Ten years ago, Hailey Koob was living overseas with her family and planning to come back to the United States for college.
She had been born and raised in St. Louis before the family moved to Doha, Qatar. Since she would only have one summer to visit colleges, she researched extensively and made a list of about 40 schools she wanted to see in person.
"No, that's not possible," her mom said. She told her to cut the list in half.
Koob, along with her mom and a friend, ended up visiting 20 colleges on the East Coast and in the Midwest over two weeks. At some points, the tours blurred together. But the visits helped her narrow down her long list.
"Some, I knew I didn't want to go there because of the tour guide," Koob said. Other campuses were so large that she felt lost. Several would have created a significant financial burden.
When they were finished with their tours, the trio went to stay with family in Missouri for the rest of the trip. Koob realized that despite all the tours and research, she still hadn't found the right school. At the last minute, she decided to visit a few schools in Missouri.
As soon as she stepped on the campus at Truman State University, a small public university in Kirksville, she loved the size. She connected with the other students on the tour. When the tour guide talked about the school's communication disorders program, she was intrigued. She had planned to study biochemistry.
This visit was making her rethink her entire list -- and her future major.
College counselors say students should try to visit four to six campuses if they are unsure of what they might be looking for. Some students wait until they receive admission offers and financial aid packages to visit campuses, using those experiences to help them decide where to attend.
My husband and I have taken each of our children to visit four colleges to help inform their decisions. I was struck by how much the process has changed from when I applied to college three decades ago.
Today's information sessions and tours are designed to make as many students as possible want to apply. A larger application pool at selective colleges means a lower admission rate, ultimately helping the university in its rankings. The info sessions are slick marketing campaigns designed to sell the school, and it's important that prospective students and parents understand that.
During one presentation at a highly selective school known for its academic rigor, I wondered why the video made the college experience look like an extended trip to Disney World. Also, high schoolers can be influenced by the most random details during a campus visit. One friend shared that her 17-year-old son landed on his No. 1 choice for college because, during the tour, he had been impressed by the attractive girls he noticed on campus. Another friend confided that her child ruled out a university based on the tour guide's response to a single question.
I remember moving a college up to my first choice after seeing its bookstore. It looked like the kind of place I wanted to shop. A very mature and thoughtful way to make a life-altering decision, I know.
While the benefits of visiting colleges are obvious -- a chance to see how you feel on the campus, talk to other students and experience the vibe -- there are potential hazards. You may fall in love with a "dream school" that ultimately doesn't admit you, or that you can't afford to attend. Parents and students should keep reminding themselves that there are many places to get an excellent education and have a great experience. Keep an open mind throughout the process.
Koob, who had spent hours planning tour routes and filled a binder with notes from nearly two dozen college visits, ended up graduating from Truman State with a major in communication disorders. Neither the school nor the subject was on her radar prior to that last-minute tour.
"Looking back on it, I feel like it was the best choice for me," she said.