visiting colleges when students are there

[Anonymous]

I was a recruited athelet when I was considering schools years ago, so I think it was the coaches who set up my visiting with a team member on campus and then attending practice. Basically, I did am overnight and attended classes, shadowed a student.

Do people do this still? Or common/appropriate to reach out to a friend-of-a-friend and ask if they will host? I can't imagine a better way to get a sense of not just **a** school, but schools in general. I also guess it has to be NOT during the summer.

[Anonymous]

hello?

[Anonymous]

Of course one can get a better sense of a school the more time they spend on campus when students are there and the more personal contact they have with students.

No idea about athletic recruits, but for regular applicants, the internet has the information you seek. You can find the visit offerings on the college's admission website. Typically there will be on campus and virtual tours. Whether there are additional options, like sitting in on classes or overnights, will vary widely by college.

[Anonymous]

It is different than for a recruit (athletic, select programs, etc.) than the average applicant. Schools could never accommodate the number of students wanting to sit in classes/do overnights (and overnights for minors is a whole other liability issue). Typically juniors visit during their high school breaks, and college kids will be in school. The tours are group tours and hit the particular schools' highlights. Admitted student days during high school kids senior year go more in depth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a recruited athelet when I was considering schools years ago, so I think it was the coaches who set up my visiting with a team member on campus and then attending practice. Basically, I did am overnight and attended classes, shadowed a student.

Do people do this still? Or common/appropriate to reach out to a friend-of-a-friend and ask if they will host? I can't imagine a better way to get a sense of not just **a** school, but schools in general. I also guess it has to be NOT during the summer.

- Ask a friend to host so you can get a feel for the dorm.
- Ask the department you are interested in when you can visit and if you can attend a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a recruited athelet when I was considering schools years ago, so I think it was the coaches who set up my visiting with a team member on campus and then attending practice. Basically, I did am overnight and attended classes, shadowed a student.

Do people do this still? Or common/appropriate to reach out to a friend-of-a-friend and ask if they will host? I can't imagine a better way to get a sense of not just **a** school, but schools in general. I also guess it has to be NOT during the summer.

It's certainly a great way to learn about a school you are interested in. You get to mingle with other students, take classes, try out the dining hall, check out the dorms, etc.

My daughter was a recruited athlete and did overnights at several schools. Once she began university, her coach asked her to host "prospies" (prospective additions to the team), who stayed with her, slept in her dorm, went to meals and classes with her, etc. The coach provided some training about how to treat the prospie, such as the prospie, who was always a high school kid, was to be protected from having any sort of sexual relationship with adult students.

I think the training requirement is why overnights for non-recruited students are not so common. For recruited athletes, the coach provides that training and helps take care of the prospie. For non-athletes, I don't know who would fill that role.

[Anonymous]

My kid wasn’t a recruited athlete & got invited for an overnight at Northwestern. Was treated well & graduated from there 4 yrs later.