Combining college visits with family vacations is a fantastic (and efficient) way to sneak in family time, explore new places, and learn about a campus that may become home for a few years.
With three high schoolers and a middle schooler, I have relished our family’s college visits during trips to Florida, Georgia, and St. Louis, Missouri. These adventures took us off the beaten path and gave me insights into my kids’ personalities and what would be the best next step. On-campus visits let us absorb the vibe, talk to real students, and check out surrounding neighborhoods. You can’t get that from clicking through a website!
Here are my tips for blending the fun and levity of a family vacation with a focus on exploring a school and creating family memories you’ll cherish.
8 Tips For Combining College Visits with Family Vacations
1. Choose Entertaining Destinations
When deciding where to go for a recent school break, we wanted to combine family fun with college visits. We chose St. Louis because it was driveable, had exciting things to do, and had a few different colleges to visit. As an affordable, medium-size urban city with great sports, shopping, and arts and entertainment options, we found “the Lou” was a fantastic choice.
We didn’t overschedule and planned more fun than anything else, especially for our 12-year-old. If possible, try not to see more than one school per day.
2. Be Flexible
Just like on any family vacation, it is crucial to be flexible. When combining college visits with your trip, you may need extra flexibility. Sometimes, a college tour starts late or goes longer than you thought. Or, your senior might want to hang out longer than your freshman. We planned to visit two colleges in St. Louis but only toured one while just driving through the neighborhood surrounding the second.
Always be prepared for local weather. It was picture-perfect when we visited St. Louis, but it poured relentlessly when we visited Washington, DC, and saw flurries when touring schools in Chicago. Have a plan for your time, but don’t cleave to it too tightly.
3. Have Fun
We were sure to include fun activities, good food, and college exploration. We knew we had to visit the world-famous St. Louis Gateway Arch, and we really loved rising 630 feet to the top of the arch and enjoying the picturesque view of St. Louis, the roaring Mississippi, and the flatlands of Illinois. When you visit, look for activities happening in the area, such as a sporting event, concert, or neighborhood festival.
4. Splurge On Your Hotel
When bringing the whole family on a college tour, stay somewhere fun and exciting. We really enjoyed upgrading ourselves at the Four Seasons St. Louis. The urban luxury resort was posh, with opulent beds and spectacular views. One night, we indulged in the hotel’s Topgolf Swing Suite. We spent the night munching on sticky chicken wings and the St. Louis favorite, toasted ravioli. Playing a bunch of interactive virtual games like zombie dodgeball and hockey shots with a family of sports nuts was both hilarious and engaging!
When visiting colleges, try to find a hotel that offers something special for families. Look for unique food, entertainment options, and fun extras like a pool, game room, or firepit. If you can splurge, try to book two rooms or a suite so everyone has their own space.
5. Visit Lots Of Colleges
Many people only focus on just the most famous or most prominent colleges. However, it is helpful to take the time to see what other options are available. Taking campus tours of different types of colleges is essential to determine what your student likes. We chose to visit colleges in urban centers of big metropolitan cities and small college towns. We did campus tours as far north as Chicago and as far south as Boca Raton, Florida. It is vital to consider colleges that are likely to admit your student, too.
6. Plan Ahead
After you determine which schools to visit, decide on a date and time that works well for your schedule and for the school schedule. If your child has difficulty getting up in the morning, don’t sign up for an 8 a.m. tour! Be realistic about what your kids can handle. Most schools let you sign up for an official tour throughout the year on their website. Consider also viewing the virtual tour ahead of time. Some colleges track “demonstrated interest,” and taking a tour, in person or virtual, is positively viewed and may help admission chances.
7. Enjoy The Ride
One of the best things I have learned is to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. As your kids age, you have less time to appreciate doing things together. Relish everything! My memories of this family vacation included deep chats on the car ride, finding a delicious frozen custard stand, and laughing until I cried in the Topgolf Swing Suite. There are so many things that can be part of this experience.
8. Involve The Whole Family
Ask all your kids what kinds of things they want to do on vacation, and consider everyone’s likes, interests, and attention span. To appeal to our youngest, we spent a long afternoon at City Museum, which has four floors of delightfully weird interactive play structures. We saw a kid-led circus, and the kids went down a 5-story slide. I even went down one of the rooftop slides. The fascinating thing that happened was that my 17-year-old could climb, spin, and slide just like her younger brothers. It turned out to be the perfect place for everyone.
My younger kids have received a better understanding of different universities because they have visited colleges with their older sibling. They know how crucial it is to study hard in high school and the value of the end prize. However, if the kids were much younger, I suggest having them sit out the tours. Let the whole family research the destination and see what stands out. Allow them to choose a place to eat, an activity, or even the road trip snacks.
Questions To Ask On College Visits (including ones to ask yourself)
Ask A Current Student:
- What is the best thing about being a student here? What’s the most challenging?
- What is your opinion on the quality of academics?
- Describe campus life, including sports, clubs, fraternities and sororities opportunities.
- What does diversity look like every day on campus?
- What is the average class size and what are the educational resources?
- How does the school help graduates get a job after graduation?
- How many students have jobs within 3 months of graduation?
Ask Your High Schooler:
- Could you see yourself here for four years?
- How does the campus appear to you? Is it clean and well organized? Do people care about the place?
- How do people on campus greet you and your family? Were they friendly? Did they seem like people you would want to hang out with?
- Would you be comfortable and welcome bringing your whole authentic self there for four years?
More College Visit Information For Parents
How do you make the most out of each college tour?
Check out the gym, health center, or theater. Attend a sporting event. Have a coffee in the campus Starbucks. You can ask an admissions officer if you can tour a dorm or even sit in on class. Take the time to find the campus gathering spots and hang out there to soak up the vibe.
When do you start taking college visits?
People usually start taking college visits during their junior or senior years of high school, but we started a little earlier. Our first unofficial college tour happened when my daughter was a sophomore, and we went on our first official tour when she was a junior.
What should you bring on a college tour?
While nothing is necessary, having an umbrella, a bottle of water, and comfortable clothes and shoes is helpful. You are going to do a lot of walking. Like, a lot!
Do parents go on college visits with their child?
It is common for parents to attend college visits with their children. I think I’ve only seen two kids on tours by themselves. The campus visits give parents a firsthand experience of what the school offers and their child’s potential future environment.
Should you visit a college more than once?
The best answer is that it depends. You may find it helpful to plan a second visit to accepted colleges and take some time to immerse yourself in each specific college experience. However, let your child take the lead and do your best to be an active supporter.
College visits can provide valuable insights and well-loved memories for your student and your entire family. Applying to college is a journey, so it makes sense to take an actual journey and visit a college in person. Good luck combining college visits with family vacations. And remember, there is a place for everyone.
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