<p>The problem with visiting in the summer is that the point of visiting will be to meet with the composition faculty, perhaps attend some classes, and to meet some of the other students. None of that can happen in the summer as there’s no one there. Spring break, and fall break are two good times to go as usually college schedules are different than one’s high school. Again, it’s fine to save your visit for the audition dates, if money is an issue. There is a lot you can glean from corresponding with faculty. Ask about performance opportunities, number of students in the program, how one is assigned to a composition professor, where the graduates of the program usually go, do undergrads get to have an orchestra piece performed and, if so, is it a competitive thing or a guarantee, if there’s financial support for outside activities like traveling to premieres or attending summer festivals, if there’s a student run new music ensemble, and, if not, how hard would it be to start one, what is the general attitude of the performance students and administration towards new music (i.e. do they mostly work on Brahms et,. al.,) are there opportunities to learn conducting, etc.</p>