If a college visit is not comfortably affordable, then I wouldn’t plan any visits at all. Back in the day, I committed to a college and, later, a grad school without visiting beforehand. That was before the internet and virtual tours existed. It was fine. You can learn a lot about a school without going there. Generally, students can adapt to their environments. If the student is truly unhappy with their choice, they could possibly transfer to another school. The student can demonstrate interest in the school without visiting if demonstrated interest is a factor for admissions.
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