When did your son/daughter start looking at colleges?

[AppleDumpling]

I don’t think it’s too early to start looking now. Although preferable to do during the school year, sometimes summer is a more convenient time to travel, and you can still get a feel for the campus and surrounding location.

We did most visits junior year over winter (February) and spring break weeks, and a few that were closer to home on other weekends.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

DD15 just finished her freshman year and is already trying to figure out where she wants to go. We're in IL, she's looking at the University of Washington Her school is telling kids to start figuring things out already. I keep telling her to be a kid, but she wants to get the ball rolling.

 

[Colleen27]

We started visits the summer before sophomore year, but DD knew what she wants to major in and knew it would mean going out of state so I encouraged her to start early so we could space out all the trips. She's wrapping up her junior year now and we've toured nine schools in nine different states. Our last visit was "the one", so she's applying early decision and I'm crossing my fingers that we're done with the process. If she doesn't get in, there are two more she'd like to see before choosing a plan B.

We have tried very hard to visit when school is in session, to get a better feel for the campus atmosphere and surroundings than you'd get when the student body has gone home for the year, but two of the less-promising schools on the list got summer visits just because it was all we had time for.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd17 visited about 8 schools this summer, plus attended several college fairs where schools she was interested in were going to have representation. She decided on a program, and found the best schools with it. She still has schools to visit. It will ultimately come down to $. Dd21 and ds20 were less organized, ds20 did early decision with his school so only applied to 1.

 

[SC Minnie]

We starting talking about it freshman year and narrowing it down sophomore year. We did college visits junior year then she applied to her short list first semester senior year.

 

[soccerdad72]

Our first official tour was summer after Sophomore year, but we really didn't start heavily touring until this year (Junior year).

 

[design_mom]

^^ Our's was similar to Soccerdad's schedule. I have a rising senior. We visited a couple of schools during the summer between sophomore/junior year. We took the official tour, but it was pretty casual. I think visiting a college helped make it "real" for my son... first, got him thinking about what he wants, which I'm not sure he was doing before. Secondly, I think it gave him a tangible goal. "This is what I'm working for." His effort at school substantially picked up this year.

By spring of this year (junior year) he'd pretty much decided what he wants to study and what kind of school's he's interested in. We re-visted one of the schools we visited last summer, to get the "school's in session" vibe (that is important) and to find out more specifics about the program he's interested in.

I think summer is a fine time to get an overview of the school -- programs they have, etc. But the 'feel" is different in the summer. If you're going to be near someplace during the summer and could go back again if it makes your child's short list, then I think summer tours can be fine. But if you're making your one-and-only trip to a school that might be a contender, I think going while classes are in session is ideal.

 

[tvguy]

My kids High School (Catholic) had a very structured schedule for parents. Meetings every year for all 4 years of high school telling you what you should be doing.
They recommended using your summer vacation between your child's Junior and Senior year to tour colleges.
And at least at the six campuses my kids toured, the colleges were set up to to give tours then, and admissions counselors available to review your SAT/ACT scores and transcript.
Then they have open houses when school resumes so you can look at the schools you are serious about when they are in session. They had my kids sit in on classes, tour the dorms when they were occupied, and eat in the dining hall.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

Oldest DD went to her first college fair at her school freshman year. She is a sophomore now and she still thinking on majors. She has a few colleges narrowed down. We will start visiting Junior year.

Youngest DD is an 8th grader and it isn't even a blimp on her radar.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

We started tours Junior year, but DS18 already knew where he wanted to go, so it was more me pushing him to look at a few different schools as options. He couldn't have cared less about taking tours and even though he changed his mind about the 1st choice school, we still toured it. The 2nd choice simply had a better program for his major and DS loved the campus.

 

[elgerber]

We started in late fall Junior year through Spring. She made her choice and applied over the summer before senior year, as soon as they opened applications. I agree with others, you want to go during the school year. You won't get much of a feel in the summer, and I would actually be surprised if they really offered much for tours in the summer.

 

[Lynne G]

Junior year for both. Just finished up with the younger one, touring colleges, who will be a senior in the fall. The school she really wants to go to, expects submissions in early August, suggesting the later ones get slimmer pickings. We will see, wanted both to apply to more than 1. For older one, also toured during his junior year, ended up at community college, now will apply at 2 schools to finish his undergrad, 4 year degree. We expect to have him pick the one that is less costly. For the younger one, if she does get into the school she wants, we are hoping for scholarships. Though, of all the schools, it is one of the lesser cost ones.

Agree, it was good to see the campuses in full swing. If you can't, then whenever you can, you should still go. At least you can see the campus, which may or may not will make a big difference in what you thought it would be.

 

[MomofKatie]

DD started mid junior year. She changed high schools halfway through her 4 years, and that kind of changed her interests and priorities.

We visited campuses over school holidays- some in wintertime, and some in summer. Most of our tours were done before senior year started, but we also visited 2 schools after she was accepted.

I do recommend visiting while school is in session- summer visits weren't as good for getting a great feel for the vibe of the campus. Also, if your child is interested in schools that are more selective, they should really interview, write, email, and do whatever else they can to really convey their level of interest. DD feels she wasn't accepted at one or 2 schools because she "only" did the basic tour.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Between freshman and soph years in high school whether they graduated/attended or not.
Both took enrichment programs during summer breaks at various seats of higher education in disparate locales (Morehouse, Sorbonne, and Skidmore).

One graduated from Haverford (much like Skidmore but offered a better financial plan) and the other one dropped out to chase the "love of his life" around the world. I hear tell she's now married with children and he still hasn't figured out how to make it back to college. So sad, too bad for him.

 

[dotfurio]

We visited our first college the summer before her junior year, but only because we were already in the area for a conference. She's going to be a senior next year and we're visiting a few more this summer.

 

[Kitty 34]

Their Junior year

 

[tcufrog]

I am 3 years younger than my sister and I tagged along on her college tours. I wasn’t thinking about it that young but I did end up ruling out one school based on my sister’s visit (University of Texas at Austin). It was way too big for me so I never applied. I definitely made the right choice. Whether or not to bring along a sibling depends on whether that kid will be a distraction. The kid may get more out of it than you expect.

My son is only in 6th. While we don’t tour schools yet we will sometimes walk around a campus if we’re in town so he can get a feel for what different types of campuses and college towns/cities are like. We will start discussing what type of college experience he wants his sophomore year.

 

[HopperFan]

Quick question- is it worth it to visit schools in the summer? Just wondering if you can really get a feel for the school if school is not in session? I have a rising junior and am debating if we should start looking this summer or wait till fall. She is my oldest so she has no idea what she is looking for. Also debating if I should have my riding 9th grader tag along on some visits just to get some ideas as well.

We did do some in the summer, felt that was a complete waste of time to truly find out about the college or college life. When we returned to a few in the fall we couldn't believe it was the same school. Since college breaks are usually different, we found our spring break was the perfect time to go along with some long weekends in the fall.

One campus was beautiful but we literally met them on the steps of one building, saw an old dorm building (not newer ones) and a few classrooms at end of one building through door windows. The school was locked up. While I thought it could have been a good fit, DD was complete turned off by how it felt and would not go back to look.

Another school we went that runs classes all summer long was still a deafening silence. We saw inside many buildings but without any students really hanging, professors about, dining halls active etc about ... it was not inviting. She was not excited to but we returned again in the fall and it was like apples to oranges. It made it to top 2 and eventually where she went AND graduated from.

I absolutely would take siblings, just think how much they would be ready for when it's their time. Ironically DS went to his #1 choice he was so excited about. He enjoyed his first two years but quickly became tired of the smaller school, smaller town. He wanted to be in the city, work and go to school. He went on a visit with DD to a school outside major city .... ended up transferring there and graduating from there. Felt his education improved greatly being at the larger college with the pool of professors.

 

[bjscheel]

For DD19 we started summer between junior and senior- did one in July, three more in September and October. She knew that the third one was the one after her visit but we still did the visit to my alma mater for my benefit

DD16 took her first tour this past March of her junior year. We did another in April and one yesterday. It is better to do during the school year but we may be visiting several with her and I'm trying to limit missed school days.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

My daughter is finishing her sophomore year of high school. I'm wondering when we should start visiting colleges? Do most start looking the summer before their junior year? She is my oldest and this is all new to me...

I'd say start visiting some you can drive to as soon as they open back up in the fall. This is especially true if she doesn't have the type of school she wants in mind. Take her to various sizes and types and she'll get a bette idea of what it is she wants. Some do offer tours in the summer but you really can't get a feel for the place when students and faculty are mostly gone. Although you can get a feel for what it looks like. Nevertheless if it's just a day trip and you've nothing better to do go see one. It doesn't hurt o talk to admissions staff if they are there. Any that you'd have to take a long fight to can be done if she still has interest after they have accepted her. Don't waste $3,000 on a trip from North Carolina out to Southern California for example (unless you just want to go to Disneyland anyway) until they have accepted her.