M, T, W, Th, Fr . . . What matters on a college visit anyway?

Newsflash: Colleges care if you are interested in them. Don’t believe me? NACAC’s (the National Association for College Admission Counseling) 2009 State of College Admission report noted that demonstrated interest as a factor in admissions, for the colleges reporting information, went from 7% in 2003 (the first year it was reported as a factor) to 21% in 2009. That is a big jump!


My counselor would be the first to tell you those are dog scrap numbers compared to the influence of an applicant’s GPA, rigor of courses taken, etc., but she’d also tell you, showing interest in a school has skyrocketed as an admissions factor. Now before your paws fall off from fretting, while the admissions impact of demonstrated interest has sky rocketed, lots of other factors still play a far larger role–things like GPA, rigor of the high school program, and, in some cases, standardized tests. (Also remember that www.fairtest.org has a list of more than 800 colleges that no longer require standardized tests as part of the admissions process.)

My counselor would also tell you there are tons of ways to show interest without jetting to campus and zipping around like Sherlock Holmes while you are there. Here are some other ways to show a college it is on your radar screen:

• Write for information–the old-fashioned way with a stamp or use e-mail
• Go to a college fair and talk with the rep
• Fill out an information card from a poster at your school
• Attend an area, state, or regional presentation by a college or group of colleges
• Have an interview with an alum in your area that the college has designated for such purposes
• Talk to an admissions representative when they visit your school

Visiting colleges should be fun–if it isn’t you’re doing something WRONG! But . . . it is also work if you do it correctly. Here’s what my counselor tells me: Never–not ever–not one single time has she had to “teach” a prospective college student or a currently enrolled student how to have fun on a college campus. However, learning how to study when you are in charge of yourself 24/7, scheduling your time wisely, budgeting your money–that’s a different story. These tasks take effort, discipline, and real paw pressure! Frankly, hmmm makes me think of hot dogs . . . makes me think of eating . . . Visiting a college takes discipline. If you’re going to spend the money to make the visit, get all you can out of the trip.

More on that later– weather bulletin newsflash. We have snow in the forecast! Anybody know if they make ice skates for dogs? Do you remember where I live–let me remind you
–sun, sand, water? Back with you later with more visit tips–gotta go cover up the azaleas!

Clyde