college visits

Even though summer is right around the corner, May is no time to lose focus on your studies and future plans. It is imperative that you close out your junior year strong and head into the summer months with motivation and energy. With that in mind, spend the rest of May concentrating on the following:

Consider engaging in a summer course at a nearby college

If you’re a member of the Class of 2013 and you’re reading this, then you’ve likely received some of your college admissions decisions – and by the end of the month, you’ll have received the rest of them. Congratulations, the hardest part is over! That being said, the game isn’t over yet, seniors. There are still some things that you should be thinking about regarding the entire college admissions process after you receive your admissions decision, and a few things you might want to consider for your upcoming summer.

Check Your Financial Aid

Spring has almost arrived, and the seniors have begun to receive their final acceptance letters; which means that it’s time for the Class of 2014 to begin planning their college search in earnest. Juniors don’t have any specific college-related deadlines just yet, but you shouldn’t be putting off this important issue until you have the application dates looming down on you. Here are a few things to start thinking about and doing this spring when it comes to your college search.

Start Visiting

As I meet with high school students and their parents this summer, the subject of college visits inevitably comes up. I tell them what a close friend told me when my son was a rising sophomore: there will always be one school visit that won’t materialize because the student refuses to get out of the car!

Notice to rising seniors: College applications and essays are RIGHT around the corner! Ready or not, most Early Action and Early Decision deadlines are due on November 1st. That’s less than 106 days from the time of this writing. Below are several tips on how – and why – you should begin working on everything now.

When should I visit a college?
It’s not a bad idea to stop by a campus when you are in the area any time from Ninth Grade on and take the official tour. However, in terms of the college admission process, your first set of campus visits should occur during spring break junior year and continue through the summer. During the fall of senior year, try to schedule overnight visits in a residence hall at the schools which most interest you.