By clicking on this article, it is proof that your college visits have begun. Whether looking to apply in or out of state, planning ahead and visiting a potential school now is always better than later.

It can be difficult to get a good “feel” for the school by just looking through images or reading about it through the website. However, if given the opportunity, visiting as many schools as possible helps one to develop a better understanding of the school, ultimately helping them see how they would “fit in” with the campus and student life.

Thankfully my older sibling was willing to let me accompany him on all of his college visits. Because of this, I managed to get a sneak peak into the college world, before I was even an upperclassman. Now a junior, I have organized a list of several schools to visit by the end of the year.

Last month, I traveled to Boston University to visit my brother and a family friend for a weekend. I was thankful to have the opportunity to sleep in a dorm on campus with my friend, meet all of her friends and see what it is like to live on a college campus. I really got a feeling for what it would be like to be a student when I attended a sociology class with my brother and ate in the dining hall. By staying at Boston University, even just for the weekend, I definitely got a whole new perspective about the college world.

Junior Emme East said that, “Before I visited [the] University of Texas, Austin, in the fall, I hadn’t even thought about it as an option, but as soon as I walked on campus, the charm of the school and the feel of the city convinced me that’s where I wanted to go.” East went on to say that, “I definitely recommend visiting a school, even if you’re not sure about it, because it really is about how you feel when walking on campus.”

After visiting Boston University for the weekend, and finding it very helpful for college insight, I formed a list of tips and tricks for anyone who is interested in visiting a college in the future.

1. Plan ahead! Visit schools that seem interesting before senior year. This helps one collect ideas about a college to assist in the application process.
2. Research schools that have strong programs for a desired major.
3. If lucky, try to visit schools when the weather is nice. If it is freezing cold and raining during a visit, it might become trickier to look at the school in a positive light.
4. Take a guided tour. This helps to see the different parts of the campus while also allowing time for questions to be answered by the student tour guide.
5. If looking at a college that a friend already attends, contact them in order to gain a helpful perspective from the eyes of a college student.
6. Lastly, visit schools that may not be popular. A lot of times, these schools might provide a better “fit” for someone than a more well-known school would.