The trickiest part about visiting colleges is finding time to go! Plan ahead with these tips.
Consult your School Calendar
Look for weekday school holidays, conference days and half days so you can visit a college or two without your kid missing school. Fall favorites: Election Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day.
February Break and Spring Break
These are very popular weeks for sophomores and juniors to travel around visiting schools. Spring breaks vary widely for college students so check the college’s calendar to see if kids will be on campus (it’s ideal if they are).
Tack on a Day to an existing trip
This is my personal go-to for squeezing in college visits. Are you taking a family vacation or visiting a relative in another state? Add a day or two to the trip so you can make the most of your travel time. This fall, my family was visiting my oldest daughter in Virginia for family weekend. My junior and I rented a car and drove a few hours to North Carolina to see a few schools when the weekend was over, saving us from booking a separate trip down south.
Plan a Local Goldilocks weekend
What if your kid has no idea what they want? Start local, even if you think the specific schools near you aren’t going to be contenders. Pick a big, a medium, and a small school so your kid can see which one feels “just right.” Or pick an urban, a suburban, and a rural school to start narrowing things down. Most of my families have a variety of schools within driving distance; it only takes a weekend to get started.
Remember: You can’t visit them all! Devise a strategy that makes sense for your kid and family.
Want help? Book a complimentary informational call with me.
