Visiting Campus Faux Pas

Hi everyone and Happy Saturday! It has been a beautiful day today where I live, warm and sunny, so I spent the day visiting some colleges and taking some pictures and I can't wait to share them in some upcoming blog posts! But, today I wanted to talk to you about some of the "no-no's" of visiting and touring college campuses. I know that none of us try to overtly offend people when we travel to new places, but sometimes we do, so here are my list of some things we should steer clear of when visiting campuses.

1. Do not wear another college's outerwear - You probably don't think about it when you throw on that Penn State sweatshirt or wear a Michigan State hat, but it can put a bad taste in an Admissions Officer's mouth if they see you with another university's gear on. You may think nothing of it, but from an Admissions perspective, we see that you are not really invested in the campus tour because you are already supporting another college (possibly a rival).

2. Do not compare colleges while on campus - Again, you are probably not trying to offend, you're just trying to make judgements for yourself, but constantly saying College A did this, College B did that ... etc., can rub people the wrong way. As an Admissions employee, I know firsthand what other colleges in the area and what other 'like' universities have to offer that we don't, but being reminded of that constantly throughout the day does not make me want to work hard to please you and make your visit everything great. **When I was searching at colleges, I always made sure to be back in the car with my parents before I started giving my judgements on a university. Its okay to take mental or written note about the aspects of campus that do not fit your qualifications, but save them until after the tour.

3. Do not wait until the end of your tour to ask to see something - Always be up front with your tour guide about something you would like to see on campus; tell them right at the beginning of the tour so that they know. At my alma mater, the weight room/gym was not included on the tour because it was out of the way, but if visitors asked ahead of time, the tour guide could fit it into the schedule. So, if your tour guide knows beforehand, they are able to include it in the tour or take you at the end of the tour when the other families with you are done.

4. Do not be late - So, this is kind of an obvious one, but do your absolute best to not be late to Admissions events or to campus tours. These things normally run on a schedule and if there are other families ready to go out on a tour on time, they won't wait for you. Also, if you show up late to an Open House, there is a good chance you've already missed half of the presentations. In admissions, we do understand that things happen: traffic is bad, you missed a turn, your little sister got sick ... etc., but plan ahead so that you can arrive to campus with some time to spare!

5. Do not act uninterested - Obviously we don't expect you to jump up and down for joy when you come to campus, but don't have a frown on your face the whole time. Try to at least act interested and ask some questions. Usually you have a student tour guide, so use their experience as a student to learn more about the college. Ask them what their favorite part about living on campus is or how they stay connected to home while living somewhat far away. Tour guides and Admissions representatives put a lot of effort into their tours and feel disheartened when they feel like you don't care, so do your best to at least seem interested.

6. Do not spend time on your cell phone - When my sister and I were visiting colleges, cell phones were not as big of a deal as they are now, but still be respectful and keep your phone away throughout the day. If you're taking pictures of the campus and the things you see (NOT SELFIES), then that is fine, but don't be snapchatting and texting the whole time. This goes with #5, show your respect to those that have put the time in to make your visit extra special. Plus, if you are paying attention to your phone the whole time, you won't be able to learn about the campus and see if it actually fits all your needs!

This is NOT meant to deter you from visiting college campuses, it is more to just get you thinking about your college visits and what you should be projecting of yourself. You really want to make a great impression because Admissions counselors and tour guides really do remember you! If ya'll have any questions about other visiting faux pas or just general questions about visiting college campuses, feel free to comment or tweet me, I'd love to help!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

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!