Can I get opinions? My parents are against me worrying about touring universities.

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Hi, I’m new to this forum, so this is my first thread. I’m not too sure if I placed this thread in the right category, but if I got it wrong, be sure to correct me! I have applied to UCI, UCSD, UCR, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, and University of the Pacific. I have already went on a campus tour for UCI and UCR. I asked my parents if I could go visit the other campuses, but I’m getting negative comments from them. They tell me that visiting is pointless because only education is important. </p>

<p>I have already done research on the schools, so I’m somewhat familiar with their programs and majors. I know that all the schools are great, but I also want to know the campuses’ “atmosphere” before I decide to accept any of the them. However, my parents disagree with my tour idea and emphasis that the education of the schools are more important than the atmosphere. My parents keep telling me that I’ll only be there for 4 years, so its useless to bother with the atmosphere and that only home will be comfortable. </p>

<p>I know that education is important, but I also want to know how it feels like to live on the campus. I want to get the feel of the dorms and how it feels to live on campus and eat the food. I want to see how the social life is and how easy it would be to make friends. A lot of these schools are in my local area, but there are also some that I would have to live in if I want to enroll there. It would be hard to live in a school for 4 years if I know I won’t like its environment. Is it too much to ask for both a school with the program I want and the atmosphere I like? My parents seem impatient that I want to go for “classy stuff”, but I don’t think I’m asking much. I’m just asking for a great place where I can learn and meet great people in a school where I’m comfortable with. A few school tours doesn’t seem to asking much.</p>

2

<p>Tell your parents that psychological studies stress the importance of the environment upon one’s learning ability.</p>

<p>Set up appointments to meet with professors and sit in on classes. This is a vital part of assessing a school’s educational value. Anyone can set up a website; actually meeting professors and department heads and fellow students, through meetings and sitting in on classes, is very important.</p>

3

<p>My children toured prospective high schools to check out the atmosphere. If they hated the feel of the school, it would make it that much harder for them to be successful students. The same principle applies to colleges. You and your parents are lucky–most of the schools on your list are in the same general area. You can visit them easily during day trips. If you won’t have a car during college, you could use this as an opportunity to test out getting to the campus and back using the train or bus. </p>

<p>I am guessing that U of P and UCSD are out of the local area. Those two you can wait on until you have admissions decisions in hand, and (possibly) a financial aid offer from U of P.</p>

4

<p>You have applied, but you haven’t been accepted yet. Wait until you have all of your acceptances and financial aid packages in hand, then talk with your parents about visiting any universities that you have been accepted to that you haven’t seen yet before you make your final decision.</p>