Why Should I Attend Admitted Student Day?
Congratulations! You have been accepted to college! Perhaps you have been accepted to your first choice school or to several schools. Now that those highly anticipated letters have been received, the ball is once again in your court. Now is time to make that final decision of where to attend, and this can potentially be a very stressful time for students and their families.
Attending an Accepted or Admitted Student Day is a great opportunity to evaluate colleges one last time. This day is often held in the spring between the time you have been accepted and the May 1 deposit deadline. Most colleges work hard to provide a productive and informative day. You are part of a prestigious group of students the college wants and they want to be sure you see the college in the best light. This is the time to evaluate whether this school is the right match.
There are several reasons to take advantage of these Admitted Student Day events, including the following:
Ease of Transition: At these events, you can learn valuable information about academics, extracurricular opportunities, housing, safety and support systems, and much more. The more details you can learn about the school, the more comfortable you will be with the transition.
Informed Decision: Such admitted student days can be powerful tools for those students undecided. For example, if you have a particular major in mind, you can evaluate the department and their opportunities. Learn more about internships, study abroad programs, housing options, student population, activities, school spirit and more. If you applied for financial aid, attending financial aid sessions can be useful in determining what sort of aid you can expect to receive which will allow you to make an informed decision.
Campus Community: Take a campus tour with your fellow admitted students – and potential peers – during a time when classes are in session, thus enabling you to gain a sense of the campus atmosphere. Eat in the dining center. Visit the bookstore. Check out the health center. Find those places that will be part of the daily college life and experience them as much as possible. In addition to campus tours, explore the local area, and take advantage if you can stay overnight in the dorms with actual students. As you wander around campus, try to imagine if these current students could be your friends, and ideally, can you picture yourself at this school.
Current Students: Find an opportunity to talk to current students. Ask some frank questions about life at school, academics, activities and faculty. It is important to hear what the university has to say, but also helpful to hear a student’s perspective. Remember though to speak to several students since college experiences can be very different for
different students.
Parent Buy In: Get feedback from your parents because no one wants you to succeed more. While this may prolong your decision-making process and your parents may ask what may seem to be trivial questions to you, really buy into their input. They have the benefit of life experience, which should never be undervalued. More often than not, their interests will be parallel to yours in that they want you to go to a school that you know you will be happy at.
Impressed?: Was the admitted student day organized? Did they make the effort to make you feel special and welcome? Did they go the extra mile to provide excitement about attending? Reflect on those experiences that may be the one to seal the deal. College decisions should never be made based on information found on the Internet or third party sources. The only way to actually know if you are making the right decision is to go to the school and imagine yourself as a student there.
Go with your Gut: The reality is if something doesn’t feel right to you, it probably isn’t! Trust your feelings when choosing the right college. Rely on your intuition on Admitted Student Day––and at the end of the day, ask yourself, “Am I confident this could be my home for the next four years?”
