There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. And for some students, this includes schools beyond the U.S., too! As such, we are highlighting an international college this week in our School Spotlight series.

School Spotlight: University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Continue reading

From American to Emory, from Occidental to Yale, I have attended a dizzying number of college tours. Beginning as a sophomore in high school, I traversed the country to learn about a wide range of colleges – public and private, large and small, highly competitive and less selective. While the primary purpose of the college tour is to simultaneously dazzle and enlighten prospective students, parents often wonder how they can make the most of this entertaining (if not exhausting) rite of passage. Below you’ll find my tips for how parents can maximize the campus tour experience. Continue reading

Making Sense of U.S. Universities while Living Internationally

Finding the perfect college or university a few hours’ drive from home is daunting enough, so imagine what it’s like for those geographically removed by an ocean or continent from their prospective schools. Continue reading

A lot of families of high schoolers take advantage of spring vacation weeks to visit college campuses.  For high school juniors and their parents, this may be the last opportunity they have to visit campuses while school is actually in session before applying to colleges in the fall.  So what’s a student to do with the limited time they have to be on campus to help them decide if this college is a place where they’d like to spend four years of their life? Continue reading

Whether your child is a high school junior wanting a check out a few local campuses or a high school senior trying to decide between schools they’ve already been accepted to, a college visit can be a critical step in your family’s college selection process. Continue reading

How to Research US Universities When You Can’t Visit

In a recent College Coach blog post, 5 College Visit Tips for International Students, advice was given to international students on how to maximize college campus visits in the U.S. There’s no doubt about it, if international students have the time and ability to visit, do it!  But that certainly isn’t always a realistic option. Continue reading

Tips for International Students Visiting U.S. Universities

The vast majority of students applying to U.S. universities from overseas won’t have the opportunity to visit American campuses, and this fact won’t hurt your chances of admission. The university staff knows it can be impractical and costly to see all of your prospective schools if you live far away. However, if you find yourself in a position to travel to the U.S., be sure to take advantage of the extensive campus tours and information sessions most schools provide. This will not only give you a clearer impression of the schools and their rightness of fit, but may also give you a chance to show you’re actively interested in these universities. Here are our tips for how to make the most out of your college visits. Continue reading

If you’re a high school junior, it’s time to start planning college visits. Whether you’re making a trip across the country to look at schools in better weather, or just taking the long weekend to visit a few schools within driving distance, there’s no better way to get a sense of the college experience than by being on campus.

1. Set a goal

I like to tell my students that the goal of this first round of visits isn’t to determine whether a specific school will make your list or not. Instead, you should be taking notes about the qualities of the schools you visit. What kinds of programs attract your interest? What offerings sound cool to you? How would you describe the vibe that most resonates with what you want out of the college experience? Do you have clear preferences for size or location? In short, if you were to cobble together an ideal college experience from among the campuses you’ve visited, what would it look like? What would you borrow from all the institutions you’ve already seen? What are your drivers and deal-breakers? Continue reading

Your Seasonal College Visit Checklist

This summer, families around the country will be filling up the gas tank or boarding a plane to visit colleges around the country. Because students and parents have so much flexibility in their schedules, and because you can pair college visits with vacation time, summer is one of the most popular times to see colleges. But is it the best time? Maybe not.  When you see a college can seriously affect what you think about that college. At Reed, we used to give out popsicles to students on our summer tours—not exactly common practice in rainy Portland, Oregon! Following are some ideas and strategies to keep in mind as you prepare your schedule for college visits this year.

Summer Visits

Summer weather makes for gorgeous photographs and relaxed staff, but it’s hard to get a sense of what your experience might be like during the academic year. If you’re going on a summer visit, try to see as many buildings as you can to develop a sense of the place. Continue reading

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your College Visit

Little Miss Sunshine. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. National Lampoon’s Vacation. The history of the silver screen is chock-full of interpretations of the great American road trip. And while Hollywood tells us it’s the journey that counts and not the destination, when it comes to college visits, sometimes the destination is important. So how do you make the most out of your arrival at your figurative Walley World U? Is there a method for learning about a college beyond the admissions info session and student tour? With just a little bit of planning, the answer is yes. The following are a few tips that will help ensure you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your college road trip.

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