The Zinch Report

Hey I just want to say that that is a great article especially for a student like me that has no idea what to do during a college visit especially with few family that has done it before.

I just have one question. When is a good time to start visiting the ones you are really interested in? Sophomore? Junior? Senior Year? I'm a rising Junior so I think i will visit this year

wow thanks for all of the information!~ now, this is kind of off topic, but when will "the love" aka, zinch email system be online? just wondering, no rush. ;) thanks!

I just visited a college that I am extremely interested in, even though it was a seven hour drive. The tour of the campus, the information sessions, and tour of the area around the campus made it all worth the drive. I learned so much about the college that I could never find just by looking it up online, and I was able to talk to actual students about what life was like there.

Kevin -

The best time to visit is junior year and the summer before/fall of senior year. If you visit to early (freshman or sophomore year) it may be more difficult to look at colleges with a discerning eye and you may be influenced by factors that won't turn out to be important in the end. That said, if you're traveling with your family and happen upon a college you may be interested in, hop out of the car and check it out. It doesn't hurt. When it comes to planning out a trip, I'd suggest waiting until junior-senior year so that you have a better idea of what you're looking for.

Visiting the campus makes a HUGE difference. I spent many nights looking at UCF online, emailing professors and talking with alumni. It's a completely different experience when I saw the campus for myself. The place was absolutely gorgeous and had everything I could ever think about need. I.e. a hair salon, computer store, student credit union, a pharmacy, an emergency center and everything else you can think of. (Except the mall :) ) The only thing I regret about visiting the campus was the timing. I went July 5. Because this was the time for summer classes, I really didn't get to experience the full atmosphere. The few students that were there I talked to, I even recognized a few Tallahassee Trojans! They all loved the school and told me that it would be a mistake to go anywhere else. They won me over.

Thanks for this article!!! I am so excited about college!!!! Now I may consider visiting my #1 campus! I've already been networking, now it's time to actually see the school! ^^

Hi, your article was very helpful. I have one question though when is the best time to apply to college? I am an up and coming junior and not exactly sure when the right time to apply is.

Scotty -

All colleges have deadlines that range from fall to spring of senior year. Pay attention to each particular school because these are deadlines you need to adhere to. You'll want to start working on your college essay well in advance of the deadline (depending on how well and easily you write). You will also want to consider which teachers you will ask to write your recommendations and ask them at least three weeks before the deadline. The other element of the college application to figure out ahead of time is your standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT and some schools require the SAT II. These tests can be taken at the end of your junior year and/or during your senior year.

As a rising junior, the most important thing to do is keep your grades up and your eyes and ears open to options for college. You don't need to worry about applying quite yet but feel free to read about colleges you might be interested in, or attend college fairs.

I have a question.

I live in Georgia and most of the colleges I am interested are not in the South; they are mostly in the northeast.

It's just my mom and I and, well frankly, we can't even afford to go on any vacations, much less visit several colleges.

What are my options? I can't imagine moving to some college having never even been in the area, actually, the region since I've only been to states border Georgia.

Also, what if a college requires an interview? :( I'm really just distraught over all of this. I know there is no way we could ever afford to visit colleges.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys. :)

Jessica -

This is a great question and you're definitely not alone with this dilemma. I recently posted about what to do if you can't visit colleges you're interested in. With respect to your question about interviews, few schools require interviews because first, not many applicants can physically get to campus so it wouldn't be fair, and second, such a requirement would either cut their applicant pool down drastically (which they don't want) or incentivize everyone to come (thus overwhelming their staff). Neither of these outcomes is desirable.

Some schools have alumni interviews where alums who live in your area conduct interviews for the school. Sometimes these are done before the application deadline and sometimes after. Call the colleges to see what their policies are.

Keep an eye on the blog as I will post about interviewing soon.

Thanks for the article. One dilemma I have is that I can't think of any good questions. I am going to visit a college that I'm REALLY interested in next week. I've been on campus for a camp before and love it. I just don't know what to ask my tour guide or anyone else i meet. Any Suggestions?

Ashley -

I'm glad you brought this up. I will post on this topic in the near future. In the meantime, some questions that are always good to ask your tour guide are
- what s/he likes best about [college]
- what s/he likes least about it
- what s/he would recommend you do/see before leaving that might not be part of the tour.

What do the international students do? I'm really looking forward to studying there, but it's all so complicated!