Hi everyone!! I wonder if theres' a best time of the year to visit colleges. Do you have to make an appointment? Do you join some kind of tour? Who do you call? I'm a high school sophomore and I'm not sure how to do this. I thank you for your help.

Hello Ines,

Here are some suggestions by me and Amber George that I have compiled from previous messages related to college visits:

* Most colleges and universities have special visit days throughout the year. These days are often on weekends and are a very in-depth look at a school. Usually they have student and/or professor panels, a tour of campus (which often includes the dorms), and sometimes even a meal in the dining hall. Sometimes the visit days are tailored to certain groups as well (accepted students, students still considering, minority groups, etc.) Contact the colleges you are interested in visiting and ask them what the best time would be to visit.

* A few of your classmates or friends may be considering the same schools that you are considering. If your parents are unable to take you or if cost is a concern, perhaps a group of you can pool your resources and make the trip together. Your guidance counselor may be able to give you the names of some students who would be interested.

* If you are unable to visit a school, you may want to contact their recruitment/admissions office to see what your other options are. For example, many schools have student volunteers who you can correspond with via phone or email and they can answer your questions and give you a student’s perspective. Additionally, the school may be participating in a college fair near your home that you can attend.

* There are “virtual tours” that you can take using the internet. Go to the university’s website and check under their “Admissions” section to see if they have any videos. You can also go to this website, which shows videos from different colleges: [www.youniversitytv.com].

* Visit this link from Collegeboard.com give more suggestions on college visits - [www.collegeboard.com]

I hope this helps! Please feel free to message us if you have more questions.

Good luck!

-Jazmin

Hi Ines,

It's great that you are already thinking about college visits -- the earlier the better!

There is really no "best" time to visit schools. Some schools do have special visitation days, but the times that these occur varies by school. Sometimes they have special days for certain groups of students, such as high school seniors, admitted students, minorities, etc. Check with the admissions office to see what options they have available.

It is important to note that there are usually a lot of students and parents attending on these days and there might be less individual attention by the counselors, tour guides, and professors. However, they sometimes do special things on these days like student or professor panels.

Schools will usually allow you to stop by for a visit anytime. I would advise visiting when classes are in session, if you can. If the school is on a break, you might not get as good of a "feel" of the campus, or get to see the students or other activities that are going on during the school year.

Let us know if you have any other questions!
-Amber George

Thanks for the answers Amber and Jaz! You're the best!! This is very helpful.

So Amber, I was going to visit a couple of colleges over winter break. YOu think that's not such a good idea?

Hi Mario,

It's not a bad idea to visit colleges during your winter break. This is a great way to make good use of your time off from school when you might not be as busy as usual. My only caveat was that this is a time of year when the college students and even some professors are on break too. So there won't be as many people around for you to observe or talk to, etc. It's just something to keep in mind.

Any time that you can take a visit to a college campus, you should definitely jump on the opportunity! I'm sure it will be a great visit for you, regardless of when you go.

Best,
Amber George