February 3, 2012
Chelsea Merget
Looking back on my four years at Boston University, it is difficult for me to pin down exactly what drew me here.
The communications program is phenomenal. The faculty is first-class. Boston is a great city to be in as a college student. But I think that what sealed the deal with Boston University was when I first visited in April of 2008.
The campus had begun its spring transformation and was blooming back to life from the winter months. It enveloped me. I felt like I already was a student there. I could see myself walking along the Charles River during a study break.
Without hesitation, I could picture milling around the dining hall with new found friends. The scholars around me exuded excellence. I was surrounded by future CEOs, scientists and educators. It was then that I knew that I would flourish at BU.
To this day, spring is still my favorite season in Boston. It is full of life and color, much like my experience at Boston University. It reminds me of my first visit to campus and of the new beginnings that await me.
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Travel Tips for December College VisitsPlanning to visit college campuses in December? Here are some tips and tools to make your travel planning easier.
Book Travel Packages for College Visits & Vacays - save money when bundling your college visit travel by choosing money-saving deals on hotel and flight combinations any time of year.
December on College Campuses - tips and information you need if you plan to visit campus during December.
Smart See, Smart Do - showcases individual colleges and universities and the "must see" places on campus.
Smart Learning - featuring unique learning opportunities on college campuses nationwide.
College Tour Tip: Let the Kids do the Talking
7 Smart Phone Uses for College VisitsYour smart phone...you wouldn't leave home without it. Right?
Bring your smart phone along when you visit campus, but remember to silence the ringer during the tour and info session. Instead of talking on the phone, try some of these features to enhance your campus visit experience:
- Say "Cheese!"
Take a photo of the entrance to campus, preferably with you in the photo! Most colleges and universities have a noteworthy gateway that includes the name of the college or university. Stop on your way in to take a picture. Later, when you're back home, this visual reminder will come in handy as you review and evaluate all the colleges you visited.
- Don't sweat the parking pass
If the college you are visiting requires a parking pass, grab your phone when you exit the car to enter the Visitor Center. Take a photo of the vehicle license plate before you entering. If the Center requires your license plate number, you won't have to go back outside to get it. Just pull up the photo on your phone to read it off. - Stay alert
Find out which schools on your visit list have a text message or an e-mail alert system. Sign up a day or so before you hit the road. This can come in handy if severe weather or other factors that affect school closings occur. You can always unsubscribe once you're back home. - Check-in
Location check-in services such as Gowalla or Foursquare aren't just fun ways to let folks know where you are, at some schools a check-in may result a reward either virtual or real. Prospective students who check-in at the University of New Haven can earn a fee-waiver for the application fee. - On your own
Many colleges offer a self guided walking tour available either as a web-based application or as a mobile app. Search for this on the school's web site. - There may be an app for that
The number of colleges offering mobile apps is on the rise. Apps for prospective students include engaging, interactive apps such as scavenger hunts to navigational, mobile campus guides making it easy and fun to explore campus. - WAYN
“Where are you now” - text messaging comes in handy when parents and teens need to meet up when attending different tours or information sessions. CUL8TR.
A version of this post was originally published on my CollegeXpress Campus Visits column.
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College Visits Break Down BarriersI often write about the value of visiting a college campus in person. From the tactile to the practical, the reasons to experience campus on a personal and individual level are many, but one reason I have not addressed until now is this: visiting campus is the only way to break down perceived barriers.
Did you hear that College X has terrible food? Or, that the students are apathetic and lack school spirit? Do you think that because of a northern location, the area gets more snow than you (or your parents) want to deal with? Has the school been portrayed in the media in a way that left a negative impression on you?
How will you let one story, one tweet, one wall post or one other person's opinion affect what you think about a particular college campus?
Shouldn't you go see the college for yourself?
Getting an education is, after all, about learning what you don't know--right? Perhaps your college education really begins with the campus visit.
Related College Visit Reading
- The 5 Minute Rule: Finding Truth in the College Visit
- Student-to-Student: Questions to ask on a College Visit
- Top 10 Questions for the Undecided Major
Grace Boyle is a 20-something, noted Gen-Y blogger with a career fueled by a degree in public relations from Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. Her search for the right college took her from one end of the country to the other and all along she knew that when she found the right college she would truly just "know it."
Years later, after a graduating and setting into life in the "real world," as Director of Marketing and Sales for Kapost, Grace found herself giving advice to a teen who was just beginning to search for and visit colleges.
Grace gave us permission to share her story. Here's an an excerpt from the blog post Grace wrote to advise her friend on where to begin her college search:
from: The Unconventional Guide to Finding Your College
To be honest, when looking for a college you should go for something that seems perfect…for you. I visited colleges around the country and landed in Burlington (Vermont) and just knew within 5 minutes of being on campus its where I wanted to go. I know it seems odd, but I wouldn’t be as concerned with if it’s “too perfect” because it’s all about how it fits you. Some other people may not think Champlain is the right fit for them and that’s okay, too. <read more>
-- Grace Boyle, blogger
Small Hands, Big Ideas
The 5-Minute Rule?
It took Grace 5-minutes to know Champlain College was right for her. How long did it take you to know which school was right for you? Did visiting campus have an impact? Add you comments here or go to our Facebook/SmartCollegeVisit and share your story.
Top 10 List of Top Content on Smart College VisitFor college-bound teens, it's a given that fall is a frenetic mashup of campus visits and college fairs, with an intense focus on college admissions essays and applications. In other words: the future.
It's comes as no surprise then that the top 10 most-read posts last month (October 2011) were directly related to what students need to know as they prepare to choose a major, select colleges to apply to and begin the application process. Number 1 on this list remains the most-read post of all time on Smart College Visit:
- Student-to-Student: Questions to ask on a College Visit
- Should I Drop This Class
- Top 10 Questions for the Undecided Major
- Freshmen: Should I Bring My Car to Campus?
- College Mom Minute
- An App for College-bound Students to Remember
- Your College Admissions Essay: Get Real
- 10 Tips for Dressing Smart for your College Admissions Interview
- The Top 10 Questions to ask about Study Abroad Programs
- Virginia Public Colleges & Universities
