17yr Old Doing College Visits Alone?

LBowie
Sat, 26 May 2012 19:34:38 +0000

Interesting discussion with many different perspectives here.

Lakemom – I am curious what kinds of things you were able to see “behind the scenes”

There is so much a parent can figure out without seeing the school or asking questions on-site. I think the best reason to go on visits (for parent or student) is to get a feel for the place, location, what’s nearby. And it can be a great bonding experience. But I still think the trips are somewhat of a luxury. It is expensive and time-consuming, and unless one is definitely committed to a small geographical area, there will always be more schools than one could possibly feasibly visit. Sure, it can help with admissions to show interest at some schools, but there are other ways to do that that don’t involve visiting. If a student can go on his/her own, more power to them. I think that shows a great deal of initiative and independence.