# How many colleges did you visit before deciding on one? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 14, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589 "2018-08-14T13:05:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/1 "2018-08-14T13:05:17Z")
When you were looking for colleges did you actually go and visit the campuses? Just asking because I’m working with some high school students. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/2 "2018-08-14T13:10:26Z")
Two. But I wasn’t looking very hard 30 years ago. My oldest in the last year? A few around the country. But I could see others or having the resources to travel that far. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/3 "2018-08-14T13:15:14Z")
In the late 1980s I applied to three, but visited only one. It seemed decent, so I ended up attending there. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/4 "2018-08-14T13:25:41Z")
I visited at least six, narrowed it down to two then visited each of the finalists a second time. My dad accompanied me on every single visit, and it’s incredibly helpful to have a parent or someone who has an idea what to look for and what to ask the tour guides. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/5 "2018-08-14T13:28:00Z")
I visited 5, I think. It was helpful in deciding between schools that seemed similar on paper. I was turned off by the “vibe” of one school and did not bother applying after the visit. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/6 "2018-08-14T13:31:12Z")
I think about six or so. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/7 "2018-08-14T13:45:55Z")
I don’t think my answer is useful because it was over 40 years ago but I visited four. My daughter, who just graduated from college, visited five (maybe six). My son is a sophomore in college and he was along for those visits although was mostly clueless at that point; we visited maybe four a couple of years later specifically for him. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/8 "2018-08-14T13:59:03Z")
I applied to five schools and only visited a couple of them. Some I only visited after being accepted, to discuss the financial aid packages to see if they could be improved. This was thirty-something years ago, though. I visited some others more recently with my nephew, who graduated high school in 2012. (It was fun, by the way, to make these visits. Colleges are a lot fancier now than when I attended, with really nice dormitories and all sorts of technology.) ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/9 "2018-08-14T14:00:59Z")
Only one. Geaux Tigers! ---
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/10 "2018-08-14T14:02:53Z")
None. I was living in Europe, applying to colleges in the US. My funds (or rather, my parents’ funds) did not run to campus visits. Everything worked out fine and I loved the college I attended. Not saying this was the best approach, just relating my experience. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/11 "2018-08-14T14:07:50Z")
None. I got brochures for 3 colleges in the state. My mom was like “You aren’t going to want to live too far from home” and I said “You’re right” and went to the closest one. It was a fine choice. ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/12 "2018-08-14T14:11:19Z")
None. I based my choice solely on how much money they would give me. I ended up going to a state school that after scholarships and grants paid me about a thousand a semester to attend (after room and board and books.) I have no regrets. I ended up sticking around after graduation, met my wife and have some amazing kids. Life could be worse. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/13 "2018-08-14T14:13:07Z")
Over a dozen, but a lot of those were just because they happened to be in the same cities as other schools I was interested in, so we might as well stop by while we were there. We made trips to DC, Philadelphia, and Boston, and between those three, you can get a heck of a lot of schools. The one I ended up choosing was already on my short list (about four schools, IIRC) before I started visiting. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/14 "2018-08-14T14:18:00Z")
One undergrad, one postgrad. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/15 "2018-08-14T14:28:03Z")
70s and around me we didn’t seem to do actual visits; probably should have. I picked one and was down for orientation when I decided it was NOT for me and I got a couple friends to spring me the third day (actually part of a motorcycle gang sprang me – I mean I wanted OUT). At that point Pitt was the only place I could get into within the next 3 weeks that would also accept the scholarship money I had on the table. Thus began my slow descent into despair. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/16 "2018-08-14T14:33:03Z")
I visited one - the one I ended up attending for a year - tho I applied to 5. Three were safety schools and one was a pipe dream, since I couldn’t afford to go to school out of commuting distance from home. It was a lot cheaper to apply in 1972… As for where I finally graduated - never visited. I chose it based on reputation. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/17 "2018-08-14T14:35:33Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I visited at least six, narrowed it down to two then visited each of the finalists a second time. My dad accompanied me on every single visit, and it’s incredibly helpful to have a parent or someone who has an idea what to look for and what to ask the tour guides. I’m curious. What did they point out to you? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/18 "2018-08-14T14:38:23Z")
My oldest daughter starts college in 2 weeks. We visited 10 campuses total. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/19 "2018-08-14T14:45:32Z")
Three. The Kent State campus was in walking distance of my parents’ house, so I was already familiar with it. I also looked at a couple of other colleges in Ohio – I don’t remember which ones offhand now, more than 30 years later. I went to Kent State for a couple of semesters, until my father got a job in Colorado and I lost residency and would have had to pay a higher tuition fee to go live in a dorm on campus. I went with my family to Colorado instead, went to UCD for a couple more semesters, and from there got the opportunity to go study in the UK at the U of Lancaster without even seeing either before I started there. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589/20 "2018-08-14T14:55:58Z")
None. I only applied to one because my father really hoped one of his kids would go there (Notre Dame). I knew I’d get in and I didn’t care where I went. (In retrospect, terrible decision. The school and I didn’t click, and I needed a break. I ended up taking a year off then going back to finish.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-colleges-did-you-visit-before-deciding-on-one/819589.md?page=2)