When an Admissions Counselor Visits

Hi everyone! Today I am going to talk to you about what you should do when a college admissions counselor visits your high school. This typically happens in the fall and your guidance department may only advertise this for Seniors, but essentially if you are thinking about college and a university interests you, then why not stop by!

So, the set-up of the high school visit varies between each high school and each college that visits. At my high school, all of our visitors used a conference room in the guidance office, whereas at some other schools, a counselor may have a table in a common area or in the lunch room for a lunch-time visit. No matter the set-up, go and visit these counselors if you think you have an interest in their college; trust me, they want you to talk to them!

Typically your high school will announce that an admissions representative will be visiting a few days in advance, so make sure you're prepared. If you need to get a pre-signed pass from the guidance department to go during a class, then do that early enough so that you can also notify your teacher that you'll be missing class. Prepare your questions for them or if there is anything specific you want to discuss with them. Sometimes it is easier to talk with counselors in person, if you have really dynamic and specific questions that you want addressed. Think of thoughtful questions that can help you with your college search process!

In addition, if you know that the visit is happening before the day-of, please dress appropriately. I always say this, but dressing nicely (I'm talking nice jeans and a nice top, not necessarily a dress or a suit) helps make a good impression with the representative and it shows that you take your college search seriously! However, if you have late notice and just see the table the day of their visit, then don't let the state of your outfit deter you from asking the admissions counselor your questions.

My Experiences: 
In the fall of my Senior year of high school, I visited with an alum from a SUNY school in my high school's guidance office. I knew I wanted to apply to a SUNY school, so I researched this specific one and it had all of things I wanted: a Foreign Language and Education department, the opportunity to dance, a hockey team, and scholarship opportunities. So, I prepared my questions and had a great conversation with the alum. The conversation got me really excited about the university and about planning a visit to do a tour of campus!

During my time as an undergraduate, I was able to act as a high school representative and visit my own high school to meet with students who had an interest in the college. I did this twice; my Sophomore and Junior years of college. Being able to meet with the students to discuss my experience as a student and answer their questions about the college was really rewarding. So, whether the representative is an admissions counselor, an alum, or a current student, still visit their table. They can answer all types of questions that you have and may even be able to suggest things for you to do when you tour campus!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. If you have a twitter account, be sure to follow @Chasing_College to stay up-to-date on all of my posts and articles that I think will be helpful to you in your college search and transition into college life!