Making the Most of Admitted Student Visits
Making the Most of Admitted Student Visits
In many ways, admitted student visits are the fruit of your months of hard labor. Now that you have heard back from colleges, it is time to choose where you want to commit the next four years of your life. It’s an exciting and important decision for sure.
Colleges host admitted student visits—many of which last a whole weekend—to court accepted students with hopes they’ll say “yes!” in return. These visits are designed to give you a brief experience of what your college life may be like, and schools up the ante to ensure students have the best time possible. Remember that your experience may not represent everyday life on campus.
Still, when approached with the right mindset and preparation, these visits can help you decide where to attend and emotionally prepare for your big move. You will have the opportunity to speak with current students and admissions staff, sleep over in a dorm room, dine at campus cafeterias, explore the local neighborhood, and/or audit classes.
Read on to learn how to make the most of the visits!
Come with Intention
Where you are in the decision-making process informs how you should approach admitted student visits. If you are absolutely certain of where you will matriculate, then spending a weekend at your future college can help you make a smoother transition.
You can scope out which dorm is best for you, connect with fellow members of the first-year class, and explore the local neighborhood. Ask a lot of questions to current students about opportunities to look out for, pitfalls to avoid, and fun things you should definitely experience. If possible, find someone who studies a major that interests you, so you have a clearer sense of how to navigate your academic path. Collecting this kind of information will equip you to hit the ground running in the fall.
Students choosing between different college options may approach their visits in a similar fashion, but they should also come prepared with questions to help them pick the right campus. Spend time reflecting on what is keeping you from saying a definite “yes” or “no” to a particular place, and then talk about your hesitations. Ask students on campus how they landed at that particular college and pay special attention to how you feel during the whole visit. Are you happy? Do the classes excite you? Or are you generally lukewarm the entire time?
It’s easy to be swept away in the thrill of admitted student visits but attending with a purpose will help to make sure these experiences guide you in taking the next step forward.
Articulate Your Fears and Doubts
Is there anything about going off to college that scares you? Or are you uncertain about a particular aspect of a college you otherwise love? Admitted student visits are a wonderful time to explore these questions as you will have access to many people happy to address your uncertainties.
For some students, a source of anxiety could be something as simple as the weather. Maybe you come from a place where it is always warm and you’re not sure how to handle living somewhere where snowstorms are common. Or perhaps you anticipate struggling with homesickness or culture shock.
With all the energy and buzz of admitted student visits, it’s easy for these fears to remain in the back of your mind. But don’t feel shy about vocalizing them. Other prospective students could be feeling the same thing. By vulnerably sharing, you may find that your fears are unfounded or discover resources for handling difficulties.
Stay as Engaged and Present as Possible
For many students, the amount of stimuli at admitted student weekends can be more overwhelming than encouraging. That’s OK!
You don’t have to participate in every event; and you can carve out some down time for yourself to recharge your battery. But do your best not to hold back from fully engaging in the activities you do join. Attend classes, go on campus tours, and make conversation with students and staff. It’ll help you take a deep dive into truly experiencing the college’s offerings.
Give yourself all the information you need to make a wise decision about where you’ll spend your college career. For some that will require battling introversion or shyness. For others it will mean fighting the urge to be too social. Remember why you’re on campus and stay engaged.
Don’t Break the Law
This may seem pretty obvious, but it still needs to be said. When you’re on campus, remember to be respectful and to not do anything incriminating. Poor behavior can cause your acceptance to be rescinded because colleges are responsible for your well-being during these visits.
Sometimes prospective students get invited to a party where alcohol and drugs are available. While these opportunities might seem like fun, we strongly recommend against them because they could jeopardize your spot on campus.
Just as colleges show you the best they have to offer, you must show up to admitted student visits as your most mature, intelligent, and thoughtful self.
A Note About Coronavirus*
In the wake of the current Coronavirus outbreak, colleges are responding in different ways to ensure the health and safety of their population. In some cases, this includes cancelling admitted student weekends, open houses, tours, and other public events. Please confirm with each school you intend to visit whether or not their campus is open as close to your visit as possible.
As access is restricted in many places, students can take advantage of online resources to learn as much as possible about their schools of interest. You can also work harder to connect with alums over Skype, Facetime, or another such platform to ask your questions about campus experience. If you need help or additional tips for making your matriculation decision during this time of uncertainty, ask your high school counselor or consider consulting an admissions specialist.
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.
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