Mixing and matching summer and spring college visits

College Search & Lists
19

Good feedback!

I’d amend that in the following ways (and note that the below is mostly for private schools - i dont have much experience having kids apply to public schools):

  1. Interviews can be evaluative or informational. Probably a majority of private schools offering interviews treat them as “evaluative”. Again, check the website and the CDS. Even schools that have non-evaluative interviews count them for demonstrated interest. Also, interviews, whether or not evaluative, that are with admissions officers should be considered high margin, because your kid is talking to the person that actually reviews the applications (bonus if its your region’s AO… that AO is required to sign off on apps for the region as the advocate in front of the admissions committee). So… interviews are super important one way or another. One caveat: Ivy League schools usually don’t track DI or do evaluative interviews (and the interviews are with alumnus) - so there’s not really an angle to play if that’s the case. That is only the situation for a very, very few non-ivy private schools.

  2. +1 on the on-campus self guided with an app. An email to your AO is still an important detail, and you need every plausible reason to have your kid start tobuild the relationship. It’s generally not a good idea to pepper your AO with emails, so functionally plausible reasons (like a thank you and note of good impression following a tour) shoudl be taken advantage of. Remember, the AO for your region will be reading your kids app, and be the one arguing for your kid in admissions committee. You want them to know your kid, like your kid, and be an advocate for your kid.

  3. I can’t speak for public universities (other than W&M), which may not track DI, but virtually all private schools (outside of most Ivy schools) DO track it to varying degrees. Pay attention to the options to interact with the schools that track DI and maximize your odds. The in-person visit and the interview are the primary means by which DI is measured, with other options falling off in importance.