The coronavirus has drastically altered life around the world, and while college admissions isn’t life and death, it’s safe to say that the admissions process has been upended.  Colleges around the country have canceled in person classes and most have adopted an online format for the remainder of the semester.  With that, it’s certain that spring college visits will be occurring in non-traditional ways.  So how can you get a feel for a college when the campus is closed?   

If your spring break plans included college visits, what should you do now?  It boils down to using your virtual resources.  

• Virtual Tour – Many schools already have a virtual tour available.  In GuidedPath, you can find nearly 500 virtual tours through YouVisit on the college profile pages.  Other collections of online campus tours include YoUniversityTV or CampusTours.com.   
• ...

The College Visit 

Depending on your time and interest level, plan one of the following types of college visits: 

Basic Visit 

1. Attend an information session.  Ask questions about admissions, financial aid, choice of majors.  IMPORTANT: Get a business card from an admissions person. 
2. Do a college and dorm tour.  What does the campus look like?  Where do freshman live? What are the housing options? 
3. Eat a meal on campus.  Go to the dining hall or coffee shop and eat.  Introduce yourself to some students and ask questions.  You will be surprised at how much they want to share about the college. 

Extended Visit 

In addition to the basic visit schedule – an information session, a campus tour, and a meal on campus – ask if you can add the following appointments at the schools that you are most interested in:  

1. Meet individually with an admissions...

The College Visit 

Depending on your time and interest level, plan one of the following types of college visits: 

Basic Visit 

1. Attend an information session.  Ask questions about admissions, financial aid, choice of majors.  IMPORTANT: Get a business card from an admissions person. 
2. Do a college and dorm tour.  What does the campus look like?  Where do freshman live? What are the housing options? 
3. Eat a meal on campus.  Go to the dining hall or coffee shop and eat.  Introduce yourself to some students and ask questions.  You will be surprised at how much they want to share about the college. 

Extended Visit 

In addition to the basic visit schedule – an information session, a campus tour, and a meal on campus – ask if you can add the following appointments at the schools that you are most interested in:  

1. Meet individually with an admissions...

Using your spring break to visit colleges is a great idea, but be aware of spring break schedules for the colleges you wish to visit. It’s best to see a college when students are on campus. Here are a few tips to prepare for your spring college visits.  

• Create a College Visit Itinerary. Using a map, look at college locations and decide on an itinerary that fits within your given time.  Don’t worry if you can’t see all of the colleges on your list. Focus on some of your top choices and then plan other school visits that are within the same geographic area. 
• Register for college visits online. Once you have a list of colleges to visit, register for campus tours online with the admissions office.  Resist the urge to plan “drive through” visits. An official campus tour takes more time but gives you a better feel for the...

Welcome back from winter break!  Now is the time to review your MID YEAR CHECKLIST. January is a great time to get organized and jump-start your college search.  

1. Meet with your high school counselor 

• Review your PSAT scores with counselor and parents (if you took it in the fall) 
• Ask for recommendations for summer programs 
• Schedule next year’s courses 
• Schedule your standardized tests for spring 
• Discuss any school based standardized testing (AP, IB, other) 

2. Gear up for next year 

• Explore summer programs 
• Prepare for spring standardized tests using PSAT test scores as a guide 
• Ask teachers about their recommendation policies (for summer programs, scholarships, or college applications) 
• Job shadow or intern to learn more about potential careers 
• Plan college visits
...

Use your spring break to visit colleges but be aware of spring break schedules for the colleges you wish to visit. It's best to see a college when students are on campus. Here are a few tips to prepare for your spring college visits. 

1. Create a College Visit Itinerary. Using a map, look at college locations and decide on an itinerary that fits within your given time.  Don’t worry if you can’t see all of the colleges on your list. Focus on some of your top choices and then plan other school visits that are within the same geographic area. 
2. Register for college visits online. Once you have a list of colleges to visit, register for campus tours online with the admissions office.  Resist the urge to plan “drive through” visits. An official campus tour takes more time, but gives you a better feel for the...

Here are the Top 10 factors to consider for your “Perfect” college:

Academics: How important is this factor to you? If you know your major, that should be a requirement What about special programs such as honors, study abroad, senior projects? Also consider the learning environment. Is the campus on semesters, quarters, or offer a May or January term? How do you learn best?

Climate: Think about what climate you will want to live in for at least three seasons of the year while at college. If you have never lived through winter in New England, think about how you will feel about months of snow, rain and later a very muddy spring. Or visa versa, how will a lot of heat and humidity feel for days on end. Will you melt? Climate can make or break a school.

Size: Think about what size college you would like to attend. Attending a school with 20,000 undergrads is not for everyone! What is your comfort zone?

Location: Think carefully about what type of area are looking...