How to Get the Most Out of a College Open House

October tends to be the month for Open Houses on college campuses.  What makes an Open House different from a typical college visit?  Well, colleges tend to pull out all the stops for their Open Houses.  It is not only a great opportunity to meet with admissions officers, but also faculty, coaches, administrators and students who will all venture to campus for this weekend event.  If you are planning on attending a few Open Houses this fall, it is always best to check the colleges’ websites for details, but here are few general tips:
Make sure to RSVP. As with any event with the admission process, you want to get credit for going!  This will show that you have genuine interest in the college.
Get there early. Some Open Houses can be very crowded.  You want to get there early so you can make sure you know where you are supposed to go.  Also, you want to get your hands on the schedule for the day so you can figure out what programs you want to attend.  Some programs may fill up, so you will need to prioritize.
Do your research.  Make sure you know ahead of time what you are interested in learning more about, that way when you get there, you can easily figure out who you need to talk to and ask intelligent questions.  Also, ask the same question to several different people.  It will be interesting to see how a faculty member and a student each feel about certain topics.
Find out what type of program will be offered. Some schools will offer a very structure program where you are asked to choose between different session offerings.  Other schools will have a more “open” program where you can wonder around campus and check things out at your own pace.
Wear comfortable shoes! From campus tours to traveling between sessions, you will do a lot of walking at an Open House!
Katherine Price
Former Open House Planner
Technorati Tags: college open house tips, college open houses, fall open house, college campus visits, college tours

Meeting with Admission Counselors in Your Hometown

The travel season for admission counselors is well underway.  These brave admission professionals travel for weeks on end in the fall, all to visit prospective students and their families.  Some will visit up to 5 or 6 schools a day and do a college fair or conduct interviews at night.  The time they spend with students on these trips is very important.  So, if you intend to meet with an admission representative who has ventured to your area, here are some tips to help make the meeting worthwhile:
Tip #1:  Find out if someone is coming to your school
Get out the list of colleges you plan on applying to and call the admission offices to find out if there will be a representative coming to your school.  You may also be able to find out from your guidance or college counseling office.
Tip #2:  Take advantage of other opportunities
If they are not coming to your school, but will be in the area, find out when and where.  Ask if there is an opportunity to meet with the admission counselor for an interview.  See if they plan on conducting an information session at their hotel.  Ask if the counselor will be at a local college fair.  There are plenty of opportunities to see an admission counselor even if they are not planning on visiting your school.
Tip #3:  Plan ahead
If the admission counselor is visiting your school, make sure you plan ahead.  Find out if you will be able to get out of class in order to meet with them.  Talk to the teacher of the class ahead of time and make sure to ask what material you will be missing.  If you can not get out of class, contact the admission counselor directly and see if there are any other opportunities for you to meet while they are in town (see Tip #2).
Tip #4:  Making the most of the high school visit
When you meet with an admission counselor, it is important to be prepared.  Follow the advice we have previously posted in “Dance with an Admission Officer” and “The Art of College Fairs”.  Be prepared to have a conversation, ask detailed and specific questions and just be yourself!  They are looking forward to getting to know as much as you are looking forward to learning more about the school!

Katherine Price
Former Admission Road Warrior
Technorati Tags: admission counselor visits, admission representatives at high schools, college visits

How to Visit a College Campus From Home

two girls visiting college

So summer is over and you did not have a chance to visit all of the colleges on your list. Don’t worry, now you can visit campuses without ever leaving the comforts of home.

Here are few virtual campus tour sites to check out:

www.campustours.com:

On this site you can search for schools alphabetically or by state. The site offers some statistics on the school, a link to the website and a virtual tour.

www.unigo.com:

Offers unofficial student reviews of the college or university as well as photos and videos.

www.yourcampus360.com:

Is a high tech website that offers interactive virtual tours complete with a taking tour guide! However, there are only a few schools featured on this site.
Several schools also offer virtual tours directly on their own website. So whether you are trying to narrow down your list of schools to visit in person or just trying to see another prospective, virtual tours are a great way to research colleges and universities.

Katherine Price
Educational Consultant

Why Visit Colleges? An Expert College Counselor Explains

My clients are sometimes surprised to learn that I’m out of office so much. I spend about 20% of my time on the road paying personal visits to college campuses around the country.
Want to learn more about how these visits can help you choose the right college? Have a look!
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