Campus Visits
Not too long ago, a parent asked me what is to be gained from a campus visit that they can’t get somewhere else (internet, college reps, etc.)? In my opinion, one of the most important things a family can do when a student is deciding which college to attend is to set foot on the college campuses in order to get a “feel” for the campus. Every campus is different and can look totally different in person as compared to seeing pictures on the internet or in brochures. A campus visit is a great opportunity to see if the campus is a good fit for the student. Some people compare selecting a college to buying a car. You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it first so you shouldn’t spend money on college tuition without checking out the college first.
I suggest that a student sign up in advance for an organized visit day either by calling a college or registering on line and doing the visit when the classes are in session. It is important that a student do this instead of just showing up at a visit day or any other time on the campus in order to maximize the visit. By doing this, hopefully the student and parents can get answers to the questions they have and get to see what they want to see. This also ensures that the college is prepared for the visit. I also suggest that at least one parent go along on the visit…parents might have questions and concerns that a student might not think about.
If the student is interested in the college after the first visit, I would suggest making another, more personalized visit to the campus before making a final decision. Maybe the student can sit in a class or possibly even spend the night on campus in a dorm room. On our web site, we have a list of campus visit questions that you might consider asking https://www.icansucceed.org/about-ican/services/the-resource-zone/materials-library#CollegePlanning .
Cost Vs. Financial Aid
Another factor to consider is how much will it cost to attend college? It can be scary for a student (and parents!) to look at the sticker price for a year of college. And, even scarier when you multiply it by 2 or 4 years!
First of all, I think it’s important that families do not look at the sticker price of a college and automatically exclude the college as a possibility. They should eventually look at cost vs. financial aid that the college is going to offer. Many of the more expensive colleges and universities have more institutional scholarships they can offer to offset the sticker price. When the college sends the student a financial aid package to show the cost vs. financial aid being offered, it is also important to understand the difference between grants and loans. Loans obviously eventually have to be paid back!
I have heard many comments about paying for college from parents in the recent months including: “That’s where my son wants to go, what can you do?”, “My daughter doesn’t care how much she has to borrow, that’s where she wants to go”, and, “Student loans are a scam”.
When you look at the financial aid package from the individual colleges, that is when some decisions have to be made…Can the family afford the college? What are the options? Do we have to borrow to pay for expenses and if so, how much? Where are we going to the best education for our dollar?
In my opinion, while it is an option, students and parents don’t HAVE to borrow loans. It is a choice they have to make. There may be other ways to keep costs and loan debt down:
- Choose a less expensive college (out of pocket costs).
- Save money by living at home and attending a nearby college or university.
- Have the student work full time in the summer and part time during the school year. Not only will they earn and hopefully save money but it will also give them experience and valuable skills.
- Ask family members/friends for money for college instead of gifts for birthdays, graduation, Christmas, etc.
- Apply for more scholarships.
- Don’t borrow what you can, borrow what you need.
John - ICAN Waterloo and Hiawatha Centers