Summer is a great time to get a head start on college visits. Campuses are pretty quiet during the summer months, so you can get a feel for what it’s like without all the hustle and bustle and have some coveted one-on-one time with a tour guide or admissions counselor. You should still plan to visit colleges in the fall, which is a great time to sit in on some classes and maybe attend a student panel. But using your summer months wisely can help you make the most out of your fall visits and application season as a whole.
What you don’t want to do is rule out colleges because you had a bad visit. Especially when it comes to performing and visual arts programs, you want to make sure that you use your time on the actual college campus wisely, and sometimes that means knowing what not to do.
Here are 3 common mistakes made on college visits that can (but shouldn’t) impact your final decision.
Judging a place based on one person
When you’re making college visits, remember that you’re trying to get a sense of the place as a whole. It’s easy to get a bad taste in your mouth if you come across one rude person, whether it’s a student or faculty member. But one person does not make up the entire college. If you liked other things or people, give the program another chance.
Skipping out on the formal info sessions
If you want a college program to seriously consider you for admission, then you should seriously consider them as well. Show up to the formal info sessions, Q&A chats, and one-on-ones with professors. There usually aren’t many in the summer months, but if there are, skipping it would be a mistake.
Not talking to a faculty member
Even if there’s nothing formal going on when you’re making your summer college visits, see if you can set up a talk with a faculty member in your department. This is extremely important for the arts in particular because these instructors will help you take giant leaps forward in your career. It makes a lot of sense to meet with at least one faculty member before you apply to that college program.
The summer months give you the unique opportunity to take some time for college visits and kick off your college search. If you’re considering a degree and a career in the arts, visiting a lot of different types of programs in the summer (conservatory, private college, public university, etc) can help you get a sense of what’s out there. We want you to get the most out of your college search, and that starts with great college visits.
