College visits are an essential part of building your college list. You don’t need to see every college before you apply, but you should see some representative models and then pursue more of those that are like the ones you prefer. Before you hit the road, though, you should know what’s potentially a good fit, and you should do enough browsing and research to make the visits worthwhile.

A matter of timing
You’re probably insanely busy, and breaking out the time to visit campuses is not easy. That’s especially true when you factor in the availability of on-campus tours and information sessions, let alone one-on-one interviews. You might be free on most Sundays, but many college admission offices are closed. School vacations could be a possibility, but college campuses are like ghost towns then because they're on break as well. You’ll need to make some compromises, perhaps missing a practice or performance here or there, or working with your teachers and guidance counselor to be excused from classes on a few days.

This lack of time makes it all the more important that you make visits count by preparing for them.

Why visit?
First of all, you need to know what seems to be a fit for you, and there's no substitute for actually visiting a campus. An online tour or DVD can give you an initial flavor, but walking around, seeing the students, going in and out of buildings, and seeing w...

Author: Amy Ambler

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