<p>We’re going to be in Amherst for a wedding this summer, (and then up to Vermont) I’d like to take the kids for a drive through the Amherst campus and Middlebury as well. Do they just let people drive around or is there secured access at these colleges these days? We don’t need to get out. I just want them to see what a northeastern college looks like.</p>
<p>I do not think these are gated colleges at all. And even Harvard Yard has several gates which the locals use on a daily basis. If you are considering Middlebury, which is in a picture-perfect NE town, Dartmouth is not far and its Green is lovely.</p>
<p>At Amherst you will be walking around. There are no roads through the campus to drive. (Same at Smith and Mt. Holyoke, which are 15 minutes away by car.)</p>
<p>THanks for the tips, guys. I’m looking forward to this trip!</p>
<p>You won’t see that much on a drive-by. I suggest getting out for a quick walk through, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Both these schools are very pretty. Our mini-visit to Middlebury (sparked by “<em>Middlebury</em> they won the DIII. We <em>have</em> to go see the school. It’s on the way.”) consisted of drive twice around and then walk into the lacrosse stadium. I would suggest walking around up on the academic/residential end of things!</p>
<p>I’m kind of surprised that they let people just walk around like that, but it will be great if they do. We’ll give it a shot, anyway.</p>
<p>we had a tour of Amherst during the summer, and there were a few kids on campus. Schools like Hamilton, however, are completely closed – you can walk/drive around, but students and faculty are gone.</p>
<p>It’s ok if there’s no one there. I just want them to see the layout and architecture. My son’s only 13 but its never too early! (as long as we’re right there)</p>
<p>You can absolutely walk around Middlebury’s campus in the summer, and get into most academic buildings with no problem. Don’t be surprised when you encounter hordes of students speaking in foreign tongues. Midd’s campus is devoted to the study of foreign languages in the summer.</p>
<p>dke,
Absolutely agree that Middlebury is accessible in summer. We were on a bike trip in the area last summer and rode right through the campus. Some people strolled around the campus, visited the bookstore, etc.</p>
<p>bluebayou- Hamilton is not closed during the summer. The school has tours offered several times a day, plus there are student on campus doing research. Hamilton also houses several camps during the summer for high school students. While you will not get the full feel of the campus without the students there, you can take a tour and walk around.</p>
<p>I know at COlgate- which is in Hamiliton NY- students are often working summer projects with profs- so there are some builds open
Reed doesnt have streets running through- but there is also work going on in summer-
( and I think there are a few camps/conferences being held at diff colleges- so if you get a name tag- you will blend right in!)</p>
<p>I think a number of these colleges have information sessions and tours even in the summer. They are usually listed on the web page under tours or visiting.</p>
<p>Actually it may be better for dke if you just drive through and DON’T take a tour. Unless your 13 year old is really into college selection, I would not subject him to a tour yet. Driving through the campus is a bit different.</p>
<p>When my kid was 11, we drove from NY via Annapolis, Lexington, VA and Charleston, SC to Hilton Head from NY. Since we were living at West Point, I wanted to see the other military schools located in those sites. My D was not impressed with the architecture of VMI but she definitely was enthralled with Washington and Lee (the campuses are adjacent). We did not take a tour but we did walk around and even stopped to tour my sorority’s W&L chapter house. </p>
<p>We next visited this past fall for her interview and…
she will be a General '10.</p>
<p>No, I wouldn’t think of subjecting my 8th grader to a tour…yet! I just wanted him (and his 9 yr. old sister) to see what a nice liberal arts college looks like because where we are (Fla.) except for Rollins they don’t exist.</p>
<p>Don’t some colleges have summer sessions so kids would be on campus then?</p>
<p>I’m sure that these colleges do have summer programs, I just didn’t know what the security situation was these days. I haven’t been on a college campus (unless it was our reunions) since 9/11</p>
<p>Personally I don’t think security has changed-at colleges too much anyway
We frequently take bus/trains and they don’t usually ask for ID, just want a signature to say that you are who you say you are.
There was a bit of increased security when we crossed the border into Canada, but that was because I had my 15 yr old daughter with me, and they were suspicious of kidnappings.
( However if you are an early 20’s male, that has green stuff in your sandwich that you brought to eat on the train- prepare to have it picked and poked by US immigration who are sure that you are smuggling)
But As far as a college campus goes- in teh buildings- some buildings will be open for access, but there may be a front desk to keep an eye on who goes in and out, other buildings may be locked and require a card or to wait until someone comes out to go in.</p>
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