Summer...For First Visits

Summer is an incredibly popular time for students and their families to visit college campuses. Students are out of school, parents are able to take time off from work, and it is easy to plan a college tour or two while on the way to or from a travel destination. But if a student is truly interested in a particular school, a summer visit should be viewed as a first visit to that campus, not as the only visit. The usual rules apply when preparing for a summer campus visit:

• Officially schedule your time on campus at least two weeks in advance. Do not just show up and expect an admission staff and faculty to drop everything to make your experience valuable.
• Plan to arrive early, especially if visiting a larger campus community. Allow time to get lost , find a parking spot, and make your way to the admission office. You do not want to be the family who holds a tour group from leaving or who interrupts an information session by arriving late.
• Dress appropriately. Keep in mind that campus tours are walking tours and can last an hour to an hour and a half, so comfortable shoes are also imperative.

Items to keep in mind when scheduling that summer campus tour:

• Most college/university campuses do offer a selection of summer courses, so you will see some students on campus. However, the number of summer school students in no way compares to the number of academic year students. It is difficult to see what a 40,000 student campus really looks like when 5,000 are there for summer. It is just as difficult to gauge what a 2,000 student campus looks like when less than 400 are taking summer courses.
• Professors who are not teaching summer courses are not typically available to speak with prospective students.
• The availability of classes to sit in on are few. And summer courses are often quite different that what a student would experience in that same course title during the academic year.
• The community surrounding that campus will appear different in the summer months. A campus town may not be as lively with students frequenting its shops and restaurants and no student discounts will likely be prominently advertised.
• Student parking may seem more available than it actually is when all students with cars are also trying to park their vehicles.
• The students themselves are not as representative of the campus community. You are seeing a smaller selection of students, so it is more difficult to gauge your own fit within the student community and how students typically dress for class.
• Planned campus student activities are a rarity during the summer months, so it is not so easy to get a feel for what the college/university provides for student education outside of the classroom and for student entertainment.

This does not mean to skip summer campus tours! It simply means that if you did not enjoy the campus, keep these items noted above in mind as you continue to research the campus. It is okay to not like a college and to delete it from your list of prospective schools. That is the purpose of seeing a campus outside of the pages of a viewbook or the virtual tours on their website. But it also means that if it was a school you really enjoyed and could see yourself attending, a follow-up visit during the academic year should be considered required. Use planned days off from school to make a second visit or wisely utilize the campus visit days provided at your high school to visit again. Many admission offices host admitted student events that can include an overnight visit experience. Take advantage of these special opportunities! Summer travel is a fantastic opportunity to combine a family vacation with a collegiate campus visit, but these particular tours should be seen as a first visit, not an only visit. Happy and safe travels!