As college applications creep closer, college visits at SIS are becoming more frequent, with some regarded more favorably than others. SIS students take these college visits seriously, seeking to gain new perspectives and information to support their applications. 

With the wide variety of college-level AP courses offered at SIS, the school boasts a rich history of admissions to top universities worldwide. The highly competitive nature and rigor of SIS students cluster most interests in the top 20 schools, mostly Ivy League and University of California (UC) schools. Visits from less selective or underrated colleges may attract smaller groups of students, sometimes leaving representatives with minimal student engagement. 

This may lead some students to initially perceive underdog college visits as less essential to attend. However, college visits are not a common opportunity for students; they are a golden opportunity that can provide new insights into students, regardless of the college’s prestige. 

Getting in contact and organizing each college visit requires significant coordination; the College Counseling team puts in substantial effort to even be granted the chance for a college to accept their request to showcase the college. Approval for each college to display valuable information about its campus is not the end of the deal, either. Once in reach, the college counselors coordinate schedules and logistics to ensure the best possible execution and delivery to the students.

It may be plausible to believe that lesser-known college visits are less influential in the context of highly competitive admissions; however, they are valuable opportunities to build connections with colleges firsthand, which can be pivotal in a student’s application, regardless of a college’s status and reputation.

Furthermore, approaching college representatives can spark ideas or solidify interests through the communication that students engage in. Discussion with underrated colleges may trigger unconventional paths that are more favorable. With unique and diverse majors offered at every school, these interactions may open new perspectives to college and attainable careers. 

Students’ passions often become more defined through verbal manifestation, providing a clear direction for personal statements or actions that weave interests into a unique narrative. These low-pressure conversations allow students to ask honest questions and learn about career paths they hadn’t considered.

Despite the fact that the majority of schools that visit may not be target schools for many SIS students, they are still opportunities for our success brought directly to the comfort of our campus. Investing just 20 minutes to speak with school representatives can be a valuable experience, fostering diverse perspectives in our pursuit of education.  

College is not our final destination—it is only one season of our journey of life. Students need to evaluate the positive lessons provided and use those opportunities to their advantage.