'll be attending Northwestern to study Computer Science. ASK HER ANYTHING!
Make sure to check out our June Checklists for HS Juniors and HS Seniors. Consult these quick resources to get you started on the process this month.
As we work to adjust to the current reality, make sure to check out these dedicated COVID-19 resources: our directory of virtual campus tours, our directory of extended deadlines, as well as the list of schools going test optional this fall.
Replies to: Summer visits-where are you headed, any tips?
Exactly what we did -- the deep dive visits all happened in Jan--March time period after early admits. April is a tough time to do much visiting.
Doing two in one day is fine if they are close by and if your student is open to it. We did two a day with my girls sometimes but my son has already said he only wants to do one a day. He turns off after a while.
Suncreen, hats, water, snacks, comfortable shoes - nothing like a grizzly teenager, and their younger sibling to cloud the experience. We caught the sun going around UVA on a cool spring day.
Many students change their intended major freshman or sophomore year, but those that have the most exposure often seize the incredible research opportunities once on a campus. We did not view the in depth portion as college searching, more as a career search and and a way to nudge our children to be more comfortable engaging one on one with professors. Once they chose their top school(s), I brought them back to meet with professor(s), tour labs and attend classes without a parent tagging along. Their reactions at the end of the day told me everything I needed to know.
And within similar colleges, the similarities far outweigh the differences anyway. E.g., a kid who would be happy with Williams would probably also love Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Bates, Colby, Vassar, Swarthmore, Haverford, Wesleyan, Skidmore, and Connecticut College- all similar northeastern small liberal arts colleges with no (or basically no) fraternities. So there might be something to be said for being able to search just by guide books and websites!
Just beware of not visiting colleges that want to see demonstrated interest. In the list above, not visiting Bates, Skidmore, or Conn, if you live within a half-day’s drive and are not so poor the trip would be an obvious financial burden, possibly might lead to a rejection unless you find other ways to demonstrate and document your interest.
Here's how I would put it: there are large contingents within the student bodies at each school that would probably feel like minority groups at the other. Ostentatiously preppy kids who might be comfortably tolerated at Williams would probably be objects of derision at Wesleyan; ironic hipsters who might find a few like-minded chums at Wesleyan's periphery would most likely transfer out of Williams after a semester. However, that leaves a huge swath of people in the middle of the bell curve who are at each place just because of the academics.
@soxmom Haha, S19 learned over at one point to whisper newbs to me when one family asked a pretty basic question.
The info sessions are getting repetitive but we do get another view of the school based on how it goes.
Stay as close to, or even on, campus overnight. Some schools rent out dorm space in the summer. Pricing is usually quite good and the perspective on campus life is great.