Class of 2021 and Class of 2022 - Summer Programs

Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Program 

For rising juniors and seniors in high school 

Mirroring the undergraduate experience, our Pre-College program gives students the opportunity to explore their interests while receiving instruction from acclaimed Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff. Students will also participate in a robust outside of the classroom experience.

Our summer Pre-College program options include the following:

• Summer Session, students take two full-length Carnegie Mellon courses in a variety of disciplines, ranging from Computer Science, History to Music Technology.

• Summer Academy for Math and Science, provides students from underrepresented communities the opportunity to achieve skills to pursue and complete majors in STEM fields.

• National High School Game Academy, for students who want to learn about modern video game development through a unique blend of left- and right-brain college-level work.

• Computational Biology, a three-week program for students looking to learn more about the intersection of the two disciplines.

• Unique programs in the Fine Arts - Architecture, Art, Design, Drama or Music – in which the students experience developing their skills in a conservatory or studio setting.

• Writing & Culture is our new program this year. Guided by the mentorship and instruction of our highly distinguished, permanent faculty members, students will improve their ability to analyze complex, ever-changing problems through astute investigations of culture and society.

Students may apply for the program https://www.cmu.edu/pre-college/. 

The Experiment Leadership Institute:

Current high school juniors with demonstrated interest in intercultural leadership, global issues, and civic engagement should apply by January 15, 2020.

Learn more about the program:

• India: Community Development & Public Health

The Experiment Leadership Institute is carefully designed to provide participants with the extraordinary opportunity to acquire key skills and intercultural competencies necessary to become effective leaders. The program promotes understanding of human rights, worldwide health, and other global issues, and provide participants with an opportunity to see what communities are doing to address these challenges.

The Experiment Leadership Institute is for rising seniors with a graduation year of 2021 who are at least 16 years old, and not more than 18 years old at the time of the program.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1.800.345.2929 or info@experiment.org

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies Summer 2020

We offer programs across a wide variety of disciplines—including arts, business, humanities, math, science, and more—allowing highly motivated students to investigate advanced topics not typically taught in secondary schools. Participants engage in small classes with brilliant instructors and peers who share their passions.

Deadlines for most of our summer programs are in February, with some early round deadlines in January. Admission is selective. Limited financial aid is available.

• Stanford Summer Humanities Institute brings students in grades 10 and 11 together to explore the big questions at the heart of the humanities. Seminars are led by distinguished Stanford professors during this three-week residential program.

• Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes allows students currently in grades 8–11 to apply to a single-subject intensive course selected from a wide range of disciplines, and benefit from small class size and academically themed residences. 

• Stanford AI4ALL invites students in 9th grade to apply to this three-week residential summer program. Participants learn about topics in AI, partake in ongoing research at Stanford, and receive mentorship from professors, graduate students, and industry professionals. Young women and students from underrepresented and/or low-income backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. 

• Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) students participate in a highly-selective program centered around lectures, guided research, and group problem-solving in advanced math topics. This four-week program is intended for an elite group of talented students in grades 10 and 11.

• Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math and Physics offers 13 courses throughout the year, including a summer term for high school students, grades 9–12. Students earn Stanford University Continuing Studies credit.

Syracuse University’s Summer College It Girls program

It Girls runs this summer in Session I of Summer College, from June 27 through July 10. 

Scholarships and financial assistance will be available to qualifying students. 

Online applications open this December 16. 

The It Girls program is joining four other course offerings whose content is provided by the iSchool through Summer College:

Coding: Learning to Code

Information Reporting & Presentation: Engage, Persuade and Succeed

Social Media Strategy and Analytics

Cybersecurity: Hackathon Challenge

More information is available at summercollege.syr.edu.

UMass Summer Programs 

https://www.umass.edu/summer/programs/academic-programs. 

In addition to popular returning programs such as the McCormack Sport Leadership Academy, Summer Engineering Institute, Summer Design Academy, and many others, we are pleased to announce the following new programs!

New Programs for Summer 2020

• Introduction to Programming in Processing

• Foundations of Music Theory

• Forensic Science: Crime Scene Investigation

• Foundations of Data Science

• Architectural & Landscape Watercolor Rendering

• Economics of Hunger

UMass Summer Pre-College programs are residential, academic programs for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. With courses taught by UMass Amherst faculty and graduate students, award-winning dining, modern residence halls, and fun co-curriculars, our programs offer hands-on experience in college coursework and college life.

Applications open

Northeastern’s Accelerate: Pre-College Programs application is open for summer 2020. The Accelerate programs feature our exceptional faculty delivering courses that combine innovative content, experiential learning, and a world-class environment—giving talented high school students a true Northeastern experience. 

• Accelerate: Pre-College Programs page

• Inquiry form

• Apply now

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at precollegeprograms@northeastern.edu or call 617.373.2200.

Stevens Institute of Technology Pre-College Programs

https://www.stevens.edu/admissions/pre-college-programs

2020 Summer Term High School Programs at Boston University, via our website at bu.edu/summer/highschool.

Next year, we are offering five pre-college programs for your students to choose from. All five provide rigorous and collaborative college life experiences that will enable students to gain a strong sense of their personal and academic potential. Here is a brief overview of our programs:
 

• High School Honors is a six-week residential, commuter, or online program in which students take Boston University undergraduate courses and earn up to eight transferable college credits. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2020.


• RISE Internship/Practicum is a six-week, non-credit residential or commuter program in which students conduct scientific research in a university lab under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students must be U.S. citizens and entering their senior year of high school in Fall 2020.


• Academic Immersion (AIM) is a three-week, non-credit residential program for students to focus intensively on a single academic topic while enjoying and experiencing life on a college campus. This summer we are offering three AIM tracks: Introduction to Experimental Psychology, Introduction to Medicine, and Creative Writing. Each track combines classroom work in the subject area with experiential learning activities. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2020.


• Summer Challenge is a two-week residential program in which students take two non-credit seminars of their choice and experience life on a college campus. Students must be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school in Fall 2020.


• Summer Preview is a one-week, non-credit commuter or residential program in which students explore one subject of interest while previewing the college experience. Students must be entering their freshman or sophomore year of high school in Fall 2020. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at summerhs@bu.edu.

Article - SAT VS. ACT COMPARISON: WHICH TEST TO TAKE?

SAT VS. ACT COMPARISON: WHICH TEST TO TAKE?

by Drew Heilpern, Summit Educational Group

When we work with families to create a testing plan that best suits their student, our first goal is to help answer the question “Which test to take?”. Both tests are accepted equally by all US colleges. While the SAT and ACT require mastery of a similar set of academic skills, they have two very different approaches to their assessments. In our experience, students tend to have a preference for one test over the other even when they score similarly on both. Hopefully, this SAT ACT comparison will help.

At a high level, the difference between the SAT versus ACT comes down to what we refer to as “power” versus “speed”, respectively. Power speaks to the complexity and difficulty of the SAT reading passages and questions on the test, whereas speed comes from the quick pacing of the ACT test given the number of questions. As the power test, SAT questions in general are a little trickier in that they require more analysis and interpretation. The reading level of the SAT passages is harder than that found on the ACT “speed” test. Most students find the ACT questions and reading passages more straightforward, but can struggle with the very fast pacing of it.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TEST FOR YOUR STUDENT

You may have heard rumors (i.e. myths) that a particular type of student is better suited for the power of the SAT and another type of student is better suited to the speed of the ACT. At the end of the day, the best way to decide whether to focus on the SAT or ACT is to have students sit down and take full length practice tests of each.

Roughly 20-30% of students will show a significant scoring difference between the SAT and ACT, and we generally recommend pursuing the test with the higher starting baseline score. However, most often, students score equally well on both tests, so the decision of SAT or ACT in many cases comes down to a student’s gut instinct. We jokingly ask students which test they disliked the least. Which one were they more comfortable with? Which one do they think plays to their strengths? Which one would they rather prep for and think they have an easier time raising their score? Other considerations can also factor into the SAT/ACT decision including the student’s reaction to the science section on the ACT (there isn’t one on the SAT) and the overall fast paced nature of the ACT. For the SAT, we want to gauge how they performed on some of the more challenging reading passages and the no-calculator math section (ACT allows calculators on the entire test).

With the scores from the two practice tests, our Score Report analysis of the types of questions that students missed, and input from the student about which test they preferred, we can help families decide on which test to focus their test preparation. [Side note: As a complimentary service to students, we administer proctored practice SAT and ACT tests (with and without Extended Time) at our offices and satellite locations most weekends throughout the year. You’ll get a detailed Score Report that analyzes strengths and areas for improvement.]

SAT AND ACT COMPARISON CHART

The chart below gives a side by side comparison of the tests’ format, length, scoring, and specific content areas covered in reading, writing, math, and science.

If you need guidance navigating this process, or have questions about our private, in-home tutoring programs, feel free to contact our Program Directors who are experts in test prep for college.

Drew Heilpern

Drew Heilpern, PhD, began tutoring for Summit in 2010 and his passion as an educator quickly made him one of Summit Educational Group’s most requested tutors. His proclivity for tutoring students and helping families navigate the standardized testing landscape led him to a full time position with Summit. As the Chief Brand Ambassador, Drew works closely with schools, independent educational consultants, and families to help guide them through the college admissions standardized testing process.

PSAT SCORES: INTERPRETING YOUR SCORE REPORT

PSAT SCORES: INTERPRETING YOUR SCORE REPORT
By Drew Heilpern (https://mytutor.com/author/dheilpern/)
Posted December 4, 2019 (https://mytutor.com/2019/12/)
In PSAT (https://mytutor.com/category/psat/), PSAT/NMSQT (https://mytutor.com/category/psatnmsqt/)

The College Board releases PSAT scores in December. Schools often send home a paper version of the Summary Score Report, and your Full Score Report is available on the College Board website. To view the Full Score Report, visit psat.org/myscore (https://studentscores.collegeboard.org/viewscore/overview) and sign into the student account you set up when registering for the PSAT. From this site you may also get a PDF version of the Summary Score Report by clicking the Download link.

PSAT Scores show what you would have scored on the SAT on that same day.

Here we will walk you through the PSAT score report, section by section, to help with any questions you have. Feel free to ask your questions in the comments at the end of this article, or by contacting us (https://mytutor.com/one-on-one/contact-one-to- one/) directly.

TOTAL SCORE
In the Score Overview tab, the PSAT Score Report shows the student’s Total Score and Section Scores, as well as percentile ranks. The Total Score is the sum of the Section Scores (i.e., evidence-based reading and writing + math).
The Total Score and Section Scores are typically the most important SAT scores when applying to college. Remember, the PSAT is not used for college admissions. However, your PSAT score is often a good indicator of a potential SAT score. It can also provide insights on focus areas for SAT test preparation.

TIP If your school ordered the PSAT test booklets ,request a copy so you can re-read the specific question you missed. If not, you can still get a sense of this by reviewing the “Test Questions” and “Skills Insight” tabs on the online score report.

PERCENTILES
Percentiles give a sense of relative standing among students. The “Nationally Representative” percentile is based on data for all U.S. students in a particular grade, including students who did not take the PSAT. The “User Percentile” is their ranking relative to only students who took the PSAT in the last three years. Note that the “User Percentile” ranking is often lower than the “Nationally Representative” ranking.

SECTION SCORES

The two section scores represent your performance on Reading/Writing and Math. PSAT Section Scores are on a 160-760 scale, whereas the SAT’s Section Scores are on a 200-800 scale. The scale ranges differ because some SAT content is more advanced than on the PSAT. To put it simply, the PSAT does not have 800-level content, so it does not offer an 800 score. Note that the College Board has structured it so PSAT scores are on the same “continuous scale” as the SAT, meaning that, if a student achieves a Math score of 500 on the PSAT, he or she would have likely achieved the same score on an SAT taken on that same day.

The PSAT is not used in college admissions decisions.

YOUR NMSC SELECTION INDEX

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) uses PSAT/NMSQT scores of high school juniors to select candidates for Merit Scholarship awards during their senior year. This scholarship is awarded to about 1% of all students taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Candidacy is based on students’ NMSC Selection Index scores, which are calculated from PSAT Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Test scores. Selection Index scores range from 48-228. The scores required to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program vary from state to state and are published on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website. Read our blog post (https://mytutor.com/psat- more-than-just-practice/) about the NMSQT, or visit nationalmerit.org (https://nationalmerit.org) for more information.
Here is a sampling of semi- finalist score cutoffs for Class of 2020:

Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire 222 New Jersey 223 217 New York 221 223 Rhode Island 220 219 Vermont 216

TEST SCORES
READING — WRITING AND LANGUAGE — MATH
The individual Test Scores are used to calculate the Section Scores you saw earlier in the report, and National Merit Scholarship scores. High school juniors can use these scores to assess strengths and begin to dene focus areas for SAT test prep, (assuming that’s the test you’ve decided to pursue. Read more about SAT vs ACT (https://mytutor.com/sat-vs-act-comparison/) here.). It is too early to use this as a tool for sophomores. The fall PSAT for sophomores is best for giving students an early exposure to the test question types and pacing.

SCORE DETAILS — TEST SCORES, CROSS TEST-SCORES, AND SUBSCORES
The Score Details tab offers more ways to analyze scores. This may help guide students on the content areas requiring further skill-building. The main one to look at here is the Test Scores section, which allows you to click on links to jump directly to the Test Questions tab for that particular topic.
Cross-Test Scores are based on 19 history/social studies and 19 science-related questions spread throughout the PSAT. There is no dedicated history or science section on the test. Cross-Test Scores are used primarily in states where the SAT is used as the education assessment for high schools.
Subscores summarize scores based on College Board-defined content threads. Like Cross-Test Scores, Subscores are used primarily by high schools, districts, and states to monitor student progress and inform curricular decisions.

TEST QUESTIONS AND SKILLS INSIGHTS
The Test Questions section of the Score Report lets you delve more deeply into the question types and their difficulty levels (short of having the test booklet). Its filter and sorting function is helpful. Use the information here in conjunction with the narrative on the Skills Insight section to round out your action plan for future test preparation.

YOUR PSAT SCORES: NEXT STEPS
PSAT scores provide a valuable glimpse at the road ahead and can offer direction for how students can improve scores. This feedback is useful, but broad. To continue the journey into the world of standardized testing for college, we recommend taking a practice ACT (https://mytutor.com/one-on-one/free-practice-tests/) as well.

Our approach to SAT test preparation (https://mytutor.com/one-on-one/sat-and-psat/) is a more personalized one that incorporates careful analysis of individual test questions, feedback about the student’s testing experience, and a highly skilled tutor. Summit tutors work one-on-one with students, according to their learning styles, score goals, and activity schedules. To learn how our one-on-one test prep tutoring program works, please contact us (https://mytutor.com/one-on-one/contact-one-to- one/).

Article - How to help your teen manage soul crushing stress

How to help you teen manage soul crushing stresshttps://childdevelopmentpartners.com/how-to-help-your-teen-manage-soul-crushing-stress/by Dr. Susan

It’s no secret that teens today are very stressed. School, social and extracurricular demands can feel too intense, too demanding and just too much. As a school psychologist working in a local high school, I see that much of the stress is placed on teens by well-meaning parents, teachers and guidance counselors who are attempting to prepare them for “the real world” of work and college. However, with due respect to those caring adults, I think we are missing the mark and doing our kids a grave disservice by placing so much on their young shoulders and hoping they will turn out ok, happy, healthy and successful.

No one feels successful when they are faced with an overwhelming pile of tasks to do, deadlines to meet and meetings to attend. Imagine your workday with 7 meetings to attend, all with homework assigned and deadlines to meet. Now imagine that every day, 5 days a week. That is your child’s life in high school. Then add after work activities where coaches, tutors, therapists and other adults all have equally high expectations of some level of performance.Does that feel stressful? It does to me.

I’ve attended many stress management workshops focused on helping teens cope. They recommend mindfulness, “relaxation toolboxes,” and other ways to support teens carrying such a heavy load of demands. Demands are demands and no amount of chanting “om,” or imagining a field of daisies is going to relieve daily stress with no relief.

I have a few other suggestions to help our teens be happier, healthier and much less stressed (and they probably aren’t what you may think would be useful).

Take demands off of your teen’s plate. It is time to STOP expecting our teenagers to be superhuman and manage a life full to the brim with tasks, deadlines, homework, grades and to perform at a high level. Enough is enough. When the teen culture is fascinated by a Netflix series on suicide (“13 Reasons Why”), we have a big, big problem. While it would be nice for schools to back off, colleges to expect less, coaches to loosen up, the reality is that parents drive the bus when it comes to how your child spends their time and energy. If your kid seems to be chronically overwhelmed and stressed, you need to step in and take some stuff off their agenda ASAP. No amount of mindfulness is going to correct an endlessly stressful life.

De-emphasize grades, performance and preparing for “the real world.” Here’s something we adults forget–our children are living in the real world NOW. They are whole, complex humans with diverse interests, talents, strengths and weaknesses. In 10 years no one will ever care what grade they got in US History, but they will be living with the outcome of 4 years of constant stress and demands that they get a good grade in all classes. Don’t leave your child with that mental health burden. Instead, let your child explore their diverse interests, invest time in helping them find a passion and pursue it.

Know that emotional health is more predictive of lifelong success than grades, SAT scores or what college your kid attends. All the research tells us that emotional intelligence is a more robust predictor of success in all life areas–work, relationships, health–than grades or academic achievement. This makes sense because if someone is anxious and depressed they really can’t live a healthy, joyful life regardless of how many degrees they have or what their GPA was in high school or college.

Resist adult peer pressure to commiserate and compare.  Let’s admit it, we adults compare our kids’ life trajectories. No one brags at the cocktail party that their child is graduating high school to become a YouTube star. We, adults, are looking for benchmarks of our kids’ “success” including grades, schools attended, jobs achieved, etc. Alternatively, we can often get caught up in lamenting all our kid’s struggles to other parents. Neither approach helps our children. I recommend we adults not discuss our kid’s plans with other parents at all. Respect their privacy and autonomy and let their life be theirs, not something we discuss over coffee.

Embrace the fact that your child’s job probably hasn’t been invented yet. Ten years ago, would you ask a teacher to prepare your child for a job at Facebook? How about grooming them to produce a show on Netflix, or create an Airbnb empire with real estate?There was no way we would know these kinds of jobs and careers existed, so it would be impossible for us to prepare them for these realities. Instead, try to focus on supporting your child to develop curiosity, a love of learning and a creative mindset to be ready for the new world of work they will enter as a young adult.

Relax. What your child needs is to feel competent, confident and supported. With those in place, the sky is the limit! A stressed out teen with straight A’s has less of a chance to achieve a happy, healthy adulthood than a confident, relaxed teen who feels good about themselves. As a parent, you model what healthy looks and feels like. If you are relaxed and believe in your child, then they will be relaxed and believe in themselves.

The reality is, helping students manage stress is about creating a more realistic lifestyle now and not asking them to white knuckle through stress until they reach adulthood. Happy, healthy teens and young adults have time to work, play and socialize. Give your teen the flexibility to have a full, fulfilled life and you will see them thrive now and in the future.

Class of 2021 - How to Plan & Prepare for Your College Visit

How to Plan & Prepare for Your College Visit

Marie-Antonette Bone

When you think about where you want to go to college, you’ll want to consider what it will be like to actually spend your time there, day by day. Does it not only offer the program you want, but also the resources to support it? And what about everything outside of the classroom? What other opportunities are available? Are you comfortable with the social environment, and can you handle the size of the student body? The climate?

One of the most helpful ways to answer these questions is to visit the schools you’re considering. Stepping on campus before you attend is a great way to predict what it would be like to step on campus as a student. A college visit can give you a first-hand experience that will ultimately help you narrow down your choices and find the perfect school for you.

Why Should I Go on a College Visit?

A college visit will give you the chance to get an up-close-and-personal preview of what your future experience at a school could look like. Visits typically include an information session and a tour of the campus itself.

Information sessions provide an overview of a college’s academics and culture—its strengths, resources, and what makes it unique. This is the perfect chance for you to ask questions and learn about the history, traditions, and fun facts that are specific to a school. The campus tour is exactly what it sounds like—you will be shown important locations like the dining halls, library, student union, and examples of classrooms and dorm rooms. It’s the time for you to get a glimpse of the culture—class sizes, clubs and organizations, the quality of the facilities, and the general atmosphere of the school.

If you take full advantage of your visit, you’ll be able to leave with a pretty clear idea of what life as a student looks like. College visits also give your family the opportunity to take part in your selection process. Bringing parents, siblings, or extended family along for the ride allows them to gain an understanding of the environment, provide their input, and share in your excitement! It may also help ease some of their own fears and apprehensions about your potential new home.

Step 1: Decide Which Schools to Visit

Although they’re helpful, college tours can be expensive and time consuming. You might want to narrow down your options if you have a lot of schools on your list of options. Do some research and try to figure out which colleges have the greatest potential of meeting your needs. Much of the academic information you need can usually be found on the college’s official website, but you may want to explore other resources as well. Consider the location, size, cost, and academic programs of each school, then compare all the options on your list and see which ones are worth traveling to.

Questions that you may want to ask:

1.    Does this college provide the program I may want to study?

• It’s crucial to find a college that offers high-quality programs for your major.

2.    What’s the likelihood that I will be accepted into this school?

• If you know this college is a big stretch for you, you will have to decide whether the expense of a visit would be worth it.

3.    Am I comfortable with the size of this campus?

• Though it definitely varies by school, smaller colleges may provide more one-on-one interactions with the professors and a tight-knit community, while larger colleges may provide more choices of majors, activities, and other opportunities than those with fewer students.

4.    Where is the college located?

• Do you want to be able to drive home on the weekends, or would you rather stay in a unique environment far from home?
• Do you want to experience an urban environment, or a small, “college-town” life?
• How does climate factor into your decision?

5.    How much is tuition?

• If you are accepted into a school, the next question to ask is whether you can afford to enroll! This factor can also vary depending on the location of the college; going to a school out of your home state can affect the price of tuition.

6.    What kind of financial aid can I leverage at this school?

• Although tuition cost may be an issue, you may be able to rationalize the cost with the help of financial aid. Look into your options and determine whether tuition, room, and board will fit within your budget. For more ways to make attending the school of your choice more affordable, check out these guides:
• How to Find—and Win—Scholarships: Your Complete Guide
• Money Matters: Thinking About Financial Aid

Hopefully, these considerations can help you keep costs low while still benefiting from something as useful as a college visit. And if you want to visit a certain college but are unable to, check its website to see whether it offers a virtual tour. It may not give you the first-hand experience that an actual visit could provide, but a virtual tour is nevertheless a free, convenient way to see the campus from the comfort of their own homes.

More Guides for Conducting Your College Search

Step 2: Make a Reservation

College visits have limited space, so it’s important to make your reservation early. If you have a desired day and time in mind, you should reserve your spot before it fills up and then make your travel plans accordingly. Will you be able to drive, or do you need to book a flight? Will you need to stay overnight? To make your reservation, visit the college’s website and find the page that is dedicated to prospective students. The webpage will be filled with information about planning and reserving a campus tour, which may need to be done through the website, email, or phone.

Step 3: Prepare Questions for your College Visit

You will learn more than you can remember about your potential colleges during your visit, but it’s so important to do your research first and then come up with any questions or concerns you want to resolve while you are there. Just in case the information you want isn’t automatically part of the campus tour, you should have your must-know questions in mind. And, of course, bring along a notebook to keep track of what you learn. Here’s a handful of questions you might be curious about:

1. What is the average class size for courses in my major of interest?
2. Are most classes lecture based or discussion based?
3. What type of career services do you have?
4. Do you have a learning community or other freshman experience?
5. Do most freshmen live on campus? What about upperclassmen?
6. How is parking on campus?
7. What is your four-year graduation rate?
8. How do students interact with professors outside of class?
9. Do you have any advice on ways to get around campus?
10. How do you provide academic advice to students?
11. What clubs and organizations do you have on campus?
12. How soon can I meet with an admissions advisor?
13. What and where are the best places to eat on campus?
14. What do students typically do in their free time?
15. What facilities are available? (gyms, libraries, etc.)

Step 4: Schedule Your Day

Whether you’re staying for a single day or a whole weekend, your college visit will only last for a limited time. To stay efficient and get the most out of your visit, we recommend that you create a schedule of the activities that are important to you. Carve out time to explore the campus on your own or connect with any current students you know; this will help personalize your experience and give you a more in-depth idea of what student life is like.

If possible, you could also consider attending a class, eating at the dining hall, or spending the night on campus—whatever will help you best understand what’s important to you as a student!

Step 5: Find a Map of Campus

A map can help you find specific areas you want to see, such as the buildings where the majority of your classes will take place in a specific major, athletic facilities you will want to use, or different libraries and study centers. It’s also helpful to know the size and layout of the school beforehand (especially if the campus is large!) to make navigation a little easier and faster while you are there.

Finally, take pictures! The more you document your visit, the easier it will be to reference all your likes and dislikes about the campus.

Get Excited

College visits are an important part of the selection process. What better way to understand student life than by living it yourself? Your experience on campus can make or break your decision, so it’s important to be as prepared as possible to learn everything that’s important to you. With a satisfactory college visit, you can leave each prospective college one step closer to your final decision!