Summer not the Best Time to Make a College Visit
July 20th, 2009It seems that every family member and friend that I have bumped into this summer, at least those connected to someone considering higher education, is making a point to take some time to visit one or more of the colleges the prospective student is interested in.
I cringe when I hear this. Yes, visiting a prospective college is a very important step in the process of selecting a school. And yes, to truly get a feel for the school, it is absolutely necessary to spend some time on campus.
That said, I am afraid that summer is simply not the best time to make such a visit.
A Convenient Time to Visit
In reality, summer is the most convenient time for families to visit a college campus. First and foremost, not only is school out for the summer, most students also have a break from extracurricular activities. Active individuals know all too well that even during school vacations during the school year co-curricular activities continue to practice making it extremely difficult to find a block of time to visit prospective schools.
In addition, parents of prospective students often are able to find larger blocks of time during the summer months to make such visits. In fact, most parents tend to plan family vacations and pleasure trips around making a stop or two at a college campus in the vicinity.
So, it is understandable that summer is likely the most convenient time for you and your family to make such a visit. Unfortunately, it is simply not the best time to get a real feel for the campus.
Not a True Picture
While it may give you a basic feel for the campus structurally, a summer visit is devoid of the most important element: What does a day at the campus feel like when students are present and classes are in session?
Visiting during the summer will produce a definitive feeling of quiet solitude. That is because there are simply too few individuals around on summer break. That overall feeling of solitude can be very misleading and make it seem like a campus is devoid of any real social life.
There are not likely to be any athletic contests, no meetings and the outdoor quad and student union will be nearly empty. The bottom line is that students do not get a true feel of what it would be like to be a student.
Most importantly, you will have access only to trained tour guides who have been taught to sell the positive traits of the campus. It will be difficult to gain time to simply talk with other students to get the real skinny and nearly impossible to spend a night on campus or visit a class in session.
Make a Visit and Make it at the Right Time
To get a true sense of whether or not a college is for you, you must take the time to make a campus visit. But at the same time, when you are truly narrowing down the decision, you must make a visit during the school year.
Only by visiting during the academic year can students truly discern whether or not a specific college will meet their respective academic and social expectations and needs.
