Tour your college choices before you decide
Videotapes, brochures and Web sites are a good way to “visit” a college, but a student should visit a college in person before accepting an offer to attend. Use the Web sites and other material to pare down the list of schools you want to visit.

Planning a trip near a campus? Taking a family vacation in the next year? Include a visit to a nearby college – it will make your visits lot easier and less expensive. Plan ahead and call for tour group schedules.

Consider going during the school year. Seeing a campus, full of students during the school year is much more realistic than a summer visit. If possible, sit in on a class. Friday night parties are not a great example of school life.

“I travel a lot for work, so I brought my son on two business trips with me. We added an extra day to visit the schools he was considering.”
Bill in Boston, Massachusetts

Parents, let your student decide for themselves
Parents, while on your tour, try to keep your feelings to yourself and listen to your student’s impressions. Ask questions, but don’t force your opinion on them.

Seniors, the big question about any college choice
Is this someplace that you would like to live – now and after college? There is a strong chance that when you graduate from college, you will be recruited for a job in that town. Or you may want to stay there to be with new friends. You may live there for many reasons. So if you don’t like cold weather, or extreme heat, maybe you should not go to school there.

Personal interviews with college representatives
Once you’ve toured a campus, try to arrange interview with a representative from the college. Your school choices may offer interviews, or you may have to make arrangements yourself. Interviews are a valuable way of getting to know how the school is run, their teaching philosophy and their expectations of your senior.