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6 tips for a good college visit

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By Sharon Short, Columnist 6:45 PM Friday, April 10, 2009

Colleges I attended: 2.

Colleges I visited before attending: 0

Colleges we’ve now visited with our oldest child, who is more than a year away from attending any of them: 9 (and counting).

Given the above, it’s not surprising that I started out on The Great College Search a wee bit skeptical about the value of college visits, even though every guidance counselor and admissions officer I’ve heard talk about the college search has said: visit!

Now, after 9-and-counting visits, I have to say: they’re right. Visiting a college with your child before he/she applies is essential.

Here’s what convinced me: Our child started out convinced that she would be a great fit for a small campus in a rural setting, but has learned (much to her surprise, not so much to ours) that actually, she’ll be much happier on a large campus in a suburban or urban setting.

Plus, the cost of gas and motels for a week’s worth of college visits is a fraction of the cost of tuition... and a real bargain compared to dealing with “oops!” a month into freshman year.

A few tips I’ve learned from all those visits:

Encourage your child to ask questions during the info sessions. (I was amazed at how many parents spoke for their prospective student.)

One college visit a day is enough. On a recent trip, I was a little regretful we didn’t fit visits to two nearby campuses into one day ... until we were about half-way through the first visit. The amount of information gathered is staggering, and it takes a while to process it and get a feel for what your child really thinks about a college visit.

Allow plenty of extra time to get to the visit early. Yes, your child will complain that he/she could have slept in a little longer ... but the truth is, finding parking, the right building and so on can be quite time-consuming. And once you’ve made the effort to visit, you don’t want to miss valuable information.

After each visit, record your child’s reaction to the visit. (We used an inexpensive hand-held video recording device called a “Flip.”) Ask what they liked, what they didn’t, what stood out about the school, if they can see themselves for four years at that school. It’s a great way to keep the visits from blurring together and to capture impressions in-the-moment.

Allow some time to visit the area around the school. You may want to believe your child will stay safely in the college dorm/library and never wander off campus ... but let’s be realistic. Your child is going to want to take a break at a coffee shop, go to the local hang out, visit museums and so on. So ... take a look around. What is available within walking distance? Via public transportation? Sure, judge the area around the college based on safety, but also based on your child’s interests.

Final tip for parents only: Yep, you’re going to get a bit misty-eyed and sentimental upon occasion during these visits. The best cure: think of them as adventures that are real blessings and that you’re lucky to share with your child.

Or just imagine how you’ll feel if, instead of flying the coop, your kid is still at your house doing laundry when he/she is 34.

Sharon Short’s column runs Monday in Life. Send e-mail to sharonshort@sharonshort.com.

Sanity Check Sharon Short

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