Planning your college visit (Part 3 of 3)

What to take with you
To prepare for your college visits, create an academic profile for yourself and take it along to show the various people you meet. Besides showing your academic success, list your extracurricular activities (including sports and music) and any part-time jobs. Also, take a copy of your high school transcript and records of your standardized test scores, like the PSAT, PLAN, ACT, and/or SAT. The profile should also show courses you plan to take to finish your high school program.

When you visit the Admissions Office (Part 2 of 3)

College visits are arranged though an Admissions Office. Call or email this office, and get the name of the admissions counselor you talk to. This is your contact person going forward.

Ask if you will receive printed information before your visit. Let the counselor know that you want to visit several offices (see below), and ask the counselor to set up appointments for you with these offices. While many college admissions counselors try to answer all the questions students and parents have, insist on speaking to people in particular offices because their special knowledge of certain areas will make you better informed. Plus, it’s always helpful to have the names of individual college officials to contact when questions occur to you after your visit.

Confirm your visit with this counselor by email.

During your college visits, you should ask a lot of questions.

Difference between colleges & universities

Summer is the time that many families visit colleges. This article begins a multiple-part series about visiting colleges. Check back every few days to read about another topic. Today, we begin with the basics.