• Pre-College Plan
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Extracurriculars
    • Testing
  • Admissions
    • The Common App
    • Supplemental Info
    • Early Decision & Early Action
  • Your Application
    • Your Transcript
    • Test Scores
    • Extracurriculars
    • Recommendations
    • Essay/Personal Statement
  • Choosing
    • What to Consider
  • The Visit
    • Preparations
    • What to Ask
    • The Ideal Visit
  • Financial Aid
  • Checklists
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Resources

The College Visit

Every year, campus visits transform many a student’s college choice rankings.

Why? Because there is no substitute for actually seeing what a specific college campus is like. It’s easy to fall in love with a school based on its reputation or what you imagine it might be like—but how it actually feels is a different story. You will be spending at least four years of your life as part of a campus community, so you need to make sure that you have made this important decision wisely.

The good news is this: with a game plan in mind and careful deliberation afterward, campus visits can go a long way in helping you determine the perfect college for you. This section tells you how to make the most of your college visits.

Sometimes it just has to feel right. I went to MIT and didn’t get that ‘feeling,’ then I visited Georgia Tech and it ‘felt’ right. I made my choice and never looked back! -Mark P., Duke TIP alum

Parent TIPs

You may have your own preconceptions or misconceptions about a college that a visit to the campus could alter. You also probably have your own concerns about safety, facilities, and the quality of the teaching staff. In other words: take time off work or your regular schedule to accompany your child. The college visit is a great opportunity for both a family trip and a chance to discuss exactly what kind of college and campus is best for your child.

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