How to Make the Most out of Summer College Visits

How to Make the Most out of Summer College Visits

When I was an admissions officer at Amherst, nothing made me feel more like a rock star than when my summer information sessions were overflowing with eager families, hanging onto every word I said.Our normal conference room couldn’t hold all the visitors we had. Engaging an auditorium full of prospective families waiting to receive the pearls of wisdom from my PowerPoint was one of the most exciting aspects of my job.For many students, the demands of the academic year make it difficult to visit schools of interest while classes are in session, making visiting colleges over the summer the best option. If this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone—in fact, July and August are often the most active months for visitors to the admissions office.While summer college visits provide an opportunity to tour the campus and meet the admissions staff, it’s more difficult for students to attend classes or experience campus culture for themselves. Still, they can be very useful if you approach them properly.  If you’re planning on visiting colleges this summer, remember these helpful tips to get the most out your time.

Take Pictures

Don’t be shy to snap those photos! This may be your only opportunity to set foot on a particular campus, so take pictures to help you remember what you saw and liked.Especially if you’re planning to see multiple colleges in a single day, you’ll want to make sure you have a clear memory of what makes one school different from the next.Pro tip: include little notes with your picture files so you can recall the most important details about what you saw when you need them. Some schools may ask you why you’re interested in applying, and you’ll appreciate having this thorough firsthand account.

Excuse the Mess

Many colleges use the summer to ramp up their construction projects. If you get to a campus and part of it is closed or being rebuilt, take that as a sign of progress.Try to imagine what the campus will be like when you’re a student. Many of those construction projects will be brand new amenities just in time for your arrival as a first year.It’s common for students to judge a college based on its aesthetic. Many prefer a certain look or feel. But don’t let bulldozers and piles of rubble unduly influence your opinion of how you might experience that campus.

Don’t Expect a Party

You will not get a true sense of how active a school is based on what you see during a summer college visit. Try not to evaluate a college (or the town it’s in) by its offseason vibrancy.It will be helpful to ask questions of your admissions officer and tour guide to try to learn what the place is like during the school year. Get a list of the clubs and organizations featured on campus. You can also check to see if there are student newspapers from the year available. They usually provide good clues about the feeling on campus.Don’t expect a party on your summer college visit. But if a place is interesting to you despite being quieter than normal, take that as a good sign to continue your investigation.

Focus on Philosophy

Because it’s harder to see a campus in full swing over the summer, use your visit to learn as much as you can about the school’s philosophy.What kinds of students are great matches for the college? What traits or values does the college use to describe itself? How does it set itself apart from its peer institutions?The more you can learn about the school’s value system, the easier it will be to decide whether or not it’s a good fit for you. Use the time you have with the admissions office to get answers to your probing questions, or at least learn who to follow up with down the road.

Plan Your Follow Up

The summer college visit is only a beginning step for any school that piques your interest. Use your time on campus to make your follow-up plan for gaining more information and distinguishing yourself within their applicant pool.Make sure you get the contact information for the admissions officer in charge of your region. You’ll want to be able to stay in touch at strategic points throughout the school year.Find email addresses for professors within your potential major. Do the same for athletic coaches, orchestra conductors, and other professionals on campus that might play a major role in your college experience.If there are schools you really love, think about how feasible it would be to return to campus when classes are in session. A second trip where you can live a day in the life of a student on that campus can help confirm whether it makes sense for you to apply.

Maximize Your Summer College Visits

Whenever you have the opportunity to step foot on a college campus, soak as much up from the experience as possible.Think of visiting colleges over the summer like playing the demo version of a videogame. You won’t have access to all the features, but you can get a sense of how much it appeals to you.Being diligent in doing this will go a long way to helping you create the best college list for your particular goals.The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.See what others are saying about us