do college visits help admissions

College Visits Essentials: Making the Most of Your Campus Tours

College Visits Essentials

Embarking on college visits and campus tours marks a significant milestone in the college search process. These experiences offer invaluable opportunities for prospective students to explore potential colleges firsthand, gaining insights into campus life, academics, and extracurricular opportunities. As you begin compiling your college list and narrowing down your choices, college visits can help you make informed decisions about your future.

In this article, we’ll delve into the essentials of college visits, offering practical college visit tips and a college visits checklist for maximizing your experience . We will cover everything from uncovering the questions you should ask during a college tour to understanding how to schedule and plan college visits effectively. And, we’ll look at things you may not have thought about, including having virtual college visits, conducting a self-guided tour, and navigating college campus tours safely and effectively.

We promise this article provides everything you need to know regarding the college visit process. Whether you’re just beginning your college search or fine-tuning your college list, these insights will help you navigate the complexities of the college visit process with confidence. 

Let’s get started!

Are College Visits Important?

When making one of the most significant decisions of your academic career, the role of college visits in the college search process cannot be overstated. College campus tours are a crucial part of the decision-making process, offering firsthand insights that can influence your college search.

First and foremost, college visits allow you to immerse yourself in the campus environment and explore academic facilities, dormitories, and recreational amenities. Whether you’re passionate about conducting research in state-of-the-art laboratories or participating in vibrant student organizations, visiting a college in person lets you assess whether it offers the resources and opportunities you seek.

Moreover, college visits offer the chance to interact with current students, faculty members, and admissions staff, providing invaluable perspectives on academics, extracurricular activities, and campus life. These personal connections offer unique insights you simply can’t gain from a website or brochure. 

Ultimately, the information and impressions gathered during college visits can significantly impact your college choice. By experiencing campuses firsthand, you can effectively consolidate your college list and compare your top colleges by understanding which colleges resonate with you. Before you make your final decision , you can use the information collected on the campus tours to demonstrate your interest in the college or university, increasing your chances of acceptance. 

What Should I Ask On A College Tour?

While college visits and campus tours provide invaluable firsthand experiences , it’s essential to do your homework before stepping foot on any campus. Here’s one of our “pre” college visit tips–conduct thorough research beforehand to help you make the most of your visit. By asking the right questions , you can gather the information you need to make an informed decision about your college choice.

Questions about academics

One crucial aspect of pre-tour research is identifying academic programs and resources that interest you. Take the time to explore the college’s website and familiarize yourself with the range of majors, minors, and academic opportunities available. Here are a couple of questions you may want to ask:

• Can you provide more information about the [specific major/program]?
• Are there opportunities for undergraduate research or internships in [area of interest]?

Questions about campus life

In addition to academic offerings, consider campus life and student services that you would like to know more about. Research the college’s extracurricular activities, student organizations, and campus events to understand the social and cultural opportunities available. Here are other questions you may want to ask:

• What types of student organizations are active on campus?
• Are there opportunities for community service or volunteer work?

More college visit questions

Furthermore, consider other aspects of the school that might not be immediately obvious. Research housing options for juniors, including on-campus dormitories, off-campus apartments, and housing policies for upperclassmen. Also, consider things like parking availability and policies regarding cars on campus. Consider asking questions such as:

• What are the housing options for upperclassmen, and how is housing assigned?
• Is parking available on campus for students, and are there any restrictions on bringing cars?

Conducting thorough research, and making your college visits checklist, is essential for making the most of any college visit.

How Many College Visits Should I Do?

When determining how many college visits you should do, you’ll need to strike a balance between quantity, quality, and expense. While visiting as many colleges as possible may seem ideal, college visits can get pricey. Therefore, it’s crucial to personalize your college visit plan to ensure that you make the most of your time, energy, and financial resources.

Here are some steps you can take to help prioritize your college visits and ensure you are completing the right number of college campus tours:

Four Steps to Planning College Visits

1. start with a broad college list.

Have a wide range of colleges that interest you, encompassing various types of campuses such as big versus small, urban versus rural, and public versus private institutions. Consider including HBCU college tours or schedule one or two Harvard tours. Having a broad college list lets you gain insights into the diverse campus environments and refine your preferences accordingly.

2. Prioritize your top choices

Once you’ve identified your top 3-5 colleges on your college list, prioritize visiting these campuses. Consider planning multiple trips in various capacities if you’re highly interested in a particular school. For example, you can schedule an online UCLA campus tour. Then, schedule an in-person prospective student UCLA campus tour. You can even conduct a self-guided tour versus an official UCLA campus tour to have more flexibility in where you’ll get to go on campus. 

3. Balance depth with practicality

While visiting as many colleges as possible can be beneficial, consider the practicalities of your college visits checklist. Virtual college tours and information sessions can be valuable alternatives for colleges that are harder to visit in person. For instance, Harvard tours can be in-person or virtual. Therefore, if Harvard is on your list, plan your Harvard tours accordingly based on your availability and resources.

4. Consider special programs

If you’re invited to special programs for admitted students or specific academic departments, prioritize these college visits. Special programs through HBCU college tours or college visits for juniors often offer opportunities to interact with faculty, current students, and other admitted students, giving you a firsthand glimpse into life on campus.

Next, let’s discuss how to plan and schedule a college visit.

How To Schedule College Visits

Planning your college visits involves careful coordination and scheduling to ensure you make the most of your time on campus. From considering academic calendars to contacting college admissions offices, here are some college visit tips regarding scheduling your campus tours effectively.

Here are two of the most important things to keep in mind when working on the logistics of your campus visits. 

How to Work on Logistics of Campus Visits

Consider Academic Calendars

Plan your college visits around academic calendars. Before scheduling your college visits, consider the academic calendars of the colleges you plan to visit. Check their websites to determine the dates of important events, such as orientation sessions, midterm exams, and holidays. This is important whether you are planning college visits for juniors, HBCU college tours, or any other kind of college visit.

Contact Admissions Offices

Contact college admissions for tour scheduling. Once you’ve identified potential college visit dates, it’s time to contact the admissions offices or go to the admissions website to schedule your campus tours. Most colleges offer guided campus tours led by student ambassadors or admissions staff. Additionally, many schools host information sessions that provide an overview of the college’s programs, resources, and admissions process.

Scheduling college visits: step-by-step

Let’s take a look at a hypothetical example to better understand the steps it takes to schedule a campus tour. Imagine you’re a high school student living in Chicago. You have already completed a University of Chicago tour, and now, you’re interested in scheduling a tour of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. As an in-state college, accessing the University of Chicago tour may have been simple. But let’s look at how you can navigate the scheduling process of an out-of-state college tour:

Navigating an Out-of-State College Tour

• Research USC’s academic calendar to identify optimal visit dates that align with your availability.
• Visit USC’s admissions website to find information about campus tours and information sessions. Determine whether USC offers guided tours, self-guided tours, or virtual college visits for prospective students unable to visit in person.
• Use the USC campus tours website to schedule your campus tour. In addition to scheduling an admissions tour and presentation, consider scheduling an academic department presentation.
• Upon confirmation of your campus tour reservation from USC’s admissions office, make travel arrangements from Chicago to Los Angeles. This includes booking flights, accommodations, and transportation to and from the USC campus.
• Plan your itinerary for your visit to USC. Consider attending guided campus tours, participating in information sessions, exploring campus facilities, and engaging with current students and faculty members.
• During your visit, bring your college visits checklist. Take notes, ask questions, and gather information to help you decide whether USC is the right fit for you.

Since the cost of college visits is a big factor to take into consideration during the planning process, let’s discuss it further.

Are College Visits Free?

As you begin to make your college visit list, you’ll need to understand the costs associated with college visits. While some campus tours may be free, others require careful budgeting and planning to manage expenses. 

College visits can incur various expenses, including transportation, accommodation, meals, and miscellaneous fees. While some colleges offer free guided campus tours and information sessions, others may charge a nominal fee for certain services or events.

Tips for managing the cost of college visits

To manage the costs associated with college tours effectively, consider the following college visit tips for budgeting and finding free visit opportunities:

Start planning your campus tours well in advance to take advantage of early booking discounts and special promotions. Research travel options, accommodations, and local amenities to identify cost-saving opportunities and plan your itinerary accordingly.

Utilize virtual college tours

Besides visiting colleges in person, explore virtual college tours offered by colleges and universities. Many institutions, such as Boston College and Harvard University , provide virtual college visits and information sessions that allow you to explore campus facilities, interact with admissions staff, and learn about academic programs from the comfort of your home at no cost.

Explore fly-in programs

Several colleges and universities offer fly-in programs. These programs typically cover travel expenses, accommodations, meals, and participation in campus activities, allowing students to experience campus life firsthand without incurring any costs.

Speaking of fly-in programs, let’s learn a little more about them.

Fly-in programs

Here are three great fly-in programs/opportunities for low-income students.  

1. QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program

College visits for juniors are incredibly important. QuestBridge offers a College Prep Scholars Program for high-achieving, low-income high school juniors which, you guessed it, sponsors college visits for juniors. This program provides participants access to college admissions resources, mentorship opportunities, and fly-in college visits for juniors to top colleges and universities across the United States. Beyond giving fly-in college visits for juniors, QuestBridge takes it a step further and will help fund your attendance to top summer programs at some of the most prestigious colleges in the country.

2. Tulane University, PreviewTU Program

PreviewTU is a campus visit program at Tulane University that typically occurs in the fall. While open to all, students who identify as first-generation college attendees, LGBTQIA+, are from low-income backgrounds or rural/small-town residents, and/or students of color are particularly encouraged to attend. The program is offered both virtually and in person. PTU activities include campus tours, student panels, admissions and financial aid sessions, lunch with Diversity Fellows, and opportunities to connect with professors and support partners. Financially disadvantaged students may qualify for partial travel reimbursement stipends of up to $500 for themselves and one guest. 

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Weekend Immersion in Science and Engineering (WISE)

MIT’s Weekend Immersion in Science and Engineering (WISE) is a three-day program for rising seniors to explore MIT life. It’s fully funded, covering transportation to and from MIT. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds, including Black, Latinx, and Native American students, those from lower socioeconomic statuses, and first-generation students, are strongly encouraged to apply. WISE typically occurs in September. Participants reside on campus with MIT undergraduates, engaging in academic and campus life activities. They meet peers and faculty and attend college admissions and financial aid workshops. Applications are due in August, and the program generally takes place in October.

At this point, we’ve covered college visit tips for preparing for your visit. Now, let’s discuss what to do when you’ve finally made it to campus!

Things To Do On A College Visit

As shared earlier, college visits offer students a chance to get a feel for the college campus and community. Therefore, while on a college visit, it’s important to take advantage of all the things to do on campus and within the surrounding community or area. Here are 3 things to do on your college tours and college visits:

3 Things To Do on College Visits

1. attend information sessions and campus tours.

This may seem obvious but don’t bail on the planned tours and sessions. They’ll give you valuable information about the school and campus. These parts of the college visit are just as important as exploring on your own. Don’t forget to bring your list of questions and ask about anything that isn’t answered! 

2. Inquire about attending classes or talking to current students

Besides attending information sessions and campus tours, ask about the possibility of attending classes or speaking with current students during your visit. Observing a class in your area of interest can provide valuable insights into the college’s academic rigor and teaching style. Similarly, chatting with current students can offer firsthand perspectives on the overall student experience. 

3. Explore the campus

Don’t be shy when you’re visiting a college’s campus. Wander around and imagine yourself living or studying there. Check out all the different areas of campus. Basically, get a feel for the vibe of the school–trust your intuition and see if it feels like a fit.

Don’t forget to consider the area outside of campus. Evaluating the surrounding community of a college campus can provide valuable insights into the overall quality of life and opportunities available to students during their college experience. Think about the amenities and resources that are important to you. Consider adding these questions to your college visits checklist. Are there nearby music venues, art galleries, or cultural attractions that align with your interests? What transportation options are available, including airports or public transit systems? No detail is too small to ask about on your visit to campus.

When Should You Start Visiting Colleges?

Navigating the college search process is undoubtedly complex. Next, we will cover some tips on when to set up your first college visit. There isn’t a hard and fast rule to this question, but there are certainly some best practices when it comes to planning college visits.

It is never too early to begin visiting colleges. College admissions offices receive tour requests from students as young as 6 th grade. If you plan to visit a college any time before your 9th-grade year, it is important to remember that you may need to tour the college again before applying and certainly before enrolling.

Going on a college visit as a younger student can begin planting the seeds for what college is like. But very rarely will a college visit before high school provide you with meaningful admissions information that you will be able to retain and act on when it is time to submit your application.

College visits for juniors and seniors 

As you get closer to your junior and senior year of high school, college visits become more than just an opportunity to understand college more broadly. College visits for juniors and seniors can help students discover their preferences. At this stage of the college search process, students can begin to discern the type of college campus they might see themselves ultimately enrolling at.

Whether you are on a UCLA campus tour in California, a University of Chicago tour in Illinois, or a Harvard tour in Massachusetts , you can begin to explore your regional preferences. Additionally, experiences on HBCU college tours can give you some insight into distinct institutional types. Note how you felt about your HBCU college tours at institutions like Spelman College or Howard University compared to other universities. College visits do more than show you what colleges you might like, they also expose you to colleges that might not be a good fit.

Managing the logistics of college visits

Campus visits are often hard to arrange because of the time and resources they require. If you are planning to go on multiple college campus tours, you may find a strain on time and resources. A student who lives in Florida may find that attending a UCLA campus tour is much harder to plan than attending a campus tour at the University of Florida. Because of this, many families begin planning their campus visits far in advance. There are also opportunities to visit campus at the last minute. However, these trips typically align with other travel or are at campuses close to the student’s home.

In addition to prospective student visits, you may have the opportunity to visit campus as an admitted student. Admitted student college visits often include a more immersive experience than a college campus tour for a prospective student. Even if you have already visited campus, admitted student visits will often equip you with all the information necessary to make your final college decision .

College Visits During Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic resulted in additional access to college admissions information. During the pandemic, colleges and universities added an increased number of virtual college tours, online information sessions, and other virtual opportunities to learn more about colleges in the absence of in-person college campus tours. Virtual college tours allow students to access information at any time and refer to these virtual college tours when questions arise.

The pandemic also resulted in additional safety measures for college campus tours.  At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, college campus tours were completely halted. As campus tours resumed, colleges adopted mask mandates, reduced tour capacity, and made changes to tour stops. The largest safety measure during the coronavirus pandemic was COVID-19 testing prior to attending college campus tours.

While many of these safety precautions are a thing of the past, it is important to understand the heightened awareness around health that is still present on college campuses. Before you visit a college campus, it can be helpful to review their policies to confirm that there are no additional requirements for their campus tours. And, don’t be afraid to take personal precautions to take care of yourself, like wearing a mask on your visits.

What Colleges Are Open For Tours?

Thousands of colleges and universities across the country offer college tours . Most colleges offer campus tours throughout the academic year and in the summer. To learn more about the campus tour availability on a specific campus, you should visit the admissions or welcome center website. Some colleges also provide the opportunity for a self-guided tour which allows families to visit campus outside of the scheduled tour times.

Virtual college visits 

If you are unable to arrange an in-person college visit, don’t fret. There are several ways to experience a college without stepping foot on campus. Virtual college tours and virtual college visits allow students to experience a campus from the comfort of their homes. For example, if you are unable to attend the UCLA campus tour or the University of Chicago tour, you can sign up for one of their virtual college visits or virtual college tours.

In addition to virtual college tours and virtual college visits, social media has also offered opportunities for prospective students to explore a college campus from their cell phones. Following institutions on your college list on Instagram or TikTok can often provide a current student’s vantage point of their campus. Social media is one of the best ways to get to know a college virtually!

What Happens During A College Visit?

College visits come in all shapes and sizes. Most college visits include some type of campus tour. Campus tours can be led by a student ambassador or experienced as a self-guided tour. The first stop on college campus tours is typically the Office of Admissions or the Welcome Center. This introduction to campus usually provides basic information on the college and orients the guests with the rest of the tour.

Academics 

College campus tours introduce students to the academic buildings, student life opportunities, and residence life offered on the campus. Academic buildings on campus tours can include the school library, tutoring center, or architecture building. Understanding where your major classes are located can give you insight into the classroom and lab spaces available to students in your major.

College campus tours can also be enhanced by exploring additional personalized experiences. Some colleges will offer a general admissions information session as part of the campus tour. Other institutions might offer academic information sessions for students interested in majors like engineering, computer science, or business.

Student/residence life 

Student life opportunities can be found throughout the campus tour and are an important deciding factor in the college search process. College visits highlight the student organizations available for you to join. You may also find your tour guide pointing out popular hangout spots around campus. Student guides on Harvard tours might point out the Stone Hall Basement or Squash courts in the athletic complex. Student life opportunities also include campus events and traditions. Student guides on HBCU tours might talk about their epic homecoming celebrations.

Residence life also tops the list of the most popular campus tour stops. Residence life information includes touring a dorm and seeing the cafeteria. Facilities such as the campus gym and study spaces might also be included in the residence life portion of the tour.

What To Wear To A College Visit?

When you schedule your first college visit, it is unlikely that your email confirmation will include a dress code. The type of clothing you choose to wear may vary based on the type of college visit you are going on. As a rule of thumb, you should wear clothing that you feel confident in–and that you’d feel comfortable meeting admissions officers in. Considering the weather and walking requirements will also provide insight on what to wear. 

Beyond what to wear, let’s discuss what additional items should be included on your college visits checklist.

What To Bring On A College Visit?

College visits can often be long days in cities you are unfamiliar with. So, it is critical to think about the items you might need during the day. Check out this college visits checklist:

College Visits Checklist

• Notepad and pen
• Umbrella or poncho for inclement weather
• Phone to take pictures and videos
• Money to visit the school bookstore

All the items on the college visits checklist may not be necessary for every college visit. You should use your best judgment to discover if these items would be useful for the campus you are visiting.

College campus tours can be impacted by several variables. Campus visits are subject to weather, campus emergencies, holidays, and many other contingencies. Your college visits checklist may shift depending on any of the events above. Check out this resource as you are compiling your checklist.  

5 Tips for Maximizing Your College Visits

Throughout this guide, we’ve discussed the importance of college visits, when to begin planning college visits, and what to include on your college visits checklist. Before we wrap up, let’s discuss five college visit tips for maximizing your time.

5 Tips for College Visits

1. do your research.

Studying a college ahead of time allows you to better understand its programs, campus culture, and the opportunities it offers. Identify specific areas of interest, such as academic departments, extracurricular activities, or campus facilities you want to explore. Having a basic knowledge of the campus and how it aligns with your interests will allow you to focus on the more nuanced questions and observations once you arrive for your campus tour. 

2. Engage with the Campus Community

Talking to campus community members apart from your tour guide is one of the best ways to have an authentic experience during college visits. Campus community members include current students, faculty, and staff. Conversations with people who are on campus every day will give you firsthand insights into the college experience there. And, you don’t have to worry about whether someone is just telling you something because it is their job to do so (tour guides are great, but they are extensively trained to share specific information). Ask questions about academic programs, student life, support services, and anything else that will help you gauge if the campus is the right fit for you.

3. Attend Information Sessions and Campus Tours

Some students might think that arranging an unofficial tour will be more beneficial and honest. While you may receive some inside information that an official tour won’t provide, you will also miss out on some critical information. Always register for the official campus tours and information sessions to gain structured insights about the college. These sessions often provide valuable information not available on the website or in brochures. Meeting a current student or family friend for lunch or taking a self-guided tour after an official information session can give you the additional freedom you are seeking out on your college visits. 

4. Explore Beyond the Tour

After your official tour, it is highly recommended to explore campus on your college visits. Spend time wandering around the campus to get a feel for the environment and the student body. It is of growing importance to students that they like the town or city that their college is in. Visit the surrounding area of the campus to see what amenities and off-campus activities are available to students. If you are unfamiliar with the city, you might benefit from visiting some tourist attractions like museums, parks, or special events. Another great way to explore the environment around campus is going out for a simple lunch or dinner to get a better feel for the culture beyond the college campus. 

5. Document Your Visit

After going on several college visits, they may begin to all run together. Be sure to take notes and photos during your visit to help you remember what you liked and disliked about each campus. This is especially important for college visits for juniors and sophomores, as these students may have more time between their college visits and submitting the admissions application. Once your tour is over, reflect on each of your visits to compare the different colleges. You will need this perspective once you begin receiving admissions offers and are facing a finite time to make such an important life decision. After all, one or two details may be the difference between a college making your college list.

College Visits – Takeaways

College visits are an essential part of the college search process and creating a college list. Thankfully, planning an informative college visit is not as complicated as you might think. 

Successful college campus tours begin with doing your research early. This research might include location, academic offerings, and student life opportunities. Whether you are attending HBCU college tours, Harvard tours, or Boston College tours, feel free to look back at our college visit tips.  

During your college visits, do not forget to register for an official tour , engage with the campus community, and explore the environment beyond the campus tour.  Your college campus tours will be beneficial far after the visit has ended. Read through your notes and look through pictures of the campus when it’s time to fill out your college applications. We hope by the end of this guide, you feel prepared to plan and go on your college visits. For more resources, check out this college visit webinar on making the most of your visit and how college visits show demonstrated interest . And, after all those college visit tips, here’s one more for the road–have fun!

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Juniors, Now’s the Time to Schedule Your College Visits

Juniors, it’s time for you to get started on college visits.

Whether you’re thinking about knocking out one or two or hitting a series of colleges, here is your go-to guide for setting up a college visit. 

We’ll walk you through a steps to take before, during and after visits to help you find your perfect fit.

And if COVID-19 protocols are still underway, don’t miss our article about what to do when you can’t tour colleges in person .

What Can Juniors Do Right Now? 

Juniors can do a lot right now, including developing a checklist and other things you can put on the family calendar.

Step 1: Start talking.

That’s right. Sit down and have a conversation with your family.

What are you thinking you want to do for college? Do you think you want to go to a large school? A small school? What fits your personality and preferences?

Start talking with adults you trust about schools that make sense for your needs.

Step 2: Brainstorm.

Have no idea where to start? Start a brainstorming session where you write down your visions about what you think your college experience might be like.

Rather than throwing a dart at a map and jumping in the car, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few questions: 

• Do you see yourself going to a large or small school?
• Do you want a lot of personalized attention? 
• Are you looking for a more selective institution? 
• How far away from home do you want to live?
• When you envision college, what do you think of?

In other words, think broadly about your college visit choices, then think more narrowly about the colleges you’d like to visit. 

Put a premium on relationships when you make this list.

What kind of people do you want to meet? What type of individuals do you want to learn from?

Remember, college is about way more than pretty residence halls, beautiful buildings and other aesthetic things. It’s about the people who influence you along the way.

Step 3: Research at least one college.

Choose at least one college and do as much research as you can. Learn more about that particular school’s:

• Admission criteria
• Results — how many students go to graduate school, get a job after graduation, etc.
• School profile 
• Academics and selectivity: Are you looking for a serious academic environment? Would you rather go to a school that focuses on undergraduate teaching — or research? 
• Potential majors
• Housing information
• Extracurricular activities
• Athletics opportunities

After you narrow down some of the “big” things, like distance from home and general experience, then you can start thinking about things like major, requirements and more.

Does this college college or university you’ve researched fit the bill? If not, look for another one. If that one makes sense, move toward school as your first visit.

Step 4: Check the calendar.

Once you’ve honed in on your first college to visit, figure out what visit day fits into your schedule. Check your calendar and your family members’ calendars too. Remember, mom and dad likely have to drive you to your visit or coordinate flights. You need to plan the visit with your parents, and you might need to make sure your brothers’ and sisters’ schedules are open too. 

How to Set Up a College Visits

First of all, make sure you (the student!) call the schools where you’re interested in setting up a visit.

Your mom or dad should not make the call. It’s time to put some of those adulting skills into practice.

Step 1: Think through what you want to do on your visit. 

Who are the must-see people on your radar—the soccer coach, tutoring center, a financial aid advisor? It’s OK if you’re not sure. You can work through some of these questions when you make your phone call to the admissions office.

Step 2: Call the college or university’s admissions office. 

Don’t set up a visit online. Talk to an actual person.

Or, if you do set up a visit online, call and make sure the admissions office received your scheduled visit—and that it didn’t get lost in cyberspace.

Have a detailed conversation about what you’d like to do when you’re on the visit.

Step 3: Ask for a personal campus visit. 

Try to steer clear of group visit days. 

Naturally, you’re an individual and have specific interests and needs.

When you’re stuck on a group visit, no one student will have the same interests as you. You could get stuck touring the gym for 25 minutes of your hour-long tour (even if you’re not an athlete or hate the thought of a treadmill). Who wants that?

A personal campus visit ensures your visit is all about you and nobody else.

Step 5: Get ready! 

You don’t want to start a college visit without doing some preparation. You want to know as much as possible about the college you’re visiting before you visit. 

Simple. You don’t want to waste time learning stuff you already know. If you already know the basics, like the size of the college, majors available and costs, why spend time relearning stuff you already know? 

Plus, it brings camaraderie with the admission staff or chemistry professors when you say, “Yeah! And that biochemistry secondary major—that sounds cool.”

You’ll never believe how much people’s eyes light up when you know something about the college or university already.

What to Do During/After Visits

When you arrive at the admissions office, go to the campus visit coordinator’s desk and introduce yourself. That individual will help you get your day started in the right direction. 

While you’re on your visit, do your best to ask great questions. You want to think of questions before you visit and ask everyone questions. Get each person talking about the college or university you’re visiting. It’s best to get candid thoughts from each individual you talk to.

This may sound like a pain, but it’s a good idea to get all your thoughts together and take a minute or two to jot down all your initial reactions to the college you’ve just visited. Grab your phone and type in some notes on the card or plane ride home.

Believe it or not, it’s difficult to remember each individual school after your 10th college visit.

Now’s the Time!

Juniors, we’ve offered everything you need to know about how to schedule a college visit .

It’s a matter of sitting down with your family members or other trusted adults, pouring over Niche’s 2021 college rankings and making lists of what matters to you.  

It’s going to be a great time, so have fun with the process. 

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Author: Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock is the founder of College Money Tips and Money editor at Benzinga. She loves helping families navigate their finances and the college search process. Check out her essential timeline and checklist for the college search!

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College Visits: Do They Really Matter For Admissions?

Madeleine Karydes

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Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

There is an entire industry around college visits, and usually the primary goal is to demonstrate interest to a university. In this article, we go in depth into data we analyzed based on years of research at Empowerly. We have developed a series of comparative analyses and school-specific profiles; each can tell students and parents how much colleges care about specific measures. One of these important factors is called “demonstrated interest.” Today, we’ll use this to answer the question of college visits: do they matter for admissions, really?

Demonstrated interest is defined as a student showing interest in a university above the application requirements. That could mean emailing professors to express interest in their research; visiting the campus; talking to former and current students at the university; or visiting events with regional admissions officers in your area.

Think on the macro level. Colleges receive hundreds of thousands of applications; and more than 20 percent of students in 2009 applied to seven or more colleges. That number has significantly risen since 2009 as well. Most students who are spending time writing essays and paying an application fee are also looking to express interest in the college. So if 50,000 people are applying to Stanford and 100,000 people visit Stanford each year and do 5 things on campus —” reach out to friends, go for a visit, and three other activities, that is already 500,000 “events” for the university to track.

 Many schools choose not to track these events and instead focus their staff time and efforts on reading the college admissions essays. The data tends to support this conclusion as well.

Where Demonstrated Interest Matters

Looking at our data in the Empowerly Portal, we can see  how important the level of applicant’s interest is in a college.

 Among the Top 50 colleges, Brown and UC Irvine care the most about college visits. They rank it 4/4. Many universities seriously consider demonstrated interest by marking it 3 out of 4 and those include: Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, and Boston University.

You will notice that rank is inversely correlated with demonstrated interest. Schools like Stanford and Harvard actually mark demonstrated interest in college admissions as 1 out of 4. But this is not always the case —” for example Carnegie Mellon and Case Western. These anomalies are in fact what will give you an advantage in college admissions and specifically in demonstrated interest in applications. 

How You Can Demonstrate Interest

You can look for specific measures on each university. Now that you know which schools care about demonstrated interest, how do you actually show interest?

We think there are four key ways to show interest: college visits, reaching out to professors, reaching out students or alumni, and showing specifics in the college application essays.

In order of impact, specifics in essays, college visits, reaching out to professors, and reaching out to students/alumni is what we normally recommend.

So how do you find specifics in college essays? The best way to do that is to do online research about the university. Each school has so much information about school clubs, traditions, professors, and research at the institution. These four key areas, and specific people at specific schools, most strongly demonstrates interest.

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Admit-a-bull // official admissions blog, how campus visits and tours can affect your college decision.

By Emily Young | Last Updated: Dec 20, 2023

You’ve consulted everything. A guidance counselor. A tarot deck. A magic eight ball. A pro-con list so thorough, Rory Gilmore could’ve made it. But you still feel paralyzed by looming college decisions. Where should you apply? And — if you’ve already been accepted — which school should you attend?

Forget the magic eight ball. It’s time for a campus tour.

“Touring a college campus is really the best way to get a sense of whether or not you can see yourself at that campus,” says Freddie O'Brion, coordinator for campus visitation at USF. Sure, you can find plenty of helpful data on a school’s website. But when you step onto campus, you can feel vibes . Plus, you can talk to students, admissions officers, and even faculty — giving you a behind-the-scenes peak at life on campus.

Let’s dive into how a campus tour can help you in the college decision making process.

Wait! I Can’t Do an In-Person College Campus Tour!

An in-person campus visit isn’t going to be feasible for everyone, due to health or financial circumstances. “We know there is a barrier to coming and visiting a (school),” explains Brandon Cheatham, assistant director for campus visitation experience at USF Tampa. “We want people to have access no matter what.”

That’s why many schools, including USF, have created immersive virtual tours. Some virtual tours are even more in depth than an in-person visit, explains this article from U.S. News & World Report : “A general in-person tour might not include a visit to the student newspaper building, but an aspiring journalism major may be able to tour it online.”

USF offers virtual tours of all three campuses that feature 360° panoramic photos and recorded audio from current tour guides. (“I personally sometimes will go on the virtual tour and just click around because it’s so much fun,” says O'Brion.)

How to Prepare for Your College Campus Tour

If you know which schools you’re visiting, make the most of your tour by planning ahead of time .

• Research the school. That way, you’ll already know general information and can focus your tour — and questions — on what’s most important to you.
• Register in advance. Not only does this save your spot, the registration process can also help tour guides get to know you. Some registration forms might ask about your areas of interest, potential career paths, and extracurriculars you enjoy, so your guide can point out relevant info on your tour.
• Plan to visit the campus during a weekday so you can see what it’s like when classes are in session.
• Make the most of your trip by checking out all prospective schools in an area. And if your prospective school has multiple campuses — as USF does — visit each of them. You never know where you’ll click! (Just make sure you don’t try to cram in too many tours in one day. You want to have time to soak up the vibes and reflect after each campus tour.)
• Dress for comfort. Think walking shoes, removable layers, and sunscreen.
• Have your phone handy to take notes, photos, and videos.

How Your Campus Visit Experience Can Help You Make a Decision

When Cawley talks to campus visitors, they usually don’t have a straightforward answer about why they are drawn to certain campuses. It’s more of a gut check: Do they feel at home? Is the campus the right size? Ultimately, this is the benefit of a campus visit: There’s no right or wrong answer about whether it’s the right fit. Only you can tell that. “Visiting a college in person can help you to form your own impressions rather than relying on what somebody else has to say about the campus,” explains this article by CollegeRaptor.

Here’s how you can make the most of this opportunity:

Assess the Vibe

As you tour, check in with yourself:

• How long does it take you to walk around campus? Do you wish it was bigger? Smaller?
• Do the buildings and landscaping inspire you?
• Is the campus laid-back or bustling with activity?
• How do you feel about the surrounding area?

One university can have several campuses with different “personalities.” At USF, you can choose from three campuses to find your best fit:

• The large Tampa campus is a bustling, urban environment where you’ll find nearly endless events and activities.
• The midsize, waterfront St. Petersburg campus is nestled between the culturally rich downtown and the water of Bayboro Harbor.
• The intimate Sarasota-Manatee campus is known for its tightknit community and hometown feel.

Do Some Sightseeing

When you decide on a school, you’re also choosing where you’ll live for the next four years — and maybe longer, if you land a postgrad job in the area. Set aside some time to explore the business and cultural districts around your prospective school, and be sure to check out the local recreation. In Tampa Bay, you can explore:

• World-class art at The Salvador Dali Art Museum, the Ringling Museum, the Tampa Museum of Art, and more. Plus, catch a Broadway show at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
• Major league sports games, thanks to the Bucs, Lightning, Rays, and Rowdies.
• Sugar-sand beaches ranked among the best in the U.S. — all in USF’s backyard.
• Theme parks like Busch Gardens (which is close to the Tampa campus) or Walt Disney World (just a day trip away).
• Local culture, whether it’s Tampa’s historic Ybor City, an art show in Sarasota, or the Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg. (“I actually just went to the Saturday Morning Market and got some cheese,” O’Brien says. “A raspberry stout asiago, which was amazing.)

Along with your sightseeing, try to get a taste for everyday life. Hop on the public transportation (especially if you don’t plan on bringing a car to campus), shop at the local grocery store or pharmacy, and scout out the nearest hospital. Can you see yourself living here?

Ask Questions

Never hesitate to ask questions during your tour. For one thing, campus tour guides love getting questions — “that’s their favorite part of the job,” O’Brien says. And when you ask questions, you give the other members of your tour group the confidence to speak up, too.

But what kinds of questions should you ask? “The most common questions are like, how does the roommate process work, or what does safety look like on campus?” O’Brien says. While these general questions are important, O’Brien says you can get many of them answered through the website. “I feel like the best questions are things that'll give you specific answers about information that's relevant to you.”

Cawley agrees. This is your opportunity to ask your tour guide about their personal experiences — particularly with professors, jobs, and campus involvement. (“Take it from a guy who has… what are we up to?” Cawley says, mentally calculating his resume. “Four campus jobs, two clubs, USF ambassadors, and some loose affiliations with other departments like student government and campus rec. I personally love being involved on campus.”)

Try asking these questions on your next college campus tour:

• Can you tell me about your experience with the professors on campus?
• Are there any professors you would recommend?
• What jobs and internship opportunities are available for [your academic program of interest]?
• Where do you recommend that students look for work on campus?
• What’s your favorite on-campus job?
• What do you typically do on the weekends?
• What campus life are you involved in?

Choose all the Extras

After your campus tour, spend some time in the places you’d frequent as a student. Have a meal in the dining hall. Take notes on your tour in a study nook. And sign up for the “extra” offerings that immerse you in the school’s academic culture:

• Make an appointment to sit in on a class. “If there is a particular class that you would love to sit in on, but it’s not on the list of admissions office-approved classes, contact the professor and respectfully ask if it would be okay for you to be a fly on the wall in their class,” suggests this IvyWise article.
• Ask to tour a department or organization that interests you.
• Talk to an admissions counselor. Although USF’s guided tours include presentations with admissions counselors, you can also make an appointment or drop in for a one-on-one session.

Listen to Yourself

Now that you’ve toured potential schools, you’ll probably feel more empowered to make a decision. But that doesn’t mean the decision will be easy. Take time and listen to yourself. Cheatham advises students to think about what they really want, and ask yourself: “Can I see myself achieving those things at this place?”

If you’re sorting through a ton of potential schools, O’Brien recommends making a spreadsheet: list all the schools you’re considering, and write your notes in different columns for financial aid, location, academic program offerings, extracurriculars, etc. Now compare. Which school checks the most boxes?

Remember that you don’t have to make this decision alone. School admissions offices and tour guides are happy to answer follow-up questions and assist in any way they can.   Contact the USF Office of Admissions online  and find out how we can help. Or schedule your tour of USF today!

About Emily Young

Emily Young is a freelance writer and editor based on the gulf coast of Florida. A proud USF alumna, she cares about connecting readers to resources and helping students find success.

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How Important Are College Visits for Admission?

We live in a day and age where just about everything is accessible via our fingertips, thanks to the global reach the internet provides. While this is incredibly helpful in the college search and can help a student start to think through an initial college list, nothing can truly compare to the experience of physically being on a college campus – experiencing not just the campus itself, but meeting members of its community, and exploring the surrounding neighborhood as well.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, do college visits influence admissions decisions.

Hey everyone, I've been thinking about visiting some of the colleges I'm interested in applying to. Do these visits actually have any impact on my chances of getting accepted? What are some tips for making a good impression during these visits?

College visits can have a minimal impact on admissions decisions, depending on the school. Some colleges track "demonstrated interest," which means they take into account how much effort you put into showing you're genuinely interested in their school. Attending a college visit is one way to demonstrate interest. However, not all colleges factor demonstrated interest into their admissions process, so the impact may vary.

Here are some tips for making a good impression during college visits:

1. Be punctual and presentable: Arrive on time for your scheduled tour or information session, and dress appropriately. While casual clothing may be acceptable, it's best to avoid anything too sloppy or revealing.

2. Engage with the tour guide and others: Don't be afraid to ask questions, and listen attentively to their answers. This shows that you're curious and eager to learn more about the college.

3. Sign in at the admissions office: Make sure to sign in at the admissions office before or after your tour. This puts you on their radar and can help confirm your demonstrated interest in the school.

4. Attend any optional events: If any optional sessions or events are being held on the day of your visit, do your best to attend. This shows that you're going the extra mile to learn about the school and what it has to offer.

5. Have meaningful conversations with current students: If possible, talk to current students during your visit. Ask about their experiences, academic programs, clubs, and campus life. This not only adds to your demonstrated interest, but can also give you valuable insights into the college.

6. Follow up with a thank-you note: After your visit, send a note to the admissions office or tour guide expressing your gratitude for their time. Mention specific aspects of the visit that you enjoyed, and reaffirm your interest in the college.

Remember that while college visits can be beneficial, they are just one piece of the puzzle. Your application's academic and extracurricular components, essays, and recommendations will play much larger roles in the admissions process. Still, a college visit can help you make a more informed decision about where to apply and may provide a small boost to your chances if the school tracks demonstrated interest.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

This College Admissions “Hack” Could Help You Pick A School — But Is It Worth It?

T he college application season is undoubtedly stressful. After applying to schools, not only are you left with uncertainty about whether you’ll get into college or not, but once you do get your acceptance letters , you then face a deadline for choosing the school you’re going to attend. For those who aren’t super dedicated to one school in particular, the anxieties that arise around this time can be a lot to handle. Many have fears about picking the “wrong” school, and as a result, students have turned to certain hacks to help them make the “right” decision. One such practice is double depositing.

When students choose the school they want to attend, they are required to submit a deposit that will secure their enrollment for the upcoming semester. If a deposit is not submitted by the listed deadline, that student could lose their place. Double depositing occurs when students submit a deposit to more than one school. In other words, they accept the offer of enrollment at two or more different schools, locking in their places with deposits. 

College Board, the nonprofit organization that promotes college readiness for students, has called out this practice, stating that, in most cases, it’s considered unethical and deceitful , since putting in a deposit at school you end up not attending can take a spot away from another student who wanted to go there. This practice also makes it difficult for colleges to accurately predict their incoming class sizes.

Obviously, a student can only attend one college at a time. So, why do students partake in double depositing?

They got waitlisted.

Getting waitlisted from a college usually means a student met most of the school’s admission requirements, but the admissions team placed its decision on hold to see if other admitted students will drop their spot to make room. Because of the uncertainty of whether they will get admitted, waitlisted students sometimes choose to stay on the waitlist whilst submitting a deposit to attend another college. This gives them an option to fall back on, in case the school that waitlisted them decides to issue a rejection. 

This scenario is the only one the College Board and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) considers an ethical reason to double deposit . 

They’re buying time to explore their options.

Across the U.S., May 1 is usually the standard deadline for incoming students to commit to a college. However, that is not always enough time for students to make a decision that will affect the next few years of their lives. So, if a student is still on the fence about where to go when that deadline rolls around, they might submit deposits to the different schools they’re interested in. This gives them more time to explore each option further and make a final decision. It also allows them to have a safeguard in place, knowing that no matter what they decide, their place is already secured (although whatever deposits they make likely will not be refunded).

They’re concerned about financial aid.

Sometimes a school takes a while to finalize its financial aid package offers. A student may have a preference in where they want to attend school, but if they have not yet received a financial aid offer, they might submit deposits to both their top-choice school, as well as a more affordable school as a safeguard in case their preferred school’s financial aid offer isn’t what they’d hoped.

They already committed to one school, then changed their mind.

Excited students who get accepted to a school they really want to attend might submit a deposit and secure their place right away. However, as they continue to hear back from other schools, they may feel persuaded by the other aspects of those schools they were previously unfamiliar with. This might cause them to want to change their decision about what college to attend. As a result, they might also submit a deposit to another school later on, even though they already committed to a different school. 

Is double depositing technically allowed?

Of course, most students who double deposit aren’t doing it with nefarious motives; there are clearly many understandable reasons why students submit double (or even multiple) deposits. A lot of these reasons stem from the stressful nature and time constraints present around this time in the college decision season. 

However, if you’re tempted to double deposit, be warned: According to the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, not only is it considered unethical, but colleges can rescind their enrollment offer if officials see that a student has committed elsewhere.

If you’re not sure about what decision to make, speak with your school’s academic advisor — it’s very useful to get some extra guidance in times like this.

The post This College Admissions “Hack” Could Help You Pick A School — But Is It Worth It?  first appeared on Her Campus .

6 Common College Admissions Myths

Get a feel for how much grades, tests and your essay really matter from those who review the applications.

Brett Ziegler for USN&WR

College admissions officers are well aware of how different high school curricula are because they work with many of the same schools every year and receive detailed profiles of the course offerings, along with context about the student body.

When applying to college , many students think they know which strategies will help them attract the attention – in a good way – of admissions officers. But there's often a gap between perception and reality about what actually matters, and what matters most, when it comes to grades, test scores, extracurricular activities and other factors. And what holds true in this unprecedented time will differ in some ways from the norm.

Many colleges report that, while academic performance is key, they take a multifaceted approach to reviewing applicants, looking well beyond what can be seen on a transcript, says Joe Shields, an admissions counselor at Goucher College in Baltimore. "A holistic admissions review process allows a student to demonstrate their best qualities and discuss how they would be a good fit for that college," he says.

Another often misunderstood fact: It's not as difficult as many students think to get admitted to a college, beyond the most selective schools. A 2019 report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling revealed that, on average, two-thirds of first-time freshman applicants were offered admission to a four-year school in the U.S. Some 80% of places accepted 50% or more of applicants.

"There are many good colleges you may not have heard of," says Hannah Serota, founder and CEO of Creative College Connections, a consulting practice dedicated to helping applicants find the right fit .

Read on for a look at six other persistent myths about college admissions:

• Getting all A's is the most important thing.
• Test scores can make or break your chances of getting in.
• The more clubs and activities on your resume, the better.
• You should ask for a recommendation only from a teacher who gave you an A.
• It's a mistake to get creative with your essay.
• To make yourself memorable, you need to visit the campus.

Myth 1: Getting All A's Is the Most Important Thing

Of course, your grades matter. But what that means depends on a college's selectivity as well as the classes you took, based on the offerings at your high school. Some places offer more honors, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses than others, and a B in one of these more challenging courses can signify a higher level of mastery than an A in a grade-level class at a school with both.

College admissions officers are often well aware of how high school curricula are different from one school to another because they work with many of the same ones every year and receive detailed profiles of the course offerings, along with context about the student body.

"GPAs can present very differently from each institution to the next," says Janine Bissic, an education consultant and former director of admission at Whittier College in California.

For the next few years, college admissions officers will be evaluating transcripts that may have one or two terms that appear quite different from applicants' overall records, thanks to the varied experiences students have had studying from home during the coronavirus pandemic. They plan to be forgiving to those who, say, didn't receive letter grades for a semester or two.

Everyone evaluating applicants is in the same boat, says Todd Rinehart, vice chancellor for enrollment at the University of Denver . He expects counselors to "remain empathetic and flexible" as they weigh candidates. "We are trying to find reasons to admit students," he says.

That said, admissions officers will, as usual, look for evidence that applicants can succeed in college.

At Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, "we would expect the most rigorous schedule that's appropriate for the student and the highest grades. We would be looking for both," says Douglas Christiansen, vice provost for university enrollment affairs and dean of admissions and financial aid.

Being able to handle a challenging course load while maintaining strong marks is a signal that you have the academic grit and discipline to handle college-level work.

Balance is also key. Taking a handful of AP classes can help you look good, but more isn't always better; the idea is to take the most rigorous set of courses that makes sense given your abilities. While a B in an AP English literature class may be more impressive than an A in a grade-level class, a C or D isn't likely to wow anyone.

"Challenge yourself where you are strong, and then work hard and do well in all of your courses," advises Clark Brigger, executive director of admissions at the University of Colorado–Boulder . Now that the College Board has eliminated the SAT subject tests, doing well on AP exams may be an increasingly important data point for highly selective colleges, Serota says.

"When a student takes a challenging course and does well, it is predictive of how they will perform in college," Brigger says. "However, there are always some students who stretch too far and then struggle with their performance and subsequently their health."

If your grades dropped during a semester when you had personal hardships, such as a parent's job loss or a serious illness or death in the family, it's wise to explain the reason somewhere in your application. If the issue is coronavirus-related, the Common App and Coalition Application have provided optional ways for applicants to elaborate.

Don't be discouraged if your grades weren't where you'd have liked them to be early in high school. Many admissions officers look for an upward trend, improvements over time that enable a student to finish strong.

"At the end of the day, we want to feel confident that if we admit a student, they can handle the rigor of the courses," says Yvonne Romero da Silva, vice president for enrollment at Rice University in Houston.

Myth 2: Test Scores Can Make or Break Your Chances of Getting In

Test scores are just one element of the application package. "There are many students we've denied with perfect test scores because they didn't have anything else to set them apart," Christiansen says.

Even in normal times, different institutions place varying levels of importance on standardized tests. This year, some two-thirds of colleges and universities, including the eight Ivy League schools, are or are expected to be test-optional or test-blind for fall 2022 admissions.

In many cases, schools are extending this beyond next fall. The University of Maryland–College Park is one of many state flagships temporarily suspending their test requirements. The University of California system settled a lawsuit in May that claimed the tests discriminate against disadvantaged students; it won't consider scores at all in admissions decisions, although the agreement left open the possibility of using a new test in the future.

Even before the pandemic, many schools were shifting their test policies to optional, including Ohio Wesleyan University , the University of Denver and the University of Chicago . Bowdoin College in Maine has been test-optional for more than half a century. This trend is partly because admissions officers recognize that many applicants have intellectual abilities and academic strengths that aren't reflected in exam scores.

But before you decide to skip the tests, consider whether you'll be applying for scholarships, some of which may depend on the scores to qualify applicants, and whether having good results might be beneficial to your chances even at a test-optional school. Colleges and universities publish the data related to incoming classes online, so officials suggest that students can benchmark their own exam results and weigh whether it might enhance their application to submit scores.

Among colleges that do require the SAT or ACT , many "superscore," which means they use your best section-level scores even if they're from different test dates. In other words, if your SAT reading score was 70 points higher the second time you took the test but your math score was 50 points higher on the first, the better of both attempts is what the admissions office looks at.

Myth 3: The More Clubs and Activities on Your Resume, the Better

Quality means more than quantity when it comes to extracurricular activities, college admissions experts note.

"Being passionate about key interests is more important than joining a lot of clubs," says Christiansen. "We're looking for depth and progression of leadership, not just participation."

David Senter, a 2020 graduate of Rice, thinks his experience swimming competitively and working his way up to varsity team captain helped demonstrate his dedication and added something important to his strong academic record, along with his participation on the academic quiz bowl team.

"You have to show you care," Senter says. "I was never the fastest, and I never went to the state championships, but I showed up every day and bonded with the team."

When reviewing your contributions outside of the classroom , admissions officers really want to know things like: What did you do in high school that made an organization better or furthered its cause and helped you grow? What are you doing with your time that would contribute to our campus in a meaningful way if you were to come here?

"Colleges are looking for a well-rounded student body, not necessarily a well-rounded student," Serota says.

These days, of course, they will have to be sensitive to the fact that some students weren't able to participate in extracurricular activities for an extended period because of the pandemic.

"Admissions officers won't red flag a gap in, say, debate participation," says Mimi Doe, co-founder of the counseling firm Top Tier Admissions. "But for very top schools, they want to see what a student did instead. How they reached out beyond their own school and became engaged, even online, in some sort of initiative."

Even in normal times, some students simply don't have time for clubs and sports because of family obligations. Rather, they might need to take care of younger siblings after school or hold a job.

Admissions staffers get it. If that's the case, students would do well to be honest about their situation and to focus on the qualities that emerge from those experiences and what they get out of them, says Stacey Kostell, chief executive officer for the Coalition for College, a group of more than 150 colleges and universities dedicated to increasing students' access to higher education.

Myth 4: You Should Ask for a Recommendation Only From a Teacher Who Gave You an A

The best person to ask for a letter of recommendation isn't necessarily a teacher who gave you an A. It's better to consider whether a teacher can help admissions officers get to know a different side of you and better understand who you are. You might choose the teacher who taught your most difficult class, for example, or a class you thought you wouldn't like but did.

Students "should really be looking for recommendations from teachers and mentors who know them especially well and can give rich context to their work ethic, character, persistence and growth," Bissic says.

Shields agrees: "If you struggled with a subject and had a good rapport with the teacher, you can get a helpful recommendation if the teacher can talk about how you came for extra help or you were able to advocate for yourself."

Myth 5: It's a Mistake to Get Creative With Your Essay

The key job of your essay is to reveal something about who you are. If you're not funny, don't try to be. If you're not impassioned about a controversial subject, don't pretend to be.

"You need to make the case for why you care about something and what you're doing about it," Serota advises. But think carefully about choosing to share a mental health issue or a drug problem, for instance. "Be careful about revealing things that would make the reader feel a sense of caution about you," Serota says.

And while you may be tempted to write about how the pandemic affected you and your family, consider that admissions officers will likely be inundated with essays on the topic.

"It's likely to blend in, and it becomes that much more difficult to stand out," says Ethan Sawyer, founder of the College Essay Guy website and author of "College Admission Essentials." He encourages students to instead use the extra space provided by the Common and Coalition applications to describe the effects of the pandemic on their families.

An essay's most important quality is that it should feel authentic, Serota and others say. Make sure that it addresses the prompt, but also think of your essay as an opportunity to reveal your true voice and to highlight who you really are. Admissions folks are experts at distinguishing between viewpoints that feel genuine and those that don't. The most compelling essays reveal something about an applicant's personality, Kostell says.

When it comes to large universities in particular, it may be hard to believe that there are human beings who are actually reading and giving careful consideration to your app, but it's true. During the review process, "multiple sets of eyes read every piece of the application, essay and letters of recommendation," says Brigger, whose university reviewed more than 54,000 first-year applications this past cycle.

"Admissions officers and university faculty and staff are the ones making admissions decisions, not a computer or automated process ," Brigger says. The essay is your opportunity to connect and make an impression.

Myth 6: To Make Yourself Memorable, You Need to Visit the Campus

A campus visit , real or virtual, can be helpful in more ways than one. Since the pandemic brought in-person visits to a screeching halt, schools have introduced a wide range of virtual options, from informal chats to "tours" that are meant to offer students a taste of campus life.

Many competitive colleges are using these new approaches as one tool to gauge an applicant's demonstrated interest . This can be shown in various ways: by calling or emailing with questions, requesting a virtual interview, contacting alumni or interacting with a representative on social media or, when possible, at a college fair.

Some 40% of colleges indicate that demonstrated interest is a moderately or considerably important factor in decisions, according to the most recent NACAC data.

Admissions officers can track how many contacts you've had with their institution, and they can even see if you've opened and engaged with emails.

"The artificial intelligence and the way they use data has become super sophisticated," Doe says.

As colleges begin fully welcoming in-person visitors again, spending a day on campus sitting in on a class and talking with students, or perhaps attending a summer program for high schoolers at a college that appeals to you, can both signal your interest and help you and the admissions office establish whether you'll be a good fit. That's key.

"Fit continues to be the most important factor to us – we want students to succeed here," says Marc Harding, vice provost for enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh .

Participating in such a program shows that you're passionate and curious enough about a subject to take it to the next level, too. And that says a lot about your level of college readiness.

This story is excerpted from the U.S. News " Best Colleges 2022 " guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.

Tags: education , colleges , college applications , college admissions , students , Coronavirus

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When are the application deadlines for college.

Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase

Many prospective college students prepare for months to ensure their college applications are filled out just right. From preparing essays , getting test scores, and asking for letters of recommendation, it can take a lot of energy to make sure you have all the required information to complete a college application.

But when are college applications due? Keep reading as we break down the ins and outs of college application deadlines, along with questions you may have about these deadlines.

When are college applications due for “early decision”?

Most colleges have early decision and early action deadlines that predominantly fall on November 1 for the next academic year. For example, if you’re applying early decision or early action to be in the incoming freshmen class of 2025, the application deadline will likely be on November 1, 2024.

If you apply early decision, and get accepted by a school, you must attend. For early action, you’ll likely receive an admission decision by February of the following year, but you can take a couple of months to decide if you want to attend or not – your decision isn’t binding.

Even though November 1 is often the norm for colleges who offer early decision and early action application options, this deadline can vary by school, so make sure to check the deadlines for each school you’re interested in and make a note of them.

When are college applications due for “regular decision”?

According to College Board, a national nonprofit that helps students with college admissions, you’ll likely see deadlines for regular decision applications between the months of January and February. Many schools have a deadline of January 1, if it’s helpful to keep a general deadline in the back of your mind. So, for instance, the regular decision deadline to apply to college for the fall of 2025, would be January 1, 2025.

Just like with early decision and early action, this’ll vary by school, so make sure to check the exact deadline for each school you’re interested in applying to.

When are college applications due for transfer students?

If you’re considering transferring schools in the next academic year, you’ll want to keep an eye out for transfer specific deadlines. Some schools have the same application deadlines whether you’re applying to transfer or are applying as a first-year student, while others have different deadlines for transfer students. Because of that, you’ll want to check the deadline for each school you’re interested in applying to as a transfer student.

Many colleges and universities have a transfer application deadline of March 1 for the next academic year.

Common FAQs about college application deadlines

When’s the common app due.

Students utilize the Common App to apply to different schools. This standardized admission application is supported by over 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities and allows you to share your personal information, essays, activities, grades and more in one platform to the schools of your choice.

While the app’s purpose is to simplify the college application process, the deadline to submit the Common App to the schools you want to apply to is based on the individual schools’ deadlines. The Common App opens to students on August 1 for the next academic year.

Can you send college applications after the deadline?

Whether or not you can submit college applications after the deadline will depend on the school. Some will accept late college applications in rare circumstances such as a family emergency, medical illness, or natural disaster. You'll want to contact the school’s admissions office as soon as possible to find out if you can submit a late college application.

Can you send college applications before receiving teacher recommendations?

If you’re applying to colleges through the Common App, you can send your application to schools before submitting letters of recommendation. If a school doesn’t use the Common App, or you’re applying to a school via its individual application regardless, you’ll want to ask the school’s admissions office if this is permissible.

Can you send college applications before receiving SAT or ACT scores?

Whether or not you can send college applications in before supplying ACT or SAT scores with an application will depend on the school. Most colleges do allow students to send updated SAT or ACT scores after you’ve submitted your application, though.

It’s also important to note that some schools don’t ask for or make it optional for students to supply standardized test scores like SAT or ACT scores with their applications.

Final thoughts

You may feel nervous when it comes to preparing your college applications , but staying on top of deadlines is one way you can feel more at ease. Because many schools have different deadlines, you may consider jotting the deadlines down for the schools you’re considering applying to months in advance, so you’ll be ready when the deadlines arrive.

Nebraska legislators buck Trump by blocking Electoral College vote change — for now

Nebraska legislators on Wednesday night blocked a late effort to change how the state allocates its Electoral College votes, despite public pressure from former President Donald Trump to shift to a winner-take-all system that would likely benefit him in the fall .

The measure fell short, 8-36, in a procedural vote. While it’s possible supporters could take another stab at advancing the proposal, there remain serious hurdles as the legislative session draws to a close, and it’s unclear whether the proposal has enough support to get across the finish line and become law.

Nebraska currently doles out three of its five electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins each of its three congressional districts. In practice, that puts the competitive 2nd District in the Omaha area in play, even though Republicans typically win the statewide vote easily.

Wednesday night's failed attempt to change the law to award all the state’s Electoral College votes to the statewide winner leaves the fate of the proposal in doubt with a few days left in the legislative session.

State Sen. Loren Lippincott, who introduced the original winner-take-all bill, told the Nebraska Examiner that he’d make one final attempt to bring the measure up for a vote before the legislative session ends April 18. However, it's unclear whether there’s enough support for the change to move forward.

Lippincott’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Republican state Sen. Julie Slama had offered the electoral bill’s legislative text as an amendment to existing legislation, the quickest pathway to get a vote on the proposal.

But the amendment was rejected after three dozen lawmakers voted that it wasn’t relevant enough to the underlying legislation to be considered as an amendment, failing state law that requires an amendment to be “germane.” Slama was among the eight who voted that the amendment was relevant.

Lawmakers have repeatedly tried to change the state’s Electoral College allocation, failing narrowly in 2016 . Lippincott introduced the latest legislative proposal last year; it received little attention until this week when GOP personality Charlie Kirk raised the issue on his podcast.

On Tuesday, Trump and Nebraska GOP Gov. Jim Pillen called on state legislators to take steps that would implement a winner-take-all system . Less than 24 hours later, the legislation, which had once seemed to be all-but-forgotten, came roaring back to life

The renewed effort also attracted attention from President Joe Biden’s campaign. Brent Comstock, a consultant who works with several elected Democrats in Nebraska and nationwide, confirmed that the Biden campaign reached out to Democrats in the state about the vote.

“Democrats in Nebraska care about the importance of the president’s agenda and want him to succeed here in [congressional district] 2 and across the state,” Comstock told NBC News. “They’re working together to make sure that happens: More jobs, access to health care, clean energy.”

Shortly before Wednesday night's vote, Slama said on the floor that she could “read the writing on the wall.” She went on to blast her fellow Republicans for not supporting the measure, arguing that their vote against the “germaneness” of the amendment was a repudiation of the winner-take-all system itself. She also blamed them for not prioritizing the legislation when it was introduced more than a year ago and paying lip service to the proposal.

“If you’re going to tweet out on an issue, if you’re gonna put out press releases on an issue and try to pressure the Legislature to do something, maybe when the concept actually comes up and people are voting on it, maybe you all should do the work,” she said.

Shortly after the vote, Slama replied to a Nebraska journalist on social media saying she didn’t believe the issue would come up for a vote again this legislative session. It’s possible that Republicans like Lippincott can make another attempt, but with just a few legislative days left in the unicameral body’s session, Republicans have warned there may not be enough time or support to overcome procedural hurdles.

Absent another shot at a vote, it’s also possible that Pillen, who has been a vocal supporter of changing to a winner-take-all system, could call a special legislative session to address the issue. But even so, Republican lawmakers have openly questioned whether the plan has enough support to overcome opposition from Democrats and independents.

Republicans have long been attempting to move to a winner-take all system in Nebraska. Proponents, like Slama, argue the current allocation diminishes the state’s political power.

“Nebraska waters down their influence when other states have not followed Nebraska’s lead when it comes to the apportionment of presidential votes,” she said on the floor Wednesday night.

But the bill’s opponents had harsh words for the legislation and for its backers.

Some blasted the effort to revive the bill, accused Republicans of taking orders from Trump and conservative activists, and hurled insults at Trump and Kirk. Others said Republicans were playing politics at the last minute, near the end of the legislative session.

“What happens at some point when Democrat votes outweigh Republican votes? Is everybody going to want to change it back?” Democratic state Sen. Jen Day asked, while defending the existing setup.

“By dividing its electoral votes, Nebraska forces candidates to engage with constituents across the state, listening to their concerns and crafting policies that resonate with a broader spectrum of the population. Doesn’t that sound great?”

Nebraska is one of only two states that doesn’t award all its Electoral College votes to the statewide winner, a method it adopted ahead of the 1992 presidential election. Since then, the state’s Omaha-area district has awarded its vote to a candidate other than the statewide winner just two times — to Barack Obama in 2008 and Joe Biden in 2020.

While the debate is functionally about just one out of 538 Electoral College votes, shutting Biden out from competing for the 2nd District vote could be pivotal in a tight presidential race.

A potential outcome could involve both presidential candidates getting 269 Electoral College votes — one vote shy of the 2070 needed to win. In that situation, the race would be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives, where each state gets one vote.

Ben Kamisar is a deputy political editor in NBC's Political Unit. 

Bridget Bowman is a deputy editor for NBC's Political Unit.

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