Thinking about college as a high schooler is something that comes with a lot of emotions. College begins the move from being dependent to independent, and can cause lots of fear especially if this is the first time you have had to think about college. College visits are something that most people have to do, however; they are also something that doesn’t get talked about enough. As a junior in high school, I am starting to think about my next steps, and college is one of them. In this article, I am going to take you with me through the process of a college visit (without doing any preparation beforehand.)
PRE-VISIT: November 3, my college visit is to ASU and so far, I have only booked my visit on the website. I think this is the most important step; without a booked appointment, you have no visit at all. Part of me thinks that I will be okay with no questions prepared, and the other half is worried that I am extremely underprepared. Although I am nervous, the campus looks beautiful and this is my dream college.
DURING: During the visit, I realized that although there was plenty of time included for questions, no one else had any questions prepared. I wish I had more questions about the campus itself, dorm life, and the overall classes. It also would have been helpful if I did some research about the individual colleges themselves. The campus was more beautiful than I expected it to be, but the downside to the visit was we couldn’t tour the dorms. If dorms are a make or break for you, check the college’s website as they typically have a virtual tour.
AFTER: College visits are stressful, especially if this is the first time for you. It makes it even worse if you are the oldest child. You have to remember that your parents are also going through a stressful time, and to have plenty of grace with them. It is important to do your research, but also understand that this isn’t a life-and-death situation. It is a super important decision, but still remember that this is supposed to be fun. I found that if I ever catch myself stressing over college, I go to the people I trust. The most important thing I learned from my college visit is to do your research and enjoy all of it.
