<p>“it is impossible for me to visit campuses before deciding where to apply”
You may find this to be a benefit in the long run. If you are a regular surfer on CC, you will have picked up the disappointment, even distress, of students who don’t get into their dream school, or find that they can’t afford it after all. If you don’t have a dream school, you can safely apply to many women’s colleges, knowing that the academic level is comparable. Then, after decisions and weighing FINaid, you can narrow it down to 2 or maybe three, and then visit to compare the atmospheres if you feel it’s important.
My D had no choice; Smith, which she had never visited and only applied to because there was a fee waiver for internationals and no supplementary essay, was the only college which accepted her. So instead of expecting the college to fit her, she made herself fit the college. She is also a true international, that is to say with no prior knowledge of living in the US, and with the guts to challenge herself with a totally new system: different language, different culture, different writing techniques, etc… Just to make the situation even more challenging, she lost her passport a few days before leaving, and missed pre-orientation, orientation, and the first week of first-year classes.
She came back home yesterday after completing her sophomore year, and the only word I can find to describe how Smith is affecting her is “radiant”.</p>