Help me plan itinerary for college visits

Anonymous
Planning on going the third week of April. DS would like to see these schools but I realize there is likely no way to see them all and trying to get the best bang for our buck that week. Ideally we would be doing actual organized tours and not just self-guided. We would be flying out of Boston and would rent a car once we land in wherever. Open to one way- BOS - CLT then drive, fly home ATL- BOS, for example.

Clemson
UT Knoxville
Alabama
Auburn
UGA
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Planning on going the third week of April. DS would like to see these schools but I realize there is likely no way to see them all and trying to get the best bang for our buck that week. Ideally we would be doing actual organized tours and not just self-guided. We would be flying out of Boston and would rent a car once we land in wherever. Open to one way- BOS - CLT then drive, fly home ATL- BOS, for example.

Clemson
UT Knoxville
Alabama
Auburn
UGA


Admission standards are much higher for UGa than for the other schools on your list. The University of South Carolina might be an option to consider for one thinking about Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, and Clemson. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Mississippi fits in better as well.
Anonymous
similar to what our kid had

the best is Georgia, Clemson, TN, Alabama, Auburn Ole Miss

Would go as far as possible to start the trip so fly to Oxford, then Alabama/Auburn Georgia & Clemson the TN and fly out of Knoxville.

If they get in to ether Georgia or Clemson go there. bath great places
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Planning on going the third week of April. DS would like to see these schools but I realize there is likely no way to see them all and trying to get the best bang for our buck that week. Ideally we would be doing actual organized tours and not just self-guided. We would be flying out of Boston and would rent a car once we land in wherever. Open to one way- BOS - CLT then drive, fly home ATL- BOS, for example.

Clemson
UT Knoxville
Alabama
Auburn
UGA


Admission standards are much higher for UGa than for the other schools on your list. The University of South Carolina might be an option to consider for one thinking about Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, and Clemson. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Mississippi fits in better as well.


There is a saying at South Carolina, we would have gone to Clemson if we got in.
Anonymous
Plan to spend one entire day from morning to afternoon at each school. Then make sure your travel plans can accommodate. You might want to take a day off. It gets tiring and you and your kid will get less enthusiastic as the week goes on and it will become a slog. It's kind of the same stuff repeated at each school on the guided tours and info sessions.
Anonymous
Honestly the best way is to look at each school and see what day they have scheduled visits and then work backwards if you really want to do a tour. That's what we did on our trips.

But, it's hard to just look at schools for 8 days in a row - try to build in something else and take some breaks too.
Anonymous
You can also fly out of Greenville, SC, avoid Atlanta, you won be very close to it and no need to go down there. Look where the schools are on the map, you will be surprised. Athens is about 2 hours from Atlanta
Anonymous
My plan assumes that in person guided tours are available Mon-Friday at each of these schools, and that you aren't doing any special/department specific tours that are only available certain days.

Sunday: Fly into Atlanta, rent a car and drive to Athens, GA

Monday: Tour UGA, earliest tour available. After tour, explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Clemson (1.5 hour drive)

Tuesday: Tour Clemson, earliest tour available. After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Knoxville. (3.5 hour drive)

Wednesday: Tour U Tenessee, earliest tour available, After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Tuscaloosa (4.5 hour drive)

Thursday: Tour Alabama, earliest tour available. After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Auburn (2.75 hour drive)

Friday: Tour Auburn. After tour explore the town/university on your own. Spend the night in Auburn.

Saturday, drive back to Atlanta airport and fly home.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:My plan assumes that in person guided tours are available Mon-Friday at each of these schools, and that you aren't doing any special/department specific tours that are only available certain days.

Sunday: Fly into Atlanta, rent a car and drive to Athens, GA

Monday: Tour UGA, earliest tour available. After tour, explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Clemson (1.5 hour drive)

Tuesday: Tour Clemson, earliest tour available. After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Knoxville. (3.5 hour drive)

Wednesday: Tour U Tenessee, earliest tour available, After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Tuscaloosa (4.5 hour drive)

Thursday: Tour Alabama, earliest tour available. After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Auburn (2.75 hour drive)

Friday: Tour Auburn. After tour explore the town/university on your own. Spend the night in Auburn.

Saturday, drive back to Atlanta airport and fly home.


PP that wrote the above itinerary here

I know that 4.5 hour drive from Knoxville to Tuscaloosa seems like a lot. One thing that will help is that Tuscaloosa is in CST time zone, not EST. So you will have an "extra" hour that day. Make sure to keep that in mind when driving from Auburn back to Atlanta for a flight--you will "lose" an hour.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Atlanta+International+Airport,+Spine+Road,+College+Park,+GA/Athens,+GA/Clemson,+SC/Knoxville,+TN/Tuscaloosa,+AL/Auburn,+AL/Hartsfield+Domestic+Airport,+Spine+Road,+College+Park,+GA/@34.1927728,-87.2287888,7z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x88f4e2ce68dbdbad:0xdbcd32ddc3b8f850!4m44!4m43!1m5!1m1!1s0x88f4e2ce5c663537:0x392f8b93e3b8f268!2m2!1d-84.4450912!2d33.640754!1m5!1m1!1s0x88f66d19b4b433b9:0x4d747202d69d617c!2m2!1d-83.357567!2d33.9519347!1m5!1m1!1s0x88585dda01b900cb:0xd4000ff11bdcc047!2m2!1d-82.8373654!2d34.6834382!1m5!1m1!1s0x885c162246ce42a9:0x7bea92dac4f534c5!2m2!1d-83.9207392!2d35.9606384!1m5!1m1!1s0x8888af2e91c24067:0xacabfbfd16892b58!2m2!1d-87.5691735!2d33.2098407!1m5!1m1!1s0x888cf12fb39bf883:0xcb25919235d39358!2m2!1d-85.4807825!2d32.6098566!1m5!1m1!1s0x88f4e2ce5c663537:0x392f8b93e3b8f268!2m2!1d-84.4450912!2d33.640754!3e0
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You can also fly out of Greenville, SC, avoid Atlanta, you won be very close to it and no need to go down there. Look where the schools are on the map, you will be surprised. Athens is about 2 hours from Atlanta


OP here- thank you for this. I am definitely trying to avoid ATL if possible- I hate that airport.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Planning on going the third week of April. DS would like to see these schools but I realize there is likely no way to see them all and trying to get the best bang for our buck that week. Ideally we would be doing actual organized tours and not just self-guided. We would be flying out of Boston and would rent a car once we land in wherever. Open to one way- BOS - CLT then drive, fly home ATL- BOS, for example.

Clemson
UT Knoxville
Alabama
Auburn
UGA


Admission standards are much higher for UGa than for the other schools on your list. The University of South Carolina might be an option to consider for one thinking about Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, and Clemson. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Mississippi fits in better as well.


OP here- Already looked at UofSC. Ole Miss is on his list but that may be another visit - too many to do at once.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My plan assumes that in person guided tours are available Mon-Friday at each of these schools, and that you aren't doing any special/department specific tours that are only available certain days.

Sunday: Fly into Atlanta, rent a car and drive to Athens, GA

Monday: Tour UGA, earliest tour available. After tour, explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Clemson (1.5 hour drive)

Tuesday: Tour Clemson, earliest tour available. After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Knoxville. (3.5 hour drive)

Wednesday: Tour U Tenessee, earliest tour available, After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Tuscaloosa (4.5 hour drive)

Thursday: Tour Alabama, earliest tour available. After tour explore the town/university on your own for a bit, then drive to Auburn (2.75 hour drive)

Friday: Tour Auburn. After tour explore the town/university on your own. Spend the night in Auburn.

Saturday, drive back to Atlanta airport and fly home.


PP that wrote the above itinerary here

I know that 4.5 hour drive from Knoxville to Tuscaloosa seems like a lot. One thing that will help is that Tuscaloosa is in CST time zone, not EST. So you will have an "extra" hour that day. Make sure to keep that in mind when driving from Auburn back to Atlanta for a flight--you will "lose" an hour.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Atlanta+International+Airport,+Spine+Road,+College+Park,+GA/Athens,+GA/Clemson,+SC/Knoxville,+TN/Tuscaloosa,+AL/Auburn,+AL/Hartsfield+Domestic+Airport,+Spine+Road,+College+Park,+GA/@34.1927728,-87.2287888,7z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x88f4e2ce68dbdbad:0xdbcd32ddc3b8f850!4m44!4m43!1m5!1m1!1s0x88f4e2ce5c663537:0x392f8b93e3b8f268!2m2!1d-84.4450912!2d33.640754!1m5!1m1!1s0x88f66d19b4b433b9:0x4d747202d69d617c!2m2!1d-83.357567!2d33.9519347!1m5!1m1!1s0x88585dda01b900cb:0xd4000ff11bdcc047!2m2!1d-82.8373654!2d34.6834382!1m5!1m1!1s0x885c162246ce42a9:0x7bea92dac4f534c5!2m2!1d-83.9207392!2d35.9606384!1m5!1m1!1s0x8888af2e91c24067:0xacabfbfd16892b58!2m2!1d-87.5691735!2d33.2098407!1m5!1m1!1s0x888cf12fb39bf883:0xcb25919235d39358!2m2!1d-85.4807825!2d32.6098566!1m5!1m1!1s0x88f4e2ce5c663537:0x392f8b93e3b8f268!2m2!1d-84.4450912!2d33.640754!3e0



OP here- thanks- I always forget about that 1 hour time change in Alabama.
Anonymous
After each college visit I had DC write a note in their phone about lies/dislikes/anything special. I thought it would help them organize their thoughts and also they could look back later if they have to write a ‘why essay’ about how they felt when they were on campus. I never read any… just wanted them to think a little on their own.
Anonymous
*likes
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:After each college visit I had DC write a note in their phone about lies/dislikes/anything special. I thought it would help them organize their thoughts and also they could look back later if they have to write a ‘why essay’ about how they felt when they were on campus. I never read any… just wanted them to think a little on their own.


Good idea!
post reply Forum Index » College and University Discussion
Message Quick Reply
Go to: