The Importance of a College Visit
 
Narrowing down your selection of potential colleges is exciting and fun! There is no doubt that a campus visit is one of the more enjoyable aspects of the college selection process. All the online research in the world cannot replace the experience of actually setting foot onto a college campus. The way something appears online may be very different from an in-person visit.

I'm a military wife, and I have lived on several Army posts around the country. One of the first things I did each time my husband received new orders was to research our new location online. Each Army post has a website, and just like colleges do, everything is made to look picturesque. The on-post housing is neat, up-to-date, and beautiful. The people in the pictures are smiling and having a good time, and the local community is a nice place to explore.

How very different, in person, those places were! It wasn't until we actually arrived at each destination that I was able to get a true feel for the housing, the neighborhoods, the on-post shopping, etc. Even more important than the physical details was the sense of community. Believe it or not at every post I have been to I have had completely different experiences with my ease of making new friends, as well as the ease and comfort of getting involved in different activities.

I share these experiences with you because it is similar to moving onto a college campus. I was a dorm resident on two different campuses before I finally earned my degree. You are going to be looking at living arrangements, cafeterias, the library, the architecture and landscape of a school. A campus visit will allow you to meet current faculty and students. It is also a great time to taste the cafeteria food! Remember you will be spending four years of your life on that campus, so it should be a place you enjoy on many different levels.

As an Army wife I really don't have much say as to where we live...Uncle Sam is in charge of that! Fortunately for you, you do have options!

Not sure how to narrow down your list of potential schools? We can help guide you through that process as well as prep you for your college visit!