Help me plan our spring break visits

[Anonymous]

Okay this is complicated so looking for help. We live in DMV and want to make the most of spring break for visits because DD (junior) will be away all summer. She's seen Brown (reach, obviously) and UMD and is going to see Oberlin and Kenyon next week.

DH and I need to split up the spring break trip because other DC needs to be home and can't be alone. Here's her list rated by what schools she's excited to see:

Dartmouth
UVM
Vassar
Ithaca
Syracuse
Cornell
Connecticut College
Skidmore
Bard
Wesleyan

I'm inclined to wait on Vassar and Skidmore unless/until she gets in because they don't give merit aid. I want her to see more "likely" schools but not against going to see Dartmouth if we do UVM. We just want her to have a fun spring break getting excited about a few more schools and having alone time with each parent. But the driving/location schedule is overwhelming me! I am thinking one parent leaves with her Thursday night 3/31 (she doesn't have school on Friday), does a visit Friday/Monday (maybe Saturday if offered), the come back Monday night. Tuesday down time and leaves with other parent Wednesday morning for visit Thursday/Friday (maybe Saturday if offered) and return on the weekend. She's not a kid who can do more than one visit in a day, and is going to need some down time/restaurant/fun time in between.

I did make a previous post looking for recommendations for Syracuse/Ithaca, and I definitely think we want this to be one leg of the trip - but it's a far drive.

Suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I hate driving so I would definitely stay up north for the whole week and do a two day break midweek at a place like the Otesaga or some place in Ithaca.

[Anonymous]

I would check first on the availability of tours (days and times) and go from there.

[Anonymous]

I'd do whatever possible to just take one trip. Even if you can do this, it's way too ambitious to try to get it all in, even if you do Conn/Wesleyan, Vassar/Bard and Ithaca/Cornell on the same days.

Personally, I'd skip UVM and Dartmouth (too far away). Start with Syracuse tour on Friday, spend the weekend in Ithaca, doing your own walking tours if official tours aren't offered and enjoying the amazing hiking and restaurants during down time. Then pick two of the other four to do on Monday and Tuesday, come home and relax for the rest of the week. You can do the rest when she gets in if she's still interested, or maybe in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Way too much driving. This is two trips' worth of schools (and not in the same week).

[Anonymous]

Lol that is quite the UMC liberal white girl college list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol that is quite the UMC liberal white girl college list.

Not OP--What's your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol that is quite the UMC liberal white girl college list.

What did you have in mind--Morehouse?

[Anonymous]

This is OP. I'm sorry, I did not mean we wanted to visit ALL of those schools!! I was hoping to get suggestions on priorities for Trip 2. We REALLY want to split the trip up. Both parents (me, DH) want to have some alone time with DD (I won't get into reasons here but it's necessary) and both of us want to see some schools with her. We can't both go together. And PP did get it right, she is a UMC white girl. But, she is goes to a minority-majority school and most of her friends including her BF are NOT white. She is concerned about the lack of diversity at some schools - so if anyone has a not-so-UMC-white-girl school to add, hit me up!

[Anonymous]

Are you trying to take 2 trips during 10 days, coming back to DC in the middle? Too much is what we are saying.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry I'm not helping with your actual question about logistics other than to say try to register for tours as well, and for those that you can't officially tour, think about stopping by admissions to say hi I'm here, could not get a tour but wanted to let you know I'm here in person looking at the campus (not all colleges care but some really do) - but I wanted to say I feel you have a great list here. Well done!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I'm sorry, I did not mean we wanted to visit ALL of those schools!! I was hoping to get suggestions on priorities for Trip 2. We REALLY want to split the trip up. Both parents (me, DH) want to have some alone time with DD (I won't get into reasons here but it's necessary) and both of us want to see some schools with her. We can't both go together. And PP did get it right, she is a UMC white girl. But, she is goes to a minority-majority school and most of her friends including her BF are NOT white. She is concerned about the lack of diversity at some schools - so if anyone has a not-so-UMC-white-girl school to add, hit me up!

Syracuse/Ithaca schools one trip. The other 2 NY schools and 2 CT schools the other trip. Still think it's too much driving and that DC will be burnt out even if going to one school a day. Take a long weekend at another time if you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you trying to take 2 trips during 10 days, coming back to DC in the middle? Too much is what we are saying.

Ok yes, that's what I was saying. Maybe that's why I"m so overwhelmed. Maybe one of us could meet somewhere and switch off? I'm not geographically inclined which is part of the reason for my post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I'm sorry, I did not mean we wanted to visit ALL of those schools!! I was hoping to get suggestions on priorities for Trip 2. We REALLY want to split the trip up. Both parents (me, DH) want to have some alone time with DD (I won't get into reasons here but it's necessary) and both of us want to see some schools with her. We can't both go together. And PP did get it right, she is a UMC white girl. But, she is goes to a minority-majority school and most of her friends including her BF are NOT white. She is concerned about the lack of diversity at some schools - so if anyone has a not-so-UMC-white-girl school to add, hit me up!

Syracuse/Ithaca schools one trip. The other 2 NY schools and 2 CT schools the other trip. Still think it's too much driving and that DC will be burnt out even if going to one school a day. Take a long weekend at another time if you can.

Maybe on trip Syracuse/Ithaca, the other 2 NY schools or 2 CT schools and leave others for a long weekend? We do not plan to visit all of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you trying to take 2 trips during 10 days, coming back to DC in the middle? Too much is what we are saying.

Ok yes, that's what I was saying. Maybe that's why I"m so overwhelmed. Maybe one of us could meet somewhere and switch off? I'm not geographically inclined which is part of the reason for my post.

Look at Google maps. Put in the drive destination and then next, etc You need to prioritize and narrow your list.