This article is published in the 2017 I’m First Guide to College
By Joe Tavares
The biggest question you need to answer before choosing your future college home is “what would it really be like for me at this school?” No matter how much research you do, how many pictures you see, or how many people you speak with, the only way you can find out what it would be like at a school is to spend a few days there.
If you’re thinking about going to school away from home, you should be familiar with fly-in and special visit programs where schools pay for prospective students with limited financial resources to visit campus. These programs can give you a unique opportunity to not only visit campus, but to spend a few days there, sit in on classes, and interact with students who may very well be your peers for the next four years.
Where do you start?
You can find out about fly-in and special visit programs by using guidebooks like this, websites like www.ImFirst.org, and checking out schools’ websites for information about visiting campus. Does the school offer tours, on-campus interviews, and overnight stays? Do they have special events for low-income or multicultural students? If you’re not sure, call up the school’s Admissions Office and let them know who you are, when you want to visit, and if your family has financial difficulties. They may have special programs or transportation stipends for you and your family to visit campus.
Preparing for your visit
Make sure you write down all the questions you have about a school before you go. If you’re attending a special visit program, review the agenda beforehand to see if there’s anything not included that you want to see or do.
Being on Campus
Make sure you speak with students and professors, look around the library, eat in a dining hall, visit a dorm, and pick up the school newspaper. How would you fit in at the school? What would you bring to the campus community? Would you feel safe? Is this an environment you would thrive in? Are support services and professors easily accessible? Campus visits will have a big impact on your college choice, so take advantage of special visit opportunities and fly-in programs that are available for you!