Campus Visits

Take It All In

Nothing will give you more of a feel for what a school is like than a campus visit. Spend a day (and even a night), and you’ll know whether it’s the right place for you.

Campus Visits

An on-campus interview is one of the most important parts of the application process. While local and regional information gatherings and interviews are helpful and convenient, most schools place a great deal of importance on the quality of a candidate’s interview. The admission officers at each school want to meet you face to face.

Just as admission officers are assessing you for a good fit for their school, you should be evaluating the school, the demeanor of the staff and students, and the overall feel you get from the school to determine if it will be a good fit for you. Campus visits are absolutely crucial in determining fit. Until you spend a good portion of a day on campus, you can’t know how you will feel once you live there. If possible, request an overnight stay in a dorm as well, and experience residence life, the cafeteria and the dorm parent relationships that are built into boarding schools.

If possible, try not to schedule several campus interviews in a single day. We typically advise students to schedule only one interview a day. This way you can take your time, enjoy your visit and not feel rushed. When you give yourself and your parents time to take everything in, you’ll feel like you’re better able to make the right decision on the best school for you.

Tip for you

If you live a great distance from a school in which you are interested, many schools will help arrange an interview with a local or regional admission representative. In many cases, these representatives are alumni of the school and can offer terrific insights based on their experience. Additionally, most schools are happy to schedule a Skype/Zoom conference call interview too.