The College Visit

• Spring Visits: If you and your family want a spring start visiting colleges, we suggest that you travel during Blake's Spring Break. You will find most colleges in the midst of their application reading process, and admission officers will be busy. Be prepared to see offices staffed by skeleton crew, with campus visits limited to tours and group information sessions.
  
  
• Summer Visits: Although you'll not see the campus with the students in action, both you and the admissions office have more time to devote to your visit. In the summer, admission offices are generally more relaxed and willing to spend time with you. It is easier to schedule an interview with an admission counselor in the summer. Today, many colleges become summer conferences facilities; often the campuses are active. Although most of the summer programs do not reflect the campus life during of the academic year, summer visits will give you enough information to assess your interest in the school.
  
  
• Fall Visits: Many families prefer fall campus visits when college is in session. Admission offices may be understaffed in the fall because officers are on the road recruiting. It is most important to call early for fall visit appointments. We suggest that seniors take advantage of the week in October (usually, the third week) when PSAT (for sophomores and juniors), parent conferences, and MEA coincide. This allows all seniors five days to visit colleges without missing any school; we strongly recommend that seniors and their families planning a fall college trip do so during this time.
  
  
• Visit after being accepted: Some students visit campuses after they have received all their admission decisions, when many colleges offer special admitted student weekend programs. You will have the opportunity to stay overnight in a dorm, eat the school's food, attend a class or two, and get to know some of the people who might also be attending the school as freshmen next year. If you choose to visit after acceptance, it is important for you to demonstrate interest in college early in the process by attending a college fair, attending an information session held by the college, or attending the college's information session at Blake.
  
  
• Begin your visits close to home: Minnesota has many outstanding schools of all sizes and varieties: urban, suburban, rural, large, and small schools. You might begin your campus visits with a Minnesota school that fits your exploration criteria. Go on these visits with an open mind; you might find a place that is right for you.

Augsburg, Carleton, College of Saint Catherine's, Saint John's University and College of Saint Benedict, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline University, Macalester, Saint Olaf, University of Saint Thomas, and Universities of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Duluth.

• Discuss the itinerary with your College Counselor.
• If you will miss school, notify your Dean and teachers in advance by filling out a Future Absence Form.
• Review the college website and any information the school has sent. Develop a list of questions to ask the admissions officers and students, particularly important if you have an admissions interview. Depending on your interests, you may also want to arrange for meetings with people such as coaches or professors. If you do request additional appointments, prepare a separate list of questions for those meetings.
• We recommend no more than two college visits in a day, or seven on any one trip. College visits are more work than you may think!
• Arrange your schedule so you are able to attend everything: the information sessions, tours, and interviews. Remember to call ahead (at least two weeks), as reservations may be required.
• Inquire about the possibility of observing classes. Most admission offices are happy to provide a list of classes pre-approved for visitors. Observe class sizes, facilities, and teaching styles. Ask about the accessibility of faculty.
• Request good directions to the school's campus and admissions office. Confirm the location of admissions parking.
• Make sure you see a dorm room similar to the one in which you will live your first year. If possible, ask to see a real freshman room. Housing options vary greatly, and can include: single sex, coed by floor, coed by room, separate bathrooms, and coed bathrooms. Different options may exist for upper class students.
• Eat a meal in the dining facilities. Inquire about meal plan options.
• Talk to as many students as possible. Find out where students study, hang out, and go on weekends. Ask different students about the hot issues on campus, and what they like or dislike about the college. Also, check the bulletin boards for campus news, and pick up a campus newspaper, as it will tell you about campus life.
• If financial aid is a consideration, parents may want to meet with and ask questions of a financial aid officer. Many admission counselors are also well versed in financial aid and will be able to answer questions.
• Take notes. If you visit several schools during a short period of time, you may have difficulty remembering the differences. Use the time in the car to record your impressions.
• Collect business cards, keep the names of each person you meet during your visit, and send a thank you note. Remember, everyone likes to be appreciated for doing a good job.
• Plan to spend some free time exploring the surrounding area. Keep in mind, that you are choosing a home for four years, not just a school.

• The on-campus individual interview with an admissions officer or student intern: Typically, an admissions officer conducts such interviews, and his or her reactions to your 30-60 minute conversation will be included in your file. It is, perhaps, the most important type of interview because the interviewer is often a decision-maker.
• The on-campus group interview: This type of interview is more useful to students in helping them gain information about the school, than it is in helping the school gain information about the students.
• The alumni interview: This type of interview is becoming more popular. It can, occasionally, provide critical information to an admissions committee. Alumni interviews are usually arranged after the college has received your application.
• The high school visit or admissions evening (both hosted by a college representative): Similar to the campus group interview, you can distinguish yourself in the crowd by asking thoughtful questions. Admission officers routinely keep notes of all their contacts with students in these (as well as other) settings.

• How do you want the interviewer to remember you?
• How, in 30 minutes, do you communicate the special qualities that set you apart from other applicants?
• How do you handle any doubts the admissions officer may have about a weakness in your record?
• How can you find out if the school is right for you, and how do you want to communicate why you think the college is a good fit for you?

• Practice answering questions about your record, test scores, grades, course selection, activities, summer experiences, goals, and your interest in this school.
• Read the literature sent to you by the college, in guidebooks (many are available in the College Counseling Office) or on the college's website.
• Come prepared to discuss your academic background and your interests outside of school.
• Know your objectives and what you hope to accomplish during the interview.
• Candor and maturity will work in you favor. Be prepared to discuss a blemish in your record without complaining, making excuses, or blaming others.
• Practice with your College Counselor.

• Be yourself.
• Maintain good eye contact.
• Dress well and neatly. Take your baseball cap off.
• Be positive.
• Listen.
• Avoid one sentence or one-word answers. Remember, each question is an invitation for a conversation. Keep it going.
• Show interest. Pay attention to both the questions being asked and the answers your interviewer gives.
• Be honest.
• Prepare a few questions about the school ahead of time.
• Relax, have fun! Remember the interviewer is looking for reasons to like you and to find ways in which the college is a good fit for you just as you are trying to sell yourself to the college.
• Send a thank you note.

• Do not be late for your appointment.
• Do not ask the interviewer to compare colleges.
• Do not make excuses or blame others for any blemish on your record. Offer concise explanations that indicate a sense of personal responsibility and/or lesson learned.
• Do not provide academic materials unless they are requested. Admission Counselors will review your transcript and resume at another time; they prefer to use the interview to get to know you personally.
• Don't argue with your parents during the campus visit. They will have questions that might be different from yours -- let them ask. An argument will only reflect poorly on you.

• Your high school record and experience. Be prepared to discuss your Blake transcript; your favorite subjects, most challenging courses, what you like best about school, whether your academic record is an accurate reflection of your ability, and your activities.
  
  
• About you. You may not like it, but the interview is about you, so be prepared to talk about yourself and your interests. Some of the discussion topics may include books you enjoy reading, people you admire, your family and friends, how others see you, your dreams and aspirations, and your views on current events.
  
  
• About college. Be prepared to discuss why you are interested in the college, what you are looking for in a college, and your academic interest (if you have one-don't be afraid to admit that you are undecided). It is also common for interviewers to ask what other colleges you are considering.