Making the Most of Spring Break By Visiting College Campuses
March 06 2006 - 5:08AM
PR Newswire (US)
RESTON, Va., March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring break is right around
the corner and that means an opportune time for college-bound high
school seniors to visit college campuses. In doing so, students and
families will get an up- close look at potential schools of choice,
helping them to experience college before actually making the final
decision. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030617/SLMLOGO-a ) "Visiting
a college campus will help students and families get a true feel
for the school," says Martha Holler, a spokesperson of Sallie Mae,
the nation's No. 1 paying-for-college company. "And spring break is
a perfect time for these visits to occur." Holler says that the
number of schools visited will depend on time and money but
students should try to check out several schools that offer a
variety of experiences. For instance, students and their families
may want to visit large and small schools, as well as urban and
small-town campus settings. When students and parents make their
campus visits, it is important they develop a plan of attack. For
instance: * Before the visit, decide what you want to learn about
the school and put together a list of questions. Use the same list
for every school so that you can make comparisons. * If possible,
schedule interviews with faculty and/or admissions staff. It also
is helpful to meet with professors who teach in a student's
particular area of interest. Students and parents also should meet
with representatives from the admissions and financial aid offices
to learn about entry requirements, costs and financial aid. * Take
a campus tour. Colleges typically offer guided tours, so take
advantage of them! Most important, your escorts can be an excellent
source of candid information. * Ask questions. This is your chance
to discover things that you cannot learn any other way. Ask current
students what they like best and least about the school, what they
would change, what the campus is like on weekends and which
professors are best. * Send a thank-you note. After visiting a
college campus, remember to send thank-you notes to everyone you
met. It is a simple but-often-neglected courtesy that can help you
get noticed. To help students and families make the most of their
college visit over spring break, Sallie Mae's CollegeAnswer.com Web
site offers a host of information and resources at
http://www.collegeanswer.com/. "It is important for students to
choose a college where they feel comfortable and have the
opportunity to excel academically and personally," adds Holler.
"When it comes to evaluating schools to select the best fit,
nothing beats a first-hand look."
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030617/SLMLOGO-a
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Sallie Mae CONTACT: Erin
Korsvall of Sallie Mae, +1-703-984-5136 Web site:
http://www.salliemae.com/ http://www.collegeanswer.com/ Company
News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/827187.html
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