Are College Visits Worth Your While?
Photo Credit: mcconnellfoundation.org
December 8, 2011
Filed under Student Life, Top Stories
With a world full of choices, students struggle to find the college that individually fits them best. College visits may be the deciding factor in whether a school will fit your personal characteristics and leave you content in your final college decision. With a chance to meet the admissions staff and get to know the overall feel of the school, students may be more prepared to take on the college world in a more confident manner.
College is a big step into the real world for many students so comfortable in high school. Many seniors feel lost in the search for a school that will fit them best. If your family is able to afford college visits it may be well worth your while. By exploring the college campus environment students are able to learn more information about the school, town or city surrounding the school, and the type of learning styles that are used with the students there. Senior Sam Spengler said “I really didn’t have any idea what school would be right for me. I wasn’t sure if UCLA would be a good fit but after visiting the campus I found it to be perfect!” College campuses can reveal much more than students can find on the schools website and may have hidden information a student would not otherwise be able to find.
College tours and visits remain free for students searching for their college choice but for students out of state it may cost a lot of money to travel to the school they are interested in. Although the cost may be high for a round trip flight and a place to stay, many have to consider that college will be a much more expensive decision and the benefits of a campus visit will most likely outweigh the cost to travel to the campus itself. Senior Mahea Schuman said, “It costs a descent amount of money to take a trip to another state but I found the trip to be extremely helpful in finding my top school choices. If I didn’t visit any campuses I would be lost in finding the college that was truly right for me.” Schuman visited Pepperdine, California this November and found that the school would be a great fit for what she was looking for. Senior Christian Riggs said “I think it would help a lot to go on some campus tours so I can see what the school is really like. The internet only gives a limited amount of information.”
The great search awaits as students rush to find schools that they will likely spend the next two to four years of their life in. There are many factors to consider when looking for a school that fits a particular type of student, but college visits will surely help. The benefits of college visits will likely outweigh the cost and make it a lot easier for a student to find the college that fits them best.