![\"Kimpton](\"http:\/\/betweenusparents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Kimpton-Cardinal-in-Winston-Salem.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAs for off campus fun, whether that\u2019s trying out a different burger joint at each stop, hitting a random roadside attraction along the way or staying at a fun hotel, build in some time to relax and enjoy each other. As an added bonus, kids may be more likely to discuss what they liked and didn\u2019t like about a school when you\u2019re not sitting down for a serious conversation with more eye contact than they can handle.<\/p>\n
When checking out Wake Forest, we stayed at the Kimpton Cardinal<\/a> in Winston-Salem, North Carolina<\/a>. They have a rec room that was a perfect way for us to destress and connect. Using the bowling alley, basketball court, foosball and ping pong tables and giant Scrabble board all offered a chance to play and laugh together. Knowing that we won\u2019t always have that time together made it all the more meaningful.<\/p>\n 2. Do some research before you arrive on campus.<\/strong><\/p>\n The internet is pretty amazing, and college websites are pretty fantastic. While they\u2019re certainly marketing tools, they also contain a wide variety of helpful information. Have your kids spend some time familiarizing themselves with the school and they\u2019ll be better prepared for your visit. They\u2019ll also probably come up with much better questions to ask.<\/p>\n 3. But also keep an open mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s possible that a college on paper doesn\u2019t seem like the best fit but your student could still find a lot to love on the tour.<\/p>\n Go into each tour with an open mind and see what the school has to offer your child and family. You may be pleasantly surprised.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Or you may leave knowing that it just isn\u2019t the right fit. Either way, you\u2019ve gained valuable information and are a step closer toward helping your child make a great choice for their future.<\/p>\n If you’re near a school, it doesn’t hurt to make a quick visit while you’re in the neighborhood, even if it isn’t one that wows you online.<\/p>\n 4. You can\u2019t start too early.<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are traveling as a family, consider the idea of checking out colleges along the way or near your destination, even when your kids are younger. I\u2019m not saying preschoolers will get a lot out of the experience, but once your kiddo is a tween, consider stopping by a university if you\u2019re \u201cin the neighborhood\u201d or happening to be near cities that have a lot of schools, such as Boston<\/a> or New York<\/a>, over summer vacation. While the conventional wisdom that it\u2019s best to visit schools while class is in session, that doesn\u2019t mean that a summer visit isn\u2019t worth doing it. This can save on travel costs.<\/p>\n With younger kids, you\u2019re not looking to find the perfect fit but more getting familiar with the idea of college and the possibilities available. It\u2019s free to look around, there\u2019s often green space where you can relax or kids can run around, and there are typically decent, economical food options in the student union or surrounding neighborhoods<\/p>\n 5. Register in advance, and register early.<\/strong><\/p>\n Once your teen hits high school, you\u2019ll want to get a little more serious. The days of just looking up the time of the tour and popping in are gone. Tours fill up, and quickly, so you need to make sure you have reserved the spaces you need.\u00a0 Schools track \u201cdemonstrated interest\u201d by applicants and visiting campus is one way to show that, but for them to track it, you need to register online.<\/p>\n Be sure to register online before you go visit a school. Each school has a slightly different procedure. It\u2019s usually a pretty straightforward form, and one that your kid is capable of doing on his\/her own.<\/p>\n Certain times of year are particularly busy and there are only so many tours available. Register in advance to make sure you get in and get the time you want. If you\u2019re looking at spring break or around holidays when high schools are likely to be on break, register as early as you can.<\/p>\n Pro tip \u2013 double check the date. I confess that when double checking our plans the night before we headed out on a college visitation road trip, we realized we had registered for the wrong date at one of the schools. Should that happen to you, don\u2019t panic. You can typically cancel online and we were even able to reschedule for the day we originally intended without a problem.<\/p>\n 6. Get comfy shoes and break them in well ahead of time.<\/strong><\/p>\n Tours involve a lot <\/em>of walking. An average tour lasts around 90 minutes and typically covers a couple miles. If you do two in a day, you\u2019ll definitely get your steps in.<\/p>\n On one of our recent tours, a teen wore shoes that didn\u2019t fit. Her heels were bleeding and she was having a tough time keeping up with the tour. I only had one Bandaid to give her. Her mom said that daughter had insisted on bringing bad shoes and had been in pain on a tour the day before. Then they bought new shoes that were apparently no better.<\/p>\n Sneakers that you\u2019ve broken in are your friends. Really.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 7. Don\u2019t stress about what either you or your kids wear.<\/strong><\/p>\n I was a little worried about what my teen was going to wear when we were packing. It was unnecessary stress. You\u2019ll see kids wearing pretty much everything on college tours, from leggings and work-out gear to short shorts to t-shirt dresses to jeans. No one seemed to pay much attention to outfits. I asked my daughter to remember that she was making a first impression and that she wanted it to be a good one. Have your kid wear something they are comfortable in and see if that fits in with the vibe of the campus. As for you, follow the same advice and wear what\u2019s comfortable. Jeans were the norm, khakis were fine, there were a few sundresses \u2013 it\u2019s all over the board.<\/p>\n Most tours start with an info session and those are often in air conditioned auditoriums which can be chilly even on the hottest of days, so consider bringing a sweater if you get cold easily. Also, many tours happen rain or shine so bring umbrellas, just in case.<\/p>\n 8. Schedule a face-to-face conversation with an\u00a0admissions counselor, if possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n On the topic of making a first impression, chances are that the college has an admissions counselor responsible for your area of the country or high school.<\/p>\n Encourage your teen reach out to the admissions office ahead of your visit and see if that individual is available to meet with him\/her.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It can be a good way to make a personal connection and ask any specific questions they may have.<\/p>\n 9. Bring snacks.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hangry teens find it hard to focus on the next four years of their lives. Pack some simple snacks that won\u2019t melt, like nuts or energy bars, to have on hand while you tour. A few hours of walking can make you tired. Some schools encouraged bringing a reusable water bottle that you can fill at stations around campus, which is particularly wise if you\u2019re touring on a warm day.<\/p>\n If someone in your group is flagging, there\u2019s no harm in hitting the Starbucks in the student union for a drink and take a rest. The opportunity to observe students can be helpful and give you a chance to reenergize at the same time.<\/p>\n 10. Bring a first aid kit and medicine in your suitcase.<\/strong><\/p>\n My teen got sick on our first college visitation trip, and it was rough. We were glad that we had medicine with us and a first aid kit with things like Advil, Pepto, Immodium, etc. can be helpful. Better to have it and not need it than be without.<\/p>\n 11. Use your phone as a helpful tool to record thoughts.<\/strong><\/p>\n You don’t want your kid’s face buried in a screen the whole tour, but there are some ways to make your phone a useful tool during your search. Allow your kid to take a few photos of their favorite spots on each campus. Consider recording a quick video of your sharing their initial thoughts and you can refer to it months later. I took notes during the information session and was happy to not have to deal with paper and pencil.<\/p>\n 12. Don’t be shy – ask all your questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n The furthest campus that we visited is 775 miles from where we live. It’s not super simple to make a trip back there, and time is limited, too. You have to make each visit count, so while you’re there, take advantage of all the people available to speak with you, be it the admissions staff, your tour guide, other students or staff on campus. Encourage your teen to ask questions, too. \u00a0When my daughter raised her hand at Kentucky, the staff member running the info session said it was unusual and impressive for a student to ask the first question.<\/p>\n Possible questions include:<\/p>\n How do they calculate GPA? Also, a good question to ask is who to contact if you have additional questions as the student proceeds through the process.<\/p>\n You May Also Like:\u00a0<\/strong>Q&A on standardized test prep with Sara Harberson, America\u2019s College Counselor<\/a><\/p>\n Prior Post:<\/strong>\u00a0What\u2019s missing from the lists of skills kids should have, and a confession<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss a post!<\/span> Please subscribe to Between Us Parents\u2019 completely safe, spam-free email list in the box in the top right corner of the page!<\/span><\/p>\n Please like Between Us Parents on<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Facebook<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n You can also find us on<\/span>\u00a0Pinterest<\/span><\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0Twitter<\/span><\/a>, and<\/span>\u00a0Instagram<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Pin for later:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nDo they super score ACT and SAT results? (We were surprised to learn at the University of Kentucky they do for admission but not for scholarships.)
\nHow do they handle freshmen who are undecided on their major? (The answers we got varied.)
\nAsk a tour guide what their favorite part of attending the school is, and if they could wave magic wand and change one thing about the school, what would it be?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n