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Question:
Is it worth visiting colleges during the summer? Aren’t most college kids off during the summer? And will we be getting a real sense of the college?
James R Chicago, IL

Answer:
Visit! You’re right: many colleges have far-fewer kids on campuses during the summer. In fact, many colleges run profitable athletic and academic “enrichment” programs for high school students over the summer.

But there will be some college kids on campus – obviously the kids walking backwards running your tours. And while it is usually much better for your son or daughter to see actual college students (and not what they’ll no doubt refer to as high school dweebs) on campus, they will at least meet some.

One real plus of summer visits is that some colleges only conduct personal interviews during the summer months. That’s because admissions officers are usually on the road in the fall, visiting high schools. So check ahead and see if the colleges you’re considering will schedule an interview.
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Question:

My daughter will be a high school junior next year, and will take the SAT’s. Some of her classmates are already taking test-prep courses. How important to college admissions are the SAT’s; and are these test-prep courses worth it?
M.G. Kansas City

Answer:
The SAT’s are important and so is the course work.

How’s that for a simple answer? OK, now some detail: Yes, the SAT’s are important, but less important than your daughter’s overall academic record; specifically the courses she takes and the grades she achieves. And the SAT scores themselves are becoming (slightly) less important at more and more colleges. In fact, some very good schools – such as Bates, Bard, Bowdoin, Holy Cross, Connecticut College; click here for a full list http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional — no longer require SAT scores.

The flip side, is that some good colleges—such as Arizona State – guarantee admission based on good SAT scores alone.
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(Or how I learned to stop worrying and almost love the college admissions experience)

Twenty-five years ago, I was widely recognized as an “expert” on college admissions. That’s because I had just co-authored a best-selling book on the subject: Getting In! I had written the book with my good friend Paulo DeOliveira, who really was an expert, having spent five years as a senior admissions officer at Brown University. I, on the other hand, was the “evil genius” who had convinced him to tell-all; to explain what really went on behind those closed doors. And to really cement our spot in hell (according to a few admissions officers,) we would share the secrets about how kids could truly improve their chances of getting in.

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