Disagree with your counselor's definition of safety. I'd call that a low target. Schools that care a lot about demonstrated interest are categorically not safeties because they have a tendency to yield protect, i.e., defer/waitlist/deny high stats applicants who they think may not attend.

So much of this is determined by data. A visit might not make a sufficient impact on the yield algorithm.

A true safety will not care about demonstrated interest. Look to your in-state public universities. If the flagship is too competitive to be a safety, then look to regional public universities. Look at publics in other states if you can afford them.

Example of what is NOT a safety anymore, CU Boulder out of state. In-state, yes, safety. Out of state has seen some surprising results in the past few years that can only be explained as a calculated guess that the applicant is unlikely to attend if admitted.

You don't need to visit a school if it's out of state, as long as you do an online or virtual tour or event.

I've spoken directly to multiple AOs at schools that track DI and they won't penalize you whatsoever for not flying to a school. If the school is within a 2-hour drive, they do expect you'll visit in person though.

Anonymous wrote:SLAC care. Most large state universities don't - they are just numbers based.

Online visits count. Opening every email counts. Writing to the regional rep and indicating your interest counts.

Anonymous wrote:Not in our experience this year.

My kid got into Vermont, Pitt, Clemson, Georgia, (honors college and merit aid for all) this year without ever visiting any of them.

UGA isn’t a safety

Case Western weighs DI heavily. My son was deferred from Case EA, but got into Brown ED. He didn't visit or do any online info sessions at Case. School counselor said it was a strong target/safety, we assumed he would get in (based on historical data).

Anonymous wrote:List the schools.

My kid got into the following with money and no visit:
CU-Boulder ($$$)
Case ($$$) - did online tours and clicked links
Pitt ($$$) - did online tours
Vermont ($$$)
Elong ($$$) - did online tours

Just to clarify...this is demonstrated interest. Not a crazy amount, but not nothing.

SLAC care. Most large state universities don't - they are just numbers based.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:List the schools.

My kid got into the following with money and no visit:
CU-Boulder ($$$)
Case ($$$) - did online tours and clicked links
Pitt ($$$) - did online tours
Vermont ($$$)
Elong ($$$) - did online tours

Did your kid apply EA to case? Any difference b/w EA and RD in terms of acceptance rate?

Yes, EA. I don't know about acceptance rates. Humanities major.

Anonymous wrote:List the schools.

My kid got into the following with money and no visit:
CU-Boulder ($$$)
Case ($$$) - did online tours and clicked links
Pitt ($$$) - did online tours
Vermont ($$$)
Elong ($$$) - did online tours

Did your kid apply EA to case? Any difference b/w EA and RD in terms of acceptance rate?

List the schools.

My kid got into the following with money and no visit:
CU-Boulder ($$$)
Case ($$$) - did online tours and clicked links
Pitt ($$$) - did online tours
Vermont ($$$)
Elong ($$$) - did online tours

As usual, the counselor is wrong (they're wrong about many things).

Visits are not the only way to demonstrate interest. Essays are the best way to demonstrate interest, because colleges understand a lot of families can't travel easily, unless the college in question is right in your backyard.

My kid from MD applied to W&M a few minutes before the RD deadline and was accepted. He did not visit, but he did say exactly why he liked W&M. He ended up going elsewhere.

There are also some universities that select based on academics only, like McGill and most non-US universities. They state on their website what students need in terms of coursework, grades and testing. If you're above that threshold, those are safeties. No need to demonstrated interest.

Anonymous wrote:Our counselor says campus visit is a must for safeties. DC's four safeties are all over the place. Is this true?

I don’t know that that’s true for admissions, any school where demonstrated interest matters is probably not a safety.

But a safety is a school that meets certain criteria where you would be happy to attend. I am not sure how you know that without visiting.

Not in our experience this year.

My kid got into Vermont, Pitt, Clemson, Georgia, (honors college and merit aid for all) this year without ever visiting any of them.

Really depends on the school. VCU isn't going to reject you for not visiting. And colleges at all selectivity tiers know that sometimes visiting is cost prohibitive.

Our counselor says campus visit is a must for safeties. DC's four safeties are all over the place. Is this true?