Why I Visit Colleges

This week I am out of the office visiting six great colleges in Upstate New York. I have seen Colgate University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Union College, Skidmore College, Syracuse University and Hamilton College. I will be giving my thoughts on the different colleges in the next few weeks but today I just wanted to talk about why I visit colleges.

There are some very good college guidebooks available but even the best guide book is not a substitute for actually setting foot on a campus. Colleges have personalities and you often don’t get a real feel for a college without visiting the campus, talking with current students and faculty and just seeing what is happening on the campus. Union College and Hamilton College are both small liberal arts colleges but there are many differences. The differences don’t make one college good and another bad, but rather, define whether a college might be appropriate for a particular student.

I try to visit at least 25 different colleges each year to learn which college may be appropriate for the different students with whom I work. By visiting colleges I am in a better position to advise students in finding the best colleges for their needs.

Helping students get admitted is an important part of what I do. But even more important is making sure that the students are applying to the best colleges for their needs.

And that is why I visit colleges.