Planning
​Your Visit

​One of the most important parts of your college research is the campus visit. Visiting the colleges on your list will give you a firsthand impression of the students, faculty, staff, facilities, and programs. On a visit you can learn what the admission office is looking for in their applicants, gain a feeling for the academic and social atmosphere, see study/living/recreation facilities, talk with students, and get a sense of the surrounding community.
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Campus Visits by State/Region

You can make the most of your time and travel budget by visiting more than one school in a state or region. You can also opt to visit schools of varying sizes that are near each other to get a good sense of what appeals most to you.  Please check out this worksheet of "Campus Visit Clusters" to see lists of colleges and universities in the same state or region.  While the lists are not exhaustive, they do include a good range of schools in varying sizes.  Happy travels!

When to Visit

  • Admission offices are open all year, but visiting when classes are in session is best. If you visit in the summer, you can certainly learn about admission and get a general tour of the campus, but it might be hard to get a good sense of the atmosphere of the college.
  • The best time to visit is Spring Break of your junior year. Even if you are not certain where you might eventually apply, if you can visit one large, one medium size, and one small school, you will be better prepared to make final decisions about where to apply. 
  • Once you have narrowed your list in the fall of your senior year, you may want to make return overnight visits to schools to which you will be applying. On these visits, plan to go to classes and interact with students. 
  • If at all possible, try to visit colleges before you apply. You may discover the school is not at all you expected based on what you saw online. However, attending accepted students visit programs at the colleges you have visited previously can help you narrow down your choices. 
  • Special Visitation Days: some colleges will offer spring programs for juniors and fall programs for seniors. Check online or contact the admission office since you may need to make a reservation.