By Sia Knight
Spring has sprung and all over the country high school students are visiting college campuses. Unfortunately, many students are not taking proper advantage of the opportunities that an on-campus visit provides making these visits a waste of time. Too often these trips serve as mini-vacations for the family, but provide no additional insight and don’t add meaningful information to assist in the college selection process. Whether you are a newly admitted student trying to make a final decision or an underclassman just beginning the college search, make the most of your trip by keeping in mind the “3Bs” of college visits.
- Be prepared – before you visit a college campus, do your homework. Scope out the campus in cyberspace and research the factors that are most important to you in selecting a university:
- Do you want an urban or a rural setting?
- Are you interested in a large campus or a small college?
- What is the weather like for most of the school year?
Once you have already investigated basic information online, you can then use your campus visit to gain more in-depth knowledge that can only be observed in person.
- Be open-minded – before you visit a college campus, clear your mind of all of the pre-conceived notions that have been placed there by classmates and adults. Don’t fall into the “name brand” trap that victimizes so many families. Remember that the college search process is all about fit. You have got to be honest about what factors are attractive to you in a school and what elements are deal-breakers. Because you will have done your homework, you will know what factors are important to you and you should be able to provide an objective evaluation.
- Be reflective – After you have left the college campus, take time to reflect on your experience.
Ask yourself the crucial questions that will help you to make a good decision:
- Why do I want to (or not want to) go to this school? – make sure that you are not just following (or running away from) classmates attending the college in question.
- Do I see myself as a happy part of this college community? – I’ve told students many times over the years that getting into Harvard (or Yale or Princeton, etc.), but flunking out because you are unhappy is, in the end, no great accomplishment. There is no substitute for a campus visit to help you answer the question, “Can I see myself here?”
- Am I allowing others to influence how I feel about this college? – Don’t let “social chatter” persuade you in one direction or the other. Do some serious soul searching and try to come to grips with your true feelings about the school that you are visiting.
If you do your homework, keep an open mind and take the time to reflect, you should find that college visits are, in fact, worth the time, expense and effort.
Sia Knight’s story is one of triumph in the face of adversity and achievement against all odds. This former teacher, counselor and administrator has transcended humble beginnings to become an educational specialist in the nation’s 13 largest school division. As a child growing up in a southern Virginia public housing development, Sia could have easily followed the destructive path of many of her peers. Instead, with the encouragement of strong mentors, she managed to achieve both academically and professionally. Today, Sia Knight dedicates her time to helping parents and students make sense of the college admissions process.
Sia Knight can be found at www.SiaKnight.com and @SiaKnight on Twitter.
