Skip a Class and Make the Most of It

High school visits are designed to help you…take advantage of them.  It is disheartening for counselors to come to a high school visit in which the students are apathetic or unengaged.  These visits are designed especially for you.  They are a time you can ask questions, ask for advice, ask anything…just ask questions.

Here are some helpful hints for making the most out of a high school visit:

1.  Ask questions.  Admission counselors are there specifically to help you learn more about their institution.  No question is silly if it will help you decide whether or not to apply to or enroll at a specific college of university.

2.  Laugh at our jokes.  Many counselors will visit four or five high schools each day.  Building a rapport makes the visit go much more smoothly and generally makes the experience more enjoyable for all parties.

3.  Don’t be afraid to arrive early or stay late to talk to a counselor one-on-one.  Again, we are there to help you.

4.  Don’t attend a visit simply to skip class or pass the time.  Counselors can tell when people aren’t engaged and when a room full of students appear to be disinterested it sours the experience for everyone involved.

5.  Get the counselor’s contact information.  Admission counselors are generally social, approachable people.  We couldn’t do our job well if we weren’t.

6.  Check your email.  Many schools will communicate with you via email when a representative will be visiting your high school visit or visiting your area.  You don’t want to miss out.

– Wendy Livingston