First Child Going to College? How to Handle the College Search

by Melissa Brock | Nov 1, 2020 | Ask the admission office | 3 comments

I met with hundreds of college-bound students and their families as an admission counselor. 

One thing I always noticed about second-timers: Easier conversations. 

Usually.

When parents had a second child going off to the same college (we had an unprecedented number of sibling pairs at our college), conversations sometimes went like this: 

Me: “Did you get a good look at the residence halls?”

Student: “I stayed with my sister in her residence hall 34 times last year. We made a Jell-O tower the last time I stayed.” 

Me: “A Jell-O tower?”

Student: “Yep, that’s why she had to scrub the lounge. You know, because the whole thing exploded from the vinegar.”

Parent: Rolls eyes. “Let me get you a check for the deposit. Let me see, if I remember correctly, that’s $200, right?”

Me, still with a million questions about the residence hall lounge Jell-O/vinegar volcano, checking the time: “Do you guys have any questions? You’ve only been here for 15 minutes.”

Student: “No, I’m good.”

(I know, this conversation was borderline ridiculous.)

At any rate, when you’re going through the college search for the first time, it’s daunting. It’s like looking into the end of one of those pool noodles (you can’t quite see the light at the end). You may worry, have a million questions, convinced you’re not sure what you’re doing when your first child heads off to college. 

Here’s what you can do to lighten your mental load.

Your child might think you’re there to slloooowly give her signs of a stroke when you’re on college visits. You pester the admission counselor, the dean of admission, the professors, the security personnel. You make best friends with Clara, the cleaning professional in the all-female residence hall and vow to get in on the jazz professor’s next gig — as the drummer.

You’re just doing your job as the first-time parent. If you have another child, you’ll barely utter a peep the second time around. 

Your second-born will say, “Mom, the admission counselor just asked if you have any questions. Can you take your sunglasses off and uh… look like you’re into this?”

Ha!

All jesting aside, check out my overly long list of questions if you’re not sure what to ask: 202 questions to ask on a college tour… (Too many? I’m so sorry.)

2. Visit campuses.

You know you need to visit campuses, but where should you go and when? A lot depends on your student. Some sophomores are nowhere near ready to visit colleges and others are. It depends on maturity level, drive, etc. Gauge your student’s readiness. Even if you’re ready for a full tour of New England colleges, your child may not give a toot. At all. 

Trust me — I’ve seen the kids who aren’t ready for college visits! They act just like you imagine they would. 

Once you figure out when, you need to determine where. “Where?” is a fun — and stressful — question because you have so many choices. Big? Small? Four years? Trade school? Parents’ alma mater? In state? Out of state? 

You don’t know until you start visiting. There are no rules here. Just pick a school your child’s interested in and go. Simple as that.

3. Meet the people. 

Really get to know the people. Not just the students. Not just the admission staff. Everyone. While there’s no way you can meet all 10,000 people on campus, you should be able to get a feel of what the campus means to the people you do meet. Try to get people to say, “I wish campus offered X…” or “I love X about our campus.”

Find out whether students love the things that matter — the relationships they develop or the opportunities they’ve been given. If all they can talk about are the beautiful buildings, the rad parties they attend or other surface-level stuff, it might be a red flag.

4. Get organized. 

You may have no idea what you need to organize when you’ve got your first child going to college. Here’s a spreadsheet I put together — without the fluff you don’t need to know.

You can copy that spreadsheet and save it for yourself. It’s definitely nothing fancy but is super functional. It includes things like distance from home, tuition and fees and heart/gut test (feelings after the visit). Encourage your child to maintain this sheet.

5. Activate the heart/gut test after every visit.

As I alluded to in the previous point, you need to make sure your child “takes” the heart/gut test. The heart/gut test is not really actually a straightforward test. It’s actually a litmus test for how your child “feels” about the college search. You can ask a few questions to probe a little bit for how your child feels about a college. Ask:

• How did you feel when you were on campus?
• Can you see yourself going to college here?
• How do you feel about the students/professors/admission staff, etc.?
• What was your gut/heart initial reaction to this college?

As you can imagine, this is a little unnerving for some people. It takes out the facts — how many students get a job after graduation, successful alumni, internship stats — and puts feelings front and center.

But it’s so good when you get it right.

6. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk about money.

Talk about money until you get a scratchy throat. Of course you have lots of questions about money. How much will each school cost? How much merit aid does a college offer? What scholarships can my child receive from searches?

Here’s what you want to find out from every college your child’s interested in:

• The amount of merit aid he or she will receive from that college.
• Whether your child can apply for other scholarships.

Don’t forget to talk about how much you can reasonably afford to help your child pay for college. You don’t want your child to have unrealistic expectations about what you’ll be able to help pay. (Imagine that your child thinks you’ll pay for the whole thing — but you can’t. It might be a nasty shock when your student tallies up the loans for her first year alone!)

7. Avoid talking too much about major.

Whaaa? 

Yes.

Here’s a quick fact: Three out of every four students enter college undecided or change their major at least once.  

You may already know that. But that still might not stop you from searching the internet for “best colleges for pre-optometry” or “best pre-med universities.” 

A true story about a past student of mine: Jessica began looking at colleges as a junior in high school. She knew she wanted to be a pre-med major. In fact, she was so determined to be a pediatrician that she even shadowed her own pediatrician. Jessica chose her college (in this case, a large state university) based on the university’s high percentage of undergraduates who got into medical school.

Guess what happened. Jessica started taking biology and chemistry classes and realized it wasn’t at all what she’d expected. In fact, she realized she didn’t even like the school she’d chosen at all. She ended up transferring and switched her major to marketing instead. 

About three quarters of all college students change their major plans at least once. Your student will most likely change his major (because he either discovers something new or learns that he’s not well-suited for his initial choice). So don’t go into the search on a mission to find the best school for the best [insert major].

It’s easy to ask college reps, “Can I major in X at your school?” 

It’s much more difficult to ask other, less-defined questions, like “What does it feel like to be a student on campus?” (See heart/gut test.)

8. Don’t spend too much time looking over your shoulder. 

If your next-door neighbor already applied to 36 colleges and your child thinks he’s good with two college applications, don’t compare. What’s right for neighbor Billy Bob may not be right for your child at all. 

If you’re struggling to file the FAFSA but your neighbor Mary filled it out in two seconds flat, relax. As long as you meet required deadlines for each college your child’s interested in, you’re doing great. And if you need help, get it.

9. Check college’s requirements — then follow the deadlines. 

All the different requirements and deadlines at schools can slowly drive you crazy if you let it happen. One school may have a November 1 application deadline. Another school has a scholarship interview deadline in February. Grab my spreadsheet and make sure you clearly denote each deadline. Put your head down, get your child on board and meet the deadlines of all the colleges on your list. Make sure you ask about: 

• CSS Profile deadlines (usually only required at more competitive schools)
• Application deadlines
• Scholarship deadlines
• Testing requirements for the ACT and SAT (many schools don’t require them now) — and find out whether your child needs to do the written essays or the SAT subject tests
• Deadlines and requirements for letters of recommendation
• Resume requirements 
• Deadlines for final transcripts

10. Follow up.

Make sure colleges get your child’s transcripts, test scores, recommendation letters and other requirements. It’s a good idea to make sure your child’s file is complete well before deadlines approach. 

Don’t skip this step. There’s nothing worse than thinking everything’s ready to go, then realizing with horror that something didn’t get turned in on time.

Check a month before everything’s due if it’s feasible. That way, your child has plenty of time to submit transcripts or scramble for another recommendation if needed.

11. Consider revisiting.

Did your child not feel the heart/gut test magic the first time around? That’s normal. 

Sometimes your child just needs a second visit, particularly if it’s been a year or more since your family made the trek to a particular college.

Keep going till your child can see himself going to a particular school and can envision success there as well.

12. Talk about your insecurities.

It’s okay to feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. Isn’t it like that the first time you do something new, no matter what it is? Think about the first time you booted up the internet. The first time you drove a car. The first time you went off to college yourself. Learning about the college search is an involved process.

You really will get there. The entire process may feel as foreign as learning how to drive on snow when you’re from Florida (and maybe this will actually happen if your kid’s looking at colleges in, say, North Dakota!) but the good news is there’s no one way to complete the college search. 

Your Quick Guide on How to Look for Colleges in October

by Melissa Brock | Oct 18, 2020 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

This post may contain affiliate links. 

How do you help your child find the right college fit in October? 

The college search is a process. It’s not like your child can usually apply, visit, get accepted and plunk down a deposit all in the same month. (If you can do that, my hat’s off to you! — Ha!)

Again, it’s a twisty road with lots of checkpoints along the way. 

Senior parents, here’s what you need to know about how to look for colleges in October. (By the way, this is great information even for those parents who aren’t parents of seniors!)

The FAFSA opened on October 1 and now’s the time to fill it out. 

The FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Colleges and universities use the FAFSA to consider your child for federal student aid. States and individual colleges and universities also use the FAFSA to award grants, scholarships and loans. 

File the FAFSA as soon as possible — for federal aid, you must submit the FAFSA by 11:59 p.m. Central time (CT) on June 30, 2022.

Does that mean you get to veg out till June 29?

No!

Because colleges also carry deadlines. Check with the college(s) your child’s interested in attending to understand their exact application deadlines. 

2. Encourage your child to work on applications in advance — not at the last minute. 

Most colleges evaluate regular applications between January through March. However,  you’ll unearth a few different deadlines for specific admission types. 

For example, early action and early decision applications require students to submit their materials well before the new year. Application deadlines show up during the — you guessed it — fall months! You might see a few mid-October through November deadlines at colleges that have an early action or early decision process.

Check — and double check — the admission deadlines for each college your child plans to apply. Even if the college uses rolling admission, it’s best to apply early so you know where your child stands in terms of merit-based scholarships and other financial aid early on.

3. Check out various other deadlines for specific colleges. 

Your high schooler may not be done with just an application. You may uncover a few other dates to keep track of:

• Additional deadlines for honors programs
• More applications or deadlines for scholarships and financial aid

How to keep track of it all? Create an online calendar or spreadsheet to plan campus visits so you don’t — gasp! — miss key application dates for scholarships or financial aid.

4. Note ACT/SAT Adjustments

Does your student plan to take the ACT or SAT? Do a quick study on the latest testing information. Will the test be offered where your child normally planned to take it? What are the COVID-19 requirements? 

If testing is not available in your area or you don’t meet the safety requirements, know that many schools have gone test optional. 

Note: Even if your child’s a senior, it’s not too late to take one of these tests.

5. Start Narrowing Your College List

Your child can only go to one school, right? Time to start narrowing the list! Ask your child a few questions to get closer to a decision:

• Do you want or need to be closer to home? (Colleges close by may not have popped up on your kiddo’s radar before!)
• Do you think you prefer a small liberal arts college or a large university?
• Would you prefer a large city, suburban area, rural community, etc.?
• Do you think you want community college first?
• Are you interested in going to a school that’s currently all online?
• Are you comfortable with some loans?
• How hard do you want to work for scholarships if schools don’t offer much merit-based aid?
• What do you think you might major in during college?
• What types of extracurricular activities would you like to participate in?

Next, divide schools into “safety,” “match” and “reach” schools based on the admission criteria at each school:

• Safety: A safety school means that based on a school’s admission criteria, it’s likely that your child’s academic credentials are way above the average incoming freshman range. A lot of people call this school a “back-up.” It’s a good idea to make sure your child can proudly say, “I’m okay with attending my safety school” — just in case. 
• Match: A match school is one that your child is likely to get into based on a particular school’s admission criteria. Your child is likely to be admitted because his or her academic credentials are well within the average incoming freshman’s range. In other words, it’s more likely that your child will attend this school. 
• Reach: A reach school is not a guaranteed shoo-in. Encourage your child to choose a school that’s not a complete pipe dream (your child can’t apply to Harvard with a 2.5 grade point average, for example). 

Feel like you’re constantly bombarding your child with questions and all you get in return is “I don’t know!” or something along those lines? Remember, your child may not know the answer to some of these questions — this may be the first huge decision he’s ever made. 

Elicit help from a guidance counselor, admission counselor or another individual you trust to help guide him through this experience.

6. Start Applying for Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships include private scholarships and cash awards. Encourage your child to go for those $100 scholarships — they add up.

Totally ask the guidance counselor at your child’s school for insight. Here are a few other pointers: 

1. Go to area high schools and collect programs dating back up to four years ago. You can find the names of scholarships on that list, Google them and then BAM! Your kid’s got lots of local scholarships at her disposal.
2. Contact various civic organizations in town, like the Elks club or Kiwanis club. They usually give away lots of scholarships.
3. What types of scholarships does your company offer? Do other family members work for companies that offer scholarships as well? 
4. Ask your child about scholarship announcements at school. Ask for an email copy of these announcements, if possible, or ask where you can find them online.
5. Check social media. Join Facebook groups or other social media groups that post scholarships. All it takes is a simple search!
6. Look at scholarship search engines. Google “scholarships for writers,” for example. Use keywords to your advantage! 
7. If your child doesn’t look like a match for a specific scholarship, reach out to the scholarship committee and ask if your child can apply anyway. Maybe he’s just missing one tiny requirement. 

I urge you to check out Scholarship System’s free webinar. Jocelyn of the Scholarship System is amazing — she’s turned getting scholarships into a complete system. She knows how to streamline the process so your child gets scholarship results.

7. Attend Virtual College Fairs

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, NACAC has canceled all Fall 2020 in-person fairs and pivoted to virtual programming. Find out details about 2020 Fall Virtual College Fairs. If you’re wondering how to look for colleges, this is a great place to start because your child can learn a lot about colleges from all over the U.S. from a comfy, squashy chair!

8. Visit Schools

Visit, visit, visit. I can’t stress the importance visiting schools. How to schedule a college visit? 

1. Talk over the type of visit your child wants. Talk to your child before you jump on the phone or set up a campus visit. What does your child want to get out of the visit? Does she want to meet with a faculty member or does that idea terrify her? Does she want what I call the “drive-by” experience — just tour and admission counselor? 
2. Call the admission office of a college or university. I heavily suggest calling the campus visit coordinator at that college or university instead of signing up online. It’s always better to talk to a live person. A computer can’t hear you talking about your child’s interest in biology, but a campus visit coordinator can — and can offer a one-on-one meeting with a biology major or professor. 
3. Understand your visit options. What are the options? Let’s say you want to visit on a specific date. Maybe the admission office isn’t doing personal campus visits that day — maybe there’s a group campus visit day. 
4. Consider a personal campus visit. This is my very favorite type of visit option! I love personal campus visits because they allow you and your child to do a visit that fits your child’s exact interests. It’s personalized! You can visit with anyone in the college you need to (professor, coach, student, etc.) 
5. Visit in person. I know it’s tempting to do a Zoom visit, but while Zoom is wonderful, it can’t take the place of an in-person visit.

Take the temperature. How’s your child feeling about the process? It’s easy to become so absorbed in checking all the boxes and forget how your child feels. Start having those heart-to-heart chats!

Test Optional, Test Flexible and Test Blind: What the Heck’s the Difference?

by Melissa Brock | Sep 19, 2020 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

This year, college application season feels like you’re a sloth. You finally move three inches, then get sizzled on a power line. 

You should see the questions on college Facebook groups I belong to. 

One parent just posted, “My daughter is a senior and her Sept ACT got cancelled again. What can we do to get a test scheduled. The dates r blocked till Dec. any info would be appreciated.” 

Another one posted, “So do kids have to take the SAT or ACT and whcih one. I’m confused.”

I do love social media spelling and grammar — because you know what it means? You’re BUSY. You don’t have time for punctuation! Don’t waste another second monkeying around figuring out how to get this school year started. Get the College Money Tips Start of School Checklist for the College Search now. You need this checklist, if not just to keep your sanity! 

Now, let’s get to our burning topic: ACT and SAT and all the questions.

Should My Child Take the ACT or SAT?

Is this not the question OF. THE. YEAR?

College website says: “Standardized tests are optional.” 

You say, “Uhmmmm… Is that a trick question?”

First of all, let’s talk about these tests. Colleges use both the ACT and SAT, or standardized tests, for admission purposes and to determine which students receive merit-based scholarships. 

Most colleges accept both the SAT and the ACT. (Learn more: What Does ACT Stand For? And What Does SAT Stand For?) Typically, colleges have no preference for which test your child takes, despite persistent rumors that one is “better” than the other. 

Just when you think you have it all figured out — ZZZZZZszzzt. (That’s the sound of crisping sloth.)

The question just got more complicated because now colleges have introduced test optional, test flexible and test blind.

Test Optional, Flexible and Blind: Versions of the Same Thing?

I marvel at the way college admission offices invent terms to addle our brains. (Consider how many types of admission exist in this world.)   

What the. Heck. is Test Optional?

Your child gets a choice about whether to send in SAT or ACT scores. 

As if things couldn’t get murkier.

It’s like they’re saying, “Weeeelll, you can send in SAT scores — if you think you want to.” 

If this is your response: “Seriously. Just tell us what to do. If we need to, we’ll take the test. We’ll wear eight masks! We’ll stand in line for days! Just tell us what to do — I don’t want to hear that it’s optional.” I completely understand.

But that’s really the deal with test optional. You and your child decide whether to submit test scores with the application. Most test-optional schools consider SAT and ACT scores if they are submitted, with a large caveat. They also consider:

• Student essays
• Recommendations
• Grades
• Coursework 

They look at these just as (or more) closely than your test scores.

The benefit: Test optional gives your child a chance to purposefully craft his or her candidacy. It means your child can offer other ways to present herself in the best way possible. Maybe your Scorsese-obsessed child submits a video essay. Maybe your daughter can craft her essay around the novel she started two years ago.

You and your child get more control over what your child presents to those steely-eyed admission officers! 

So, test flexible. This is my favorite, because it looks like it’s more relaxed, but you still have to take a test!

A test-flexible policy requires your child to send test scores but students submit other test scores in place of the SAT or ACT. A  few examples:

1. SAT Subject Test
2. International Baccalaureate exam
3. Advanced Placement test

Now… Test Blind? (Are They Kidding?)

A handful of colleges allow test blind admission. I know, I know. The fun never stops. 

Colleges with test-blind admission policies do not want you to send test scores at all. 

Sounds like the most straightforward option of all of them, doesn’t it?

The college’s website might sound something like this, from Northern Illinois University: “Test-blind means that we will not review standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) for general admission and merit scholarship consideration starting with applicants for the fall of 2021.”

But then NIU’s site goes on to say, “We’ll look at your high school GPA instead. Research shows that GPA is a better indicator of success in college. You may need to provide your ACT or SAT score for certain other scholarships. You’ll also need to provide it if you’re applying to the nursing program, a limited admission program.” 

Read everything because college policies vary!

How Do Students Get Admitted Without SAT or ACT Scores?

How do students get admitted without SAT or ACT scores?

It’s important to remember that even before the pandemic, most U.S. colleges admitted two-thirds or more of students who apply. And don’t forget that most public four-year and community colleges are open access. This means no exams required!

I decided to catch up with one test-optional college to find out what test optional means at that institution. Terri Crumley, director of admissions at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), says, “At UNI, students not submitting a test score (test-optional) will be reviewed using holistic review. The review will include factors such as the student’s high school GPA and core course selection.”   

How Are Scholarships Dished Out Without ACT/SAT Scores?

How does no ACT or SAT translate to scholarships?

Great question.

“We are offering initial scholarships based on the GPA. We also have some scholarships that will require an ACT/SAT score or an additional application. Need-based scholarships will also be available,” says Crumley. 

However, it’s extremely important to check with the institutions your child’s interested in to determine how each college offers scholarships, particularly scholarships where you might need to audition and more.

How to Decide Whether to Take the ACT or SAT 

Now your child must decide whether to take the SAT or ACT. Take these steps to figure it out. 

Step 1: Look carefully at colleges’ qualifications.

Check online first. You may quickly figure out that all schools you apply to are kind of in the same pool — all test optional or all test flexible.

Do they require class rank, weighted and unweighted GPA? Make sure you look for all the details and all the requirements.

“Most high schools are not using class rank anymore. If a high school offers both a weighted and unweighted GPA, students should include both,” says Crumley.

Step 2: Reach out to schools your child’s interested in.

Every school is different. I can’t stress this enough. Let’s say your child’s grades aren’t stellar. The ACT may boost your child’s qualifications, so he might want to take the SAT or ACT. 

You must get on the phone with admission counselors and find out what they recommend. Share your particular situation. 

Ask questions like this:

1. Will taking the ACT or SAT greatly enhance my child’s chances of getting admitted?
2. What other things can we do to increase my child’s chances of getting in? 
3. Should we include letters of recommendation or additional personal statements? What additional materials do you need? Academic work? Scientific research?
4. What are your exact policies? Do these policies depend on my child’s potential major?

Step 3: Make sure your child gets a seat.

Have you decided it’s in your child’s best interest to take the ACT or SAT? 

It might be hard to get a seat. For example, the ACT has done its best to place the class of 2021 seniors in seats at sites that are currently open for the fall. Some of these students could not be automatically registered for fall test dates. However, ACT has tried to secure additional space for students. 

Consider where you might be able to go beyond your area to take the test or arrange for alternate test dates.

By the way, if it seems as if I’m making light of admission policies and processes, it’s simply to get you to smile. In no way do I mean to make light of the situation we’re in. 

Colleges continue to exhibit flexibility and adjust requirements for students. For those with younger students: Nobody really knows how the situation will change. 

The process of learning about the SAT and ACT might seem sloth-like. No matter what, though, ACT cancellations should not put your child at a disadvantage. 

How to Navigate Virtual College Tours — and Rock ‘Em!

by Melissa Brock | Sep 13, 2020 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

You’re crazy-busy. You’re barely keeping up with your work and home load. Your brain fog bests you on your best day. You simply don’t have time to go on college visits and (admit it!) you’re a teensy bit excited that virtual tours are in.

You can wear your hideous dog-chewed slippers to the meeting and nobody cares about your messy bun piled on top of your head.

The benefits of doing an online tour: 

1. You don’t have to climb into the car.
2. No hotel rooms for you.
3. You don’t have to board the dog or your other kids.
4. Your partner doesn’t have to take off work (and you don’t have to ask your boss for time off — again).

But hold up. You don’t get off that easy. You don’t get to smack your laptop top down and yell, “Done! That’s college tour number 84 — in my puffy socks! Yahoooo!!!!!” 

Because I’m going to challenge you to go a few steps further — including putting on makeup for a Zoom meeting. 

Because you can’t — absolutely cannot! — manhandle a virtual tour to make it the same as an in-person experience.

Sure, you want to know how to schedule a college visit that checks all the boxes, but what else can you do on a virtual tour that mimics a college visit? Well, a personal college visit usually includes: 

• Campus tour
• Interview with an admission counselor
• Conversation with a financial aid professional
• Meeting with a coach (if applicable)
• Chatting with a professor or a presentation on your major
• Appointments with other individuals on campus

Ready to bend these activities toward a virtual visit? Put on your puffy slippers, put your laptop in front of your child — and let’s dive in.

Check out the College’s Website

Obvious, right? All colleges’ websites should maintain a complete policy update for how the college conducts visits. The college may: 

• Do virtual-only visits
• Allow on-campus visits
• Permit on-campus visits with specific protocols in place (masks, hand sanitizer, etc.) 

Furthermore, the website explains how you can take a virtual visit. 

For example, see Bethel University’s website. It’s a slick design and lets you click on the videos — and it includes all the elements of what would happen during a regular campus visit. 

Take a Tour

Ideally, a virtual tour will show a real tour guide giving an actual tour of the campus. As you know, you’ll encounter a few downsides of a virtual tour:

• You can’t grill the tour guide.
• They show the very best a campus has to offer. (Do you think they’ll show you a dungeon-like residence hall?) Nope!
• It’s tough to get perspective. You can’t see the giant ceilings in the chapel or hear the echoey reverb in a huge lecture hall.
• You won’t feel the chill in the air or the leaves crunch underfoot.
• Most virtual tours exclude throngs of students. Virtual tours clear all people out so the tour guide (and the tour guide alone!) is center stage. You won’t see many students scurry to class.
• In short, nothing replaces an on-campus visit.

The cure to these problems is obviously to take an in-person campus tour to get a feel for the classrooms, dorms, dining halls and other hot spots on campus.

The next-best thing is to get on the phone with a student, and most admission offices can make that happen. Just ask — prepare a list of questions beforehand.  

Take the visit one step further. Don’t just listen to the admission counselor video spiel online. You want to get to know your child’s admission counselor — more specifically, you want your child to get to know his own admission counselor.

Why? 

Your child’s admission counselor gives out trade secrets. The dirt. Everything you want to know about the college. 

Isn’t the admission counselor’s job to get you to attend an institution? 

Sure. But that doesn’t mean that if you ask really pointed questions that they won’t be honest with you. They should.

You won’t get insider tips from virtual college tours. That’s why it’s vital to pick up the phone or have a Zoom chat as part of your tour. 

It’s okay if your virtual tour doesn’t coincide with your counselor talk. You and your child may take the virtual tour on Monday, then talk with an admission counselor on Thursday. It gives you a chance to think of great questions you have after watching the tour. 

Talk with Financial Aid

This is another conversation you want to schedule. Your situation is unique. Don’t let a generic video from a “Hurray! Go Tigers!” virtual visit be your only guide to financial aid from a particular school.

You deserve better than that! 

Again, if financial aid is part of the online tour, watch it. Then call the college or university to explore how the financial aid process works for your particular situation. You can get a lot accomplished during one financial aid phone call. You get to ask questions that pertain directly to your situation, such as: 

• I’m nearing retirement. What will my child’s financial aid award look like then?
• We have $5,000 in an UTMA for our child. How will that affect his aid award?
• Could you put together a financial aid early estimate for my child? We’d like to see in advance what the award letter will look like.
• [Insert your questions here.]

Get on Zoom, on Google Hangouts, on the phone. Make sure your child listens in (no matter how bored he is). Do you know how many kids were on the verge of slumber when they listened to my financial aid spiel in the admission office? (I shoulda made it more interesting.)

Anyway, give yourself permission to poke a little more than most people will. Don’t settle for the online video!

Listen to Students Online

As part of the virtual tour, many colleges include videos of students talking about themselves, their majors and extracurricular activities. Listen to these online videos. Then remember it’s all a marketing ploy. 

I know that’s a cynical attitude, but remember that colleges usually pick their most accomplished, affable students to video. This isn’t always a great representation of the student body. 

Do you know someone who already goes to the school your child’s considering? Encourage your child to set up a coffee or Zoom meeting with the student. It’s the best way to get the most candid analysis — students will likely blurt out the pros and cons without prompting. Listen for information like:

• “Get a load of this. Our college did X, X and X right after COVID-19.” 
• “Our cafeteria food is awesome. You’ll love Stromboli Day.”
• “Here’s what I’d change about College X.”
• “I love this about College X and that’s why you should go here.”

Remind your child that information from one person is just that — one person’s experience. If it’s possible for your child to talk to more than one person at the college, that’s great! The more feedback from a large number of students your high schooler can get, the better.

Just because one student’s having an awesome or crummy experience doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone else.

Coaches might also put up videos online of the “Go Tigers!” variety. Again, make it a point to talk with coaches individually. Most likely, you and your student won’t have to worry too much because coaches will want to talk to you if they’re interested. 

Check out the coach section questions to ask on a college tour for a great list of questions. 

Other Ways to Learn More

You want to get as snoopy as possible when you’re looking at colleges, so here are some other ways to do it.

Follow Colleges’ Social Channels

Follow schools your child’s interested on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to get brief updates on activities on campus. Try to find social channels not connected to the admission or marketing offices! 

Get a Subscription to…

The student newspaper! The student newspaper is full of delicious nuggets of truth because it’s written and published by students — and no topic (no matter how juicy) gets left behind. Get notifications when the newest events and issues happen and learn opinions written by your child’s potential peers. 

Online Maps Exist for a Reason

Do some colleges offer a cool aerial view of a campus? They sure do. Tap into the bird’s-eye view of college maps to get a sense of colleges’ layout. Try mapping the distance between common places, like the library and the dining hall. See whether your child can walk to restaurants, theaters and coffee shops close by. 

Check out the College’s Online Events Calendar

Colleges often host an array of events, from musical artists and comedians to free movies and game nights. Seeing a calendar of events can give you a better understanding of the fun activities available to students. 

Research the Surrounding Town

Have you ever heard of a phenomenon called the “campus bubble?” I referred to it sometimes when talking to students who lived in our town. It means when students become insulated from the town and never leave campus because everything they need is there. The town kind of vanishes and the campus is the town. Does that make sense?

Still, your child might have to venture to Target every once in a while. So, what’s the town or city like? Do some online research and learn about the benefits outside The Bubble.

Check Out Student Profiles

During the virtual visit, you’ll probably see student videos like Bethel’s. Poke around more, however. You might find more student testimonials on the website or through social media channels. Can your child relate to that student? Does he get excited by the student’s research project, internship or other opportunities? Does he want to have the same major?

Ask the admission office whether your child can talk to that exact student profiled.

You Can Still Do a Lot, but Remember…

Yes — kick your feet up, coffee cup in hand, messy bun proudly displayed while you take a campus tour. 

“Ooh” and “Ahh” over beautiful residence halls, cool science labs and more. 

Just remember, nothing replaces a true college tour. If your child thinks he can choose a college based on virtual college tours, remind him that: 

1. People make a great college experience, not beautiful buildings.
2. Campuses show all their best stuff in a video. The junior/senior apartments might be beautiful (they’ll show these on video) but the freshman residence hall could be a pit. 
3. It’s important to talk to as many people as possible — get comfy with Zoom!

And when (and if) you feel comfortable, go on an in-person visit. Please. I’ll even send you the mask and hand sanitizer myself.