Switched-On :: Blog

I’m writing this from the fourth hotel I’ve stayed at – in four days. It’s that season – the vibes of college visits are in the air. Way too many informational pamphlets, interminable tours, countless cafeterias, endless orientations, and superfluous statistics are all part of this mating-like ritual. In the last few days, I’ve seen four colleges, all of which have now blended in my mind into one messy, indecipherable list of bullet points. Which one was it with that nice gym? Which had Sloppy Joes? Which offered Lego building as a major? Alas, I have forgotten these key decision points in the blur of information that was the campus visit. Advice for future tour-takers: don’t overload the schedule. If you look at a single college at a time, it’s easier to digest whether you like it. Also, take some tours without your parents. Not only will you avoid being there when they ask an inane question, you’ll be able to more personally experience the college.

- Will

A few blogs back I wrote about me not being able to choose a college out of two choices. I went on to compare and contrast the two. Earlier this week I decided to visit one of those colleges (the one I haven’t visited yet). I went the day before my actual appointment because it was a long drive. We got lost and that aggravated my mother and me. We then stayed at a hotel. The next day we woke up bright and early and went to our college visit. The first thing we did was take a tour of the campus. We passed by a lake that they had and their own woods. Towards the end of the tour we went through the recreation center. There I saw a bowling alley and pool tables. That made me extremely happy. After the tour I saw an admissions counselor and then went to see a dorm room. I was having an okay time. My last appointment was to see the social work program. As I was walking up to the building I had a feeling that, that would change my whole view on the school. I actually ended up talking to a professor. I had the most amazing time learning about the program that I think little hearts flew around my head. Now I am just 90% sure I want to go there. All I have to do now is see if that’s the best school for social work and then I will be able to make my decision.

- Tatiana

I have a huge dilemma. I got accepted to all four colleges I applied to. My top choice (school #1) took forever to hear a response from but I still got in. I was really happy and excited.  My second choice is fine (school #2). There was a representative from school #2 that came to my high school. He talked about how wonderful the school is, how one of the dorm buildings looks out onto a lake and there are many activities students can do in that lake. It sounded really beautiful. So now that I really like school #2 it is tied for first with school #1. I can’t decide which to go to. School #2 is cheap, beautiful and far away. School #1 is a little more expensive, I loved it from the start, and closer. I asked most of my friends for advice. I told them why I liked each one but it is still no help. Some say choose school #1 while others say choose school #2. It’s frustrating not being able to decide right away, which I do need to because school #2 has the contract for dorms already open. I hope I do choose the right one.

- Tatiana