Make the most of your high school student's college visits!

It's that time of year when high school students, especially juniors, are busy talking to their peers about college applications and visits. How do you make the most of your college visit? We advise families to take some deep breaths and consider these suggestions to make your child's college search process more successful:

One of the most effective ways for your child to determine if he or she can see themselves going to a particular college is by actually setting foot on campus. You and your child should attend the information session and campus tour at as many schools as is practical. These visits usually will give your child a feel for the personality of the college and whether it resonates with him or her. And don’t despair if you visit a school and your child doesn’t like it at all. It's just as important for a student to know what he or she likes as it is to know what your child does not want in a college.

Go to the college’s website and sign up in advance for information sessions and campus tours. Most colleges require signing up and you want your child's name to be seen by the admissions office as having visited. Many schools track this information as part of assessing a student’s "demonstrated interest” in the school.

Encourage your child to take notes and photos on his or her phone. As your child visits multiple colleges, the images and feeling of each school will begin to run together. Notes and photos will help your child remember the likes and dislikes about each school. Additionally, when it comes time for your child to apply in senior year of high school, many colleges have a supplemental essay question which relates to why the applicant wants to attend that school. The notes and photos taken on the campus visit can be invaluable to helping your child write a compelling, authentic essay about his or her interest in the school.

Finally, encourage your child to get the business card of the admissions officer giving the information session. After the campus visit, your child should send a follow up thank you note to the admissions officer and be specific as to why he or she wants to attend. Even better, have your child include in that note how he or she will contribute to the campus if admitted. Depending on the college this can help your child when it comes time to apply and sending a thank you note is good practice and common courtesy.

Ron Feuchs, a full-service certified college counselor and Columbia MBA, is founder of Stand Out For College, helping families with the college process in Westchester and Fairfield counties and on Long Island. His focus is helping students develop significant community service projects that create personal growth, showcase the student’s character and leadership abilities, give back to the community and help students stand out in the college admissions process. For further information please call 914-420-8115 or visit www.standoutforcollege.com

The Ask The Experts series is from the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce to provide local expertise and information to the Ridgefield area community.