Should I do an Overnight Visit?

Hi everyone and Happy Friday! I hope you all had a great first week of November and are enjoying your classes. Tonight I want to talk a little bit more about doing an overnight visit at the colleges you are really interested in. Some universities are already offering overnight visits for prospective students, so it is important to consider whether this is a visit that fits your personality and fits your needs.

Typically universities will pair you with a student who is in the academic program that you want to join or with an athlete on the team you are being recruited for. Either way, their goal is to help you connect with this student and get a real look at what your day-to-day life will be like at the college/university. If you are an athletic recruit, you may even practice with the team to get a sense of the team dynamics.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to figure out if an overnight visit is right for you.

Have I applied to this college?

Am I genuinely invested in this college?

Do I need more information to help make my decision?

Is this my first or second choice college?

Does it fit in my schedule?

What more do I need to learn about this college?

Will spending the night help me learn what I need to know?

Ultimately, I think it is up to you whether you want to do an overnight visit. Think about your personality and your needs and then use that to decide if it would be the right type of visit for you. (Don't forget, there are other opportunities to visit the colleges held throughout the year.) A lot of my friends from college did overnight visits during the Spring before they entered college and they said that it really helped them make their decision. You're able to see the college in its natural order, as opposed to seeing it through an admissions lens. For myself though, I had no desire to do an overnight visit, I was more concerned about going into college with an open mind and without this pre-conceived idea of what my college life would be. I did other visits though, such as Accepted Student Day and the Honor Scholar Day in the Spring -- these are geared towards students making their decisions and have some different exercises and information for students and their families.

Either way, whether you are learning towards doing an overnight visit or not, make sure you go in with an open mind. Try and relax and go with the flow. Your overnight host may have everything planned, so just go with the flow and let them show you what life's like at their college. Ultimately, have fun, ask your questions, and learn as much as you can!

enjoy the chase,

skylar 

P.S. If you are interested in doing an overnight visit, make sure you check out the university's website and also talk with your Admissions Counselor to set it up!