Thought I’d add the impressions from the final two admitted students day visits with my S26.
Tufts - we had visited before, and it had not at the time made a great impression, but stayed on the list. Since getting in, the school quickly rose to the top, so we had to revisit. The admitted student day made a completely different impression! The energy was so different. The campus was busy, and the kids seemed friendly and happy, and the vibe was apparently just right. Lots of quirky/arty/alternative kids, but plenty that looked/dressed in your standard teen fashion. It was a gorgeous spring day, which certainly lifted the mood. They did a great job organizing the activities, with student and faculty panels and sample classes you could visit. S26 found the two classes he visited interesting and engaging. We ate in the cafeteria, which was busy but not too crowded. The resource fair had students from numerous clubs and organizations, and my kid got a chance to talk to many of them. He was so excited, he was ready to commit on the spot. Oh, we also learned that they schedule their regular tours when the students are in class, which is likely why the campus looks so empty during most prospective student visits.
Wesleyan - this was a last-minute addition to the list, mostly because they did not have any supplemental essays. It was the only school we had not visited before applying. S26 enjoyed all the sessions he attended and liked the kids he met. He did not love the campus, which seemed a little odd, with a baseball field right in the middle. With the events in different buildings, we kept walking back and forth across the field. While the campus was otherwise quite pretty, it seemed to be surrounded by strip malls and did not seem like it was actually in town. Several kids we met talked about how quiet it was and how there’s really not much to do. My kid was done after a few hours, as it was clearly not a fit.