I would actually advise visiting a school early if it is financially feasible. I only live about an hour away from Vanderbilt, and my dad (a high school teacher at a different school) invited me on a school visit with some of his high school students in early September. I honestly wasn’t even thinking about Vanderbilt.
Well, when we visited, I fell in love. It was rainy and overcast on the ride to Nashville, but when we got there, it was sunny and the leaves on the trees were a beautiful gold. Our student tour guide really loved her school, you could tell.
I wouldn’t have applied if I hadn’t visited. I’m really glad I did.