At my high school in California, spring break of junior year meant one thing and one thing only- visiting east coast colleges. This means I spent nine days travelling from Boston, up to Maine, and back down the coast to New York to see fourteen colleges (it was supposed to be sixteen but we had some mishaps). Before leaving on this trip my parents made me decide who I wanted to come with me- my mom or dad (which is essentially like asking me which parent I love more). Since my mom and I are essentially the same person, it made more sense for my dad to come to offer up another opinion. Even though my dad and I ended up in a yelling match in the parking lot at Logan Airport (in Boston) fueled by lack of sleep from our red eye flight and my (apparent) inability to read a map, we still think that this road trip was one of the most fun times we have had together. We laughed a lot, went through nine “college road trip” CDs, and managed to go to most of the Dunkin Donuts on the east coast. So, here are my tips for any juniors, or seniors who are making their final decision, who will be doing college visits during their break!
- Take notes! When you are seeing SO many colleges in such a short span of time (and usually 2 each day), it is incredibly important to keep everything straight. If you forget some of the facts that the admissions officer or tour guide says, I am sure you can find them online. It is honestly more important to take notes on the intangible aspects of your visit, like the vibe and how you felt on campus. In the end, those are the important factors! I kept a notebook in our rental car and scribbled down all my thoughts after each visit was over.
- Talk to as many people as possible, not just your student tour guide. I was a tour guide, so I can say with confidence that all tour guides are obsessed with the school they are attending. Although they are great advocates for the school (and could seriously go on for hours talking about how great it is), it is smart to talk to other members of the student body as well. A lot of times during the tours, my dad would drift back and talk to random students. Even though I was totally embarrassed at the time, I think he was onto something.
- Remember that first impressions are important, but they are not everything! Also remember that the tour guide is just one representative of a larger student body.
- Explore the surrounding areas! Yes, you will be spending most of your time on campus, but it is important to note your surroundings as well! I remember where my dad and I went to eat after our visit at Tufts- Diesel Cafe (and then JP Licks, obviously).
- Have fun! This sounds super cliché, but I remember feeling very stressed and overwhelmed a lot of times during this trip. In the end, it is supposed to be fun, so be sure to take time for yourself and relax.