Visiting the College Campus

One of the things that parents and students should remember about the
college application process is the campus visit. The best times to
visit the campus is during the junior year, although most are done
during the senior year. Also, you want to go during the week, not on
the weekend. You want a feel for the campus as it is during the school
day and not during the weekend when not too many people are around and
classes are not in session.
It is a very important part of the process, but most families that I
have talked to do not make it a point to visit the campus. There are
many valid reasons to visit the campus, one of which is to meet with
the financial aid officers and admission officer, especially if you
are going to apply for financial aid.
If you put yourself in their shoes, they are going to have thousands
of application come across their desk and you need to stand out. When
you visit the campus, make it a point to sit down with these people as
you will be able to use this contact to your advantage in the future.
When you meet with them, talk candidly about your families financial
situation and if any money has been set aside for college. Believe it
or not, they appreciate having the additional input to your situation
that they do not see from the applications.
When you are on campus, you can also ask for tours of the campus, or
just walk around and get a feel of the atmosphere. Check out the
classes and see how many kids are in class. Does it seem crowded or
uncomfortable?
Anyways, this is an important part of the process that you should not
overlook.

Brandon Hansen
myschoolplans.com