On-Campus & Virtual Visit Tips

Hi everyone.

Thanks for joining. I think this is a good number of our registrants. Will go ahead and get started.

And I don't need all of you to tell me, but it's just a couple of you can check my sound and let me know that you can hear me. That would be super helpful.

Awesome thank you guys are speedy.

I can always see a little green light that my sound is coming through but just wanna make sure.

Perfect and I see lots of names that are familiar and a couple of new ones I like that were settling. Do this Thursday pattern for the Swanee sessions. So welcome.

Um, clearly you probably have an interest in this topic. If you've registered for the for this morning session, but just a reminder, this is.

Based off of Tiger tip #6 so this series of tips and tricks, and really just general advice for you guys to use pretty much all of you are rising seniors, so how can you make the most of your summer and fill fuel prepared to navigate the cultures Prussia process? An application process specifically with Sony, but also we kind of cover in general terms so you feel equipped across the board.

And so you can see my name in the chat, but I'm Taylor Baird I work here in the office of admission excited today to be in the office. So sadly we're so close for visitor is just to keep everyone's health and well being in mind. But we are kind of rotating in now on a on a small staff so it feels good to be in full for dinner admissions building, chatting with you virtually.

And both go ahead and get started.

Alright, so for those of you who.

Have done no sections one through 5, especially the last couple around common application. If you're thinking of the intentionality behind your college list, you know the essay writing climbing session. You're kind of notice if trend. If I always want to give you a Y. So if you are considering this part of the college shirts process of visiting campus is obviously in kind of what we're going through now. The pandemic. This shift to like virtual exploration of colleges and how to connect with college campuses.

Like why do you want to do this? Why is it important? Why would you personally, why do you want to and then why? Maybe from our perspective, should you want to come for taking this option and really explore college campuses?

So.

I will let you, you know you know again if you kind of get the pattern, I'll put most of the content on the screen, but obviously elaborate on that through conversation, so these will be highlights for you and we'll. We'll get through the presentation. I will pause it and say I have the moderated chat feature on so, just as you travel in your introductions. If at any point you have questions about the side that were honor as we progress, please chat your questions in an. If I don't answer that in the moment for that slide.

I do save time at the end for a Q&A, so obviously this is information that is pertinent to you and that you want to know, so tailoring a lot of that around your questions.

Alright, so a big part of why you would want to visit. I think there's sort of different perspectives. I was considering when I said OK campuses are dynamic and ever changing. That might mean, uhm, a campus that you're interested in, or cause you're interested in is in your hometown. So if you're in a larger city or maybe even just in a town, and there is a flagship institution, or there's a small college or University that you've grown up knowing about, and maybe have a genuine interest in, you might feel the need of like, Oh well, I feel familiar enough with that campus. It's right next door.

I grew up in like knowing about it. I don't really need to do a formal visit, so I say if that's the case, um, a lot of that might be true, but again, they change with every iteration of the student body and really year to year. So as far as what an office of admission and what a campus is looking for in the student could always shift the kind of like makeup of the student body will get into that moving forward. But you know that just like you as you've changed and gone through high school that four year iteration for you, you probably.

Feel like a different person.

You know, in some ways not a total overhaul, but uhm.

Just in your for your games. Well, imagine that with you know, multiply whether that's 5000 or 50,000 students. How folks who are going to change in there for years of college, so again, institution will change. But then all of the people that make up that community change. So I think it's always important if you feel familiar with the campus to kind of give it the full process and due diligence that it might deserve. Same way like maybe your sibling went there, or both of your parents are intense.

Shushan, are you went to an athletic camp there in middle school? Well, it might feel very different as you approach it with a very intentional do I want to spend four years here or maybe more for my college education. So that is number one why I think to realize that their ever changing the Swanee I'm a Sony along myself and I've said this before. If you've tuned in that you know and how I talked to Swanee about students, it's my experiences, my experience and that was.

It's sort of stagnant, right? And so I can project that onto you guys as potential Sony students because you may have a very different path.

So some things remain the same, those core traditions, but it's kind of exciting when you think of it that way.

The sense of community. Uhm, I think that's important whether you feel the community feel a lack thereof.

Kind of talk a little bit more. Jimmy Florida. How do you shape like to know what you're looking for, but also visiting can kind of help you get there. So being physically on that campus or virtually engaged can help you really dig into that a little bit more.

Again, I'm gonna frame this really around like the on campus. If we were in an ideal situation where things were quote Unquote Normal, how do you engage in a college campus so it might not be a reality for you guys. As a rising senior this fall will cover some options. If if it's not and this isn't a reality, how can you still feel confident your search so that will all kind of tie everything up at the end with that that option but.

You know, think of, I think right now. Maybe think of this spring time. So if you're not even his processing, you're being very intentional. Visiting in the spring, right? If you're discerning once you've applied and you are, you have your list. Maybe that's the reality for you guys right now. So I want to be honest and candid and say if you can get to a campus this fall, that's really out of your control. One campuses will know that, and two, there is still hope. I think right now in July that spring 2021, three days to discern some of that, maybe.

About option.

And then I will kind of you talk about virtual virtual life. So I bring that up. Speaking of the physical space, that might not be a reality that you get to test out, but if you get to set foot on that campus and you never been before, I think that walking around, putting things together. Oh, this picture makes sense. Now that feeling is is a kind of great. You're putting those puzzle pieces together in the campus visit.

Engaging with current, see, nobody seems you know. Pretty straightforward and Tide into how campuses dynamic.

And then you would also want to fit to discern or also want to visit to certain mutual fit. So more to come. But when you are on a campus visit or on that college, visit whether it's virtual on campus, you are in the driver seat, right? You're on a fact finding mission, and it's something you're excited about and your your inquisitive and you might come in with questions you might come in sceptical and so you get that kind of.

You know where with our instead of sat that power to say like this is something in this figure process that I really can prepare for an come into with an open mind and I would say when you think of mutual fit, I think it's important your discerning. do I really align with this institution and the folks that you interact with on your campus visit are also thinking and kind of discerning on their behalf. Is this a student that fits here? Is this a student that we can cultivate and Foster and make sure that your academically and socially fulfilled here?

So I think that's you know. Hopefully that's enough to convince you at this point. Also, the brand or the idea built in your mind versus the reality of a campus that will really come through as you engage, either on campus physically or food virtual visit options. I'm pretty confident about, because maybe it's you know.

You were in the South, so I said SEC, right? Maybe it's a large FCC school that you grew up knowing about it. You have this sort of like you're drawn to a program or you're gone too. You know you've grown up as a fan of the athletic program. Well, maybe you have this construct in your mind is like the image. Like what this school represents or how you might fit there, but visiting might sort of myth. Bust that not always in a negative way, might just be different than what you thought, but I think that's important to think about it. Are you building up the idea of this place?

And its potential versus like what's the reality for you personally and what you're looking for in a lot of ways in how you want to spend time on campus. And last point, you would want to visit, because ideally you're. I mean, you're going to be spending a long haul there, so you know whether it's a two year program to call 4 year projects xperience, maybe you're going to stay at that particular campus for a Masters program, you're going to be there, and especially if you think of a school like Swanee, we really cool. Take the four year experience, but we are.

Predominantly residential, so not only are you here for four years, you're also like really hear you're living here, eating here, hanging out with your friends like becoming an adult and young professionals and play the end of the day here in 20.

I think that's important to just plan that in your mind.

Alright, so now that we've worked through while you're visiting your all on board, you ready to make your. Your visit list will get into the planning phase, so I like to break it into like the head and the heart and then the next slide will be like the logistical peace.

So again, this is sort of that emotional attachment, uhm?

You, why do you want to visit? I think circling back to why is this school even on your list? And then if you really confident in that, say, OK, well why is this? A school that I either want to visit to confirm that or it's a school that it's borderline? and I really think if I visit and tie up these questions, I don't know for certain.

That he want to apply, or I might want to attend, or it could be a campus that I, you know, went through the motions, but I didn't make the connection and I'm not going to apply.

Up

alright, so make sure you're planning to visit. You want so lots to lots in this bullet point. Uhm, and I know not everyone has like that. That particular family makeup, but just for an example safe like it's not your mom or your dad's visit. It's not your siblings it might be, but maybe in this case a twin. If you are rising senior and you're going through this process you know is it what you're looking for?

If you're coming with a friend, uh, maybe you guys have similar college lists but not identical. You know, statistically, that might not be the case, and so.

As you plan really stay true to, you know is this a? Is this a efficient and Mike and did you set your time? Do you really feel like this is a visit that you're pumped about and have chosen to be pitched? The idea to go?

Granted, I know oftentimes you know you're if you guys have a lot of autonomy and you know how to make decisions and like take care of yourselves, but sometimes you do have to default to, well, my parents, or like my mentor really wants to take me to this campus. Kind of against my will. I'm not super interested, but I really think I'll identify with it, so they're going to take so that might still happen, but I would still encourage with that's happening, like engage as much as you can, like give it a shot if someone important to you.

Thinks that you're going to identify with this campus, or it could be a place of interest, like.

Trust that you know as much as you can, but if it's a school like slony, I found out of the blue through my college counselor in high school who is amazing. So out of the blue, but it was put on my list and sort of sceptical ended up coming for the campus visit. That really kind of changed my perception introductory. So that's my personal anecdote. Like I wasn't totally on board, but by the time I decided to visit, I was intentional. OK, we're planning this and I'm going. I'm giving it.

It's full.

Alright, so similar to sort of like how you're visiting and and who you're going with.

This bullet point of engaging with the office of admission. I put this in here because often times, especially in high school, you know, maybe in rising rising senior, so you're going into your last year of high school. Maybe some of your close friend group with your best friend was a year above you, maybe 2 years above you. Or again, that kind of sibling connection and you have visited the college campus that they attend college and you're interested in that school. And you're thinking, well, I visited that. Make up a name like I'm visiting my friend Sam so.

I visited Sam and you know she showed me around. I said with her I feel we have a good idea of the campus like yeah, I visited so you did physically visit the campus. I think that's sort of like behind the scenes like VIP view your friends perspective in judgment can be really helpful in this process, but it is important, especially as you think of like demonstrating that interests and intentionality of looking at a school. If you're able to, I think it is always best like schedule.

A formal visit through the office of admission or maybe even different aspect of that.

Even if you feel familiar with the campus, so again, you might have grown grown up coming to Swanee. Maybe come to tennis camp here or you grew up in and around the Pischel Church and you're familiar with money. Like. Still, I think you come here. You can sort of do anything in other facets, but really try to stop and engage with us and I would say that goes for a lot of offices across that your search process.

And then thinking about the best time to visit. Obviously that needs until logistics, but they had no hair. I mean, it's sort of like what is the best time for you like when if you're thinking of like.

Outside of school commitments, you know if you are in a fall sport and that makes it really challenging to visit in those first couple of months of the fall semester, then that might not be the best time for you. Yes, it could be ideal about students are on campus on that college on the physical college campus. But for you and your family are like for you to travel and feel like you have the space to engage, it might not be the best time, or if you really know that you love.

You know you want to go to a campus where you experience all Four Seasons and follows your favorite. Then you might really like you want. You might make that choice, you know rationally and emotionally to to go during that month to see what it looks like. Or if you like spring or winter, those kind of examples.

So again, like your schedule, family resources, all that comes into play with like when you're able to visit. Totally want to acknowledge that. But if you have that flexibility kind of know if if it's exam time and you are having high school work and you don't feel like you can mentally like give that capacity to engage on a college visit, it might not be an ideal time for you.

Awesome and I see some questions rolling in. I will. I will get to those as we move along. Good questions.

Alright, so now into the logistics, uhm?

So again, I think planning your college is it can happen in so many ways, so there's not a one size fits all. It might be my family is going on a trip or vacation. We're going through the city. It happens to have a school that I is on my list and I'm going to try to squeeze in a visit while we're doing that.

Or it could be you know this happens alot. It's funny because we are like geographically were replaced, were sort of a destination school so it might be that you're visiting Chattanooga, Birmingham or Nashville and it works. It is. It's funny, but it could also be that you have specifically said this weekend. I'm going to Swanee

so I can insert whatever school, whether that's in a city. Is it more rural? As you identify schools, that types of schools, or whether located, I think that kind of help work itself out, um, but are you going there intentionally and back home, or are you going with that? Is it a soccer tournament and you guys are making a pit stop?

What what does that look like for you? Because that's gonna give up some direction and time constraints.

All right, and then think about can you. Could you visit other schools on this trip so you know, I think of a city like Nashville, very different schools in a lot of regards, but if you're visiting Nashville, say you visit San in your off to Nashville.

You could visit Vanderbilt. You could visit looks good. You could visit Belmont, so again, they're all different types of schools, but it would give you like if you're looking to kind of concentrate that experience. That opportunity lends itself to you or like.

Um?

In Atlanta, you gotta array of sizes, so if you're thinking again, very different schools, but like Georgia Tech, Georgia State Agnes Scott Ogle flirt like that's gonna give you a very like diverse an understanding of what it feels like to step foot on a small college women's College. If you're looking at HBC you you know does it? Do you look at Spelman? It gives you kind of things to compare and contrast against each other in some ways. Even if you're not like wholeheartedly interested in those schools.

Um?

You know, just kind of walking around getting a feel of oh, this is what, uh, urban downtown campus feels like versus a more rural campus somewhere else.

Hopefully I make sense.

Dissenting cost considerations again, I think some students like you're going to have the flexibility to visit any school on your test. That's not the reality for every student. It wasn't mine, and so I had to really think. OK, if I can swing financially and time wise like 3 college visits in person, what does that look like in how am I going to prioritize that? So sometimes kind of like open uncomfortable conversations, but really talk? Think about for yourself and then with family if they're helping you through that process or.

Your school counselor, you know. How could you get there? What's the best way to do that and then check with the school to see if there are any resources available. So like a travel stipend, could they help if you're flying somewhere you do? They offer travel stipends for students X amount of miles away from their campus.

This meant so just kind of check and see what that might look like.

Miss, I think when you incorporate flying and having to stay overnight versus colleges, you can visit in a day trip from your hometown or location is a different conversation.

And then you know what options are you interested in while visiting, so a lot of that will come down to the visit options at that particular school, so obviously familiarizing yourself with those options and again like I said, you want to engage it opposite admission. So that's where this comes in. Your not just driving up there to walk around on your own, but you can absolutely. But you know, if they offer the general campus tour information section, but they're kind of take him up on that. But what if they are offering one through the current student?

Or sitting on a classroom experience? Or are they offering athletic appointment? If you're thinking about Division Three or Division II athletics at sometime, Yeah, at some point. So obviously Division One will look different. You probably going to just sit on your visit experience, especially it's fine. You can give Division Three whether you're being actually recruited or have genuine interest. You can always sort of approach that as part of your back finding and visit experience, or at least requested.

Alright, so I hope it makes sense. I see some questions coming in. Like I said, I'll get this in just one 2nd.

But Speaking of the registration, so again, that's going to look different for every school. Um, exploiting it's pretty streamlined right now. We don't have in person visits on campus, so that is one of the questions are we allowing in person visits this fall? If so, when did they begin? And just like a lot of you know what your experience with in your high schools there is this level of uncertainty, so like wanting to want to be candid about that and say that's we love welcoming.

Folks to campus, and that's obviously the end goal, but trying to do that safely as possible. So at this point in time in July we are close to campus visits, a lot of different ways to engage with you, virtually to help kind of build that connection. That's why we're doing some virtual tips on this morning session.

I think it would be awesome anan you know if we can welcome visitors on this fall I did I just don't I don't know what that looks like and there's a lot of folks you know we're having those conversations everyday so stay tuned if we make that turn and were able to feel like we can have you on campus safely and come for that in person formal visit absolutely will be communicating that to you guys.

Only here, not visitors. That makes office tick. So uhm, well, we're probably just as bummed as you are if that's any consolation, but um, right now. Really focusing on the virtual aspect.

Alright, so again register. That's important because one it I think if you're trying to be intentional and watch that office in office of admission in campus no.

That you're planning to come so they can be expecting you. They can make those arrangements of OK. They want to meet with this particular professor or they want to have lunch with a student. They want to sit in on a student panel. They want to meet with their admission counselor. So a lot of that takes time to coordinate. Some of it can happen pretty quickly, but you know, sometimes if you put in a request the night before, a lot of that might not be able to be accommodated. So planning in advance, completing that registration in advance so that you can get the most out of your visit is crucial.

You know it doesn't always work that way. Maybe you're swinging through the city. Like I mentioned earlier and you are you kind of walk in day oven. You're walking visitor a lot of schools are ready to welcome you and that's no big deal. So don't sweat that too much. But if you really think about maximizing, try to plan 2 ish weeks in advance and that might look a little bit different for schools.

That are more urban areas because they probably do get more walking visitors, but specifically was funny. You know we want to be able to build out that robust visit experience for you. So the more notice you give us, the more we can help shape your visit experience.

And then once you register, you know kind of keep tabs on that mark the date, watch for the confirmation, start prepping for your visit. Thinking of questions you might want to ask what you want to do.

And if anything changes, obviously, being able to communicate it's that's not a big deal, but if you need to cancel trying to articulate that to to the offices is helpful.

Alright, so this is kind of part of the preparation phase, and then once you're physically on that campus, like what are some things?

But you can check off the list while you're walking around or you're on campus for that day or weekend, whatever it might be.

So beyond time and I only mentioned that sounds very elementary because you know a lot of information sessions or campus tours are based on a certain like route or time, so you don't want to miss that kind of crucial part of the information section that's giving you the kind of lay of the land or the orientation of what you're about to do. Or maybe the tour is before the information session. You don't want to be late to that and kind of running to catch up and kind of start off on it.

You know, kind of discombobulated.

So I think you know if traffic happens, you Park in the wrong lot. All that happens in most every office is going to be super entertaining, inflexible of that. But if you can aim to be on time, watch for time zone changes that happens here in Swanee. So we're actually in the central time zone.

Chattanooga's in eastern so you actually crossover while you're traveling here acting like direction you're coming from.

Um and being excited, I know that might not. If you are visiting.

And it wasn't maybe your organic idea, right? So we've covered that. Hopefully it is, but maybe you know someone a grandparent. Like I said, a mentor. Whoever really is encouraging you to come. I can't force you to be excited. You don't have to come in. You know on level 10, but just a little like you know, kind of awareness. An enthusiasm really can go along way. I think you know, as counselors, an admissions officers, we are human as well, and so we kind of feed off of that interaction. And if we can tell if we tell us who is having a good time or their engaging in there, trying to get to know, like ask the question.

They have those skeptical about that energy really builds on itself, so even if you're coming in and you're still skeptical, like I've said that a couple of times, that's totally understandable. You've got a lot of work to do your thinking about different college you can't say is thinking about what's best for yourself. I don't think of myself.

When you're here on campus, or if I'm traveling to your high school like it's not my job to sell you on Swanee, I'm here to like facilitate that match process and give you an equip you with as much information as possible.

If at the end of the day that happens to be the right fit, and you make that match, that's awesome. It's awesome for you as a student. That's awesome for me as your counselor, but I can't. I can't force that. Uhm, so come in, come into your visit doing that that I think.

You are the driver of this processed, so when I'm driving at home and sometimes you come in like with a little bit of energy and it's going to go a long way.

Come with some questions and those could be for the opposite admission. Or they could be for current students. They could be for a teacher, a coach, they could be for the counseling center. They could be for accommodations, they could be for residential life, so there's no like right list of questions to have, but it's what's important to you. So come in with those questions you know. I would say particularly with students.

You can always ask them You know. OK, well when you were in my shoes, what was important to you? You know what effect did you on your campus visit? Why did you choose swanee or XY Z school? You know what's your experience here like?

What do you like the most? What would you change? You can ask him to be critical, I think. Uhm, you know, are they in turning? What do they do for fun?

I think you how would they describe their friend group. I think that's all like those are fair questions to ask some sort of like the generally closest campus to that point. But you can also be very specific of. You know I'm coming in to know specifically about the Environmental Studies Program, or I know I want to meet with pre Med and talk about the pre health program at large so it can be any kind of question. But I think coming in with that intentional thought is helpful because oftentimes you're going to think of more questions once you visited and leave.

So at least you've gotten some out of the way, and now you're moving on to more advanced kind of progressed questions that will help you keep moving forward to the right school.

Right, This is important. Um, especially if you're visiting in a group. So this second really framed around you are picking for yourself and your family to come visit this school, but oftentimes, maybe as a junior junior class or even senior year, you're going on a college tour, or like a route with your high school or church or whatever, um.

So it's often headed for visiting any group or you're visiting with a family like.

You fall into that group mentality in that unit or within the whole visit in general. So say there are, you know 20. We have we meet in the conference room. And so maybe there are 15 visitors. So maybe we have four or five students and their parent Guardian sibling all sitting in there. Well, if you've come with these questions and like your excitement and what you want to experience, like State rooted at, maybe there's another family or another student who seems pretty disinterested or lackluster.

You know, don't let that energy really affect you, and that's kind of like they're on their own introductory. So if something is important to you, like don't be shy to raise your hand and ask it or pull someone to the side to make sure that you're not, there is no reason to be embarrassed to ask what's important to you because of that group setting. I think that happens in those info sessions, and so if you are more introverted, that's not your style. Usually, whoever is leading that session or your tour guide will say, you know, if you do have.

1 on one questions like please pull me to the side or I'll be available after, so take advantage of that. Or just you know, shoot your hand up and ask the question and.

Some of those students in there might be your future classmates an maybe they'll really appreciate and love the question you asked. Or they pass any judgment you know you might never see that person. So if that helps, you know you've got to say it. Like I said, own your own visit experience.

And then autopilot. I think it is tough, probably like it is to sit in front of a computer and listen to an hour long presentation. But if you're sitting in a hot room and you're listening to a 25 minute information session, hopefully it's engaging, right? But you know, there are those days. Maybe you are really tired. You had to travel the four hours right before you got out of the car and came into the admissions building for the session. If you can fight that inclination to like even doze off, or.

Be on autopilot, like I'm just checking out the boxes.

Again, some of that's out of your control. I understand that, or you might be feeling well, like genuinely, but again, about are. Those are things that a visit office or office of admission can pick up on, and it might not be that you're truly disinterested, but that could sort of be. You just go into autopilot away. Alright, I'm just here it can. Some ways. Sometimes we get to brush it off, but sometimes it can potentially negatively impact your experience or impression with that officer school.

Some of these are self explanatory. Obviously talk to students. Yes we are. You always want that official information from the opposite ignition. You want to know the scores you want to know, the GPA you want to know the expectations in ways that we can help you and guide you through this process.

But you do also want to talk to the students that are currently here. Like I said, who are who are going to be your teammates, classmates? Uhm, you know. Hopefully that you have for years to come. So if you start talking to them now, it's going to help you align. Like is this community for me potentially and we we train our tour guides, right? So they're all their authentic selves, but they're trained on how to answer hard questions in their train to show you around campus and like.

They are eager to convey opt into that, you know, we are never really like hunting for tour guides, so we were lucky in that regard that students are coming to our office and they say how can I get engaged? I want to talk to perspective students. So nine times out of 10, the student, whether it's on our campus or elsewhere.

Probably generally like loves their job. They they wanted to be a tour guide. They may be like interviewed for it or audition and it's an important part of their experience that they're sharing this place with you, so you might not identify with them like align with them or want to be friend them. At the end of the day. But I would say listen to what they have information in perspective. They have to share and definitely ask them questions as well.

People talk about the weather or not as a filler, but as you know, if you hate cold weather, ask you know in Swanee. Yes it does. So get cold. Yes it snows a couple of times a year, so that may be a question you want to ask. So it might seem simple, but talk about what the typical weather might be.

You know, like if it's lighting seasonal depression, anything like that like those might be important questions to you to think about. You know how often is it going to be sunny? Or you know if you're heading out to University of Washington like how often is it going to be raining? So simple, things like that to to perhaps think about as well.

And I always say, you know, a way to get a gauge on the campus is. Bullet points are kind of related of what's happening on campus as you walk around on your tour or visit. What kind of presentations or posters are on the walls in academic buildings? What kind of Flyers are up of like events going on that weekend? And where are those? Are they predominately on campus or are they off campus? You know, kind of driving students at downtown or to the restaurant, whatever that might be. So that's a good way just visually to kind of check some of that out.

All right, and then document your visit.

You have a computer, typically in your hand, so if you want to take around a little notebook and go old school and write the notes, that's great, but I think if you, especially if you're visiting a lot of campuses and things are to blur together like use your phone to take pictures, use the notes section. It doesn't have to, it just has to make sense to you of how you want to remember and think about that visit.

Alright, so while you're on campus, you're also thinking of maybe perhaps like what's off campus. So again, understanding the geographic location. Is it immoral? Campus is it suburban? Is it urban? Like right downtown? What is the local area feel like? Because that's also part of your experience, so you might want to take some time to explore lots off campus as well. Work surrounding.

Can I let you?

Digestion of these bullet points. Uhm, you know? Again, if you have some time to build out around your visit to maybe like Explorer that city or stay for lunch, like if you come to Swanee, we might encourage you to go to Sterling. Is our coffee shop. After like get a coffee and see students for go down to this money village and grab lunch. So whether it's you know a smaller campus or larger water some weight after your formal time with opposition your formal tour, what could you go deal an? Is that even important to you to experience?

So again, how long will be in the area? And then if you don't know where to start I mean you can always Google that kind of get like recommendations but ask your tour guide. Asked students.

You know, ask them if you were. If you were on campus, it's money and you were going to Sterlings you took our advice and you could even ask him what's your favorite drink. You know, that's an easy way to kind of make conversation saying like, what would you order? Uhm, so yeah, we love giving recommendations. Everyone wants to show off their campus and their community in their regular spot, so I don't think you'll come up short if you asking for advice.

And I mean our dining Hall here is phenomenal. Mcclurg uhm, but you know my crosses spectrum. I'd say always try the dining off. You're going to be honest, residential campus or even if you're living off campus but you're purchasing a dining plan or a meal plan of the school, give that a try. I mean, yes, engage off campus and go out to eat. See that city? Cedar town? But you really want to get the full rounded experience of like what are you going to be eating and going to the dining Hall on campus if that's applicable?

All right?

So so see a couple of questions going to hold up, but if you have if anything is coming to mine from this, please submit those.

Execute a breather. Digest all that.

And then I think this is super important. It's important for students. This is important for any parents are watching or students. If you relay this information to your parents again, like I mentioned you.

Kind of have the main driver seat in like why you wanted to visit that campus or what you're looking to find out.

Uhm, but the visit is a two way experience. So kind of Harkening back to the idea of mutual fit. Whoever you're interacting with is also probably getting to know you, uhm?

Not sizing you up, so now I don't want to sound intimidating, but it is that it's a two way conversation. Your tour guide. Will you be listening to what you have to say and actions that you have? If you came to Swanee and you were able to like sit down with me as your counselor, then yeah, I'm it's going to be on the top of my mind to say like oh, here's what that student cared about her here. That soon asked about how could I follow up with them etc. So in this might be something you dropped on your notes to remember like who did you connect with?

You know, get their contact information whether that's a staff member of faculty member, student. Do you want their contact information? If so, like how do you go about getting it? Or did you get it? You know? So all of our tour guides and student assistance like have business cards here.

OK, speak sticky note. Doesn't have to be super formal, uhm, but make sure if you made that connection with someone, even if you never reach out, it's still worth like at least having access of information.

Uh, more like oftentimes group will come back, and I'll say, how was your tour and the tour guide might have already left like they had to go to class so they've gone from our office. But they say I really identified, you know this aspect, or, you know, I had a great conversation. My tour guide, a camera with their name. Can you tell me like that's something I could easily look up and share that information with you so it's kind of escaped your mind know that we can help facilitate a lot of that.

And then you know, with anyone unavailable, that you had wished to connect with, or you wish to connect with moving forward. So say, like your account is out of the office that day. Maybe they were traveling or they were sick, or a professor that you wanted to see in the English Department was teaching class he couldn't meet with you while you were here, you know. So again, articulating that to the office or just following up afterwards of having a game plan or an Action Plan of OK, I got eight of the 10 questions answered that I went to find out.

I'm going to follow up on those last two.

And then of course, colleges use this time to get to know you as well.

All right?

So I will reach out. I will tackle your question. What questions are the most important task during and visit?

I will say it's a tough question. Is a good one. It's tough because I don't think there are any like. There's like I said, there's not this secret list of like oh, those are the questions to ask or you know the most perceptive or whatever. I think a lot of it depends on what your passion about. It depends on your situation, your personality. It depends on maybe what academic like facet or Department arrest are interested in. You know there are probably questions that you could ask the theater Department here. It's funny that would be super meaningful to them. That might not be, you know.

In it to me personally, because I don't have that that wherewithal, or to another college. So it's not one size fits all. I think any question rooted in who you are and what you want to experience in college if it's genuinely important to you, it's going to be a quote, Unquote. Good question.

So I know probably a little like big, but I that's really that would be the advice I wanted to give to you. And then obviously questions that are eliciting, you know.

Something tangible or something like useful from whoever you're asking that question. So like maybe not like a blade in the yes, no question, but uhm, you know.

Again, like I said, it could be critical, like what do you wish were different here or how has this school or like how have your friends here are the classroom like really change how you think about the world or what's your favorite class in the answer? Say Well, you know Why is that or even something like what's your typical like homework load or what does your schedule look like as high school to college is a different schedule so it could be very deep or it could be a little more straightforward, but something that's giving you an idea of your potential experience.

Hopefully that helps.

You know, I think there are just like as you make friends and like Chit chat out in about, you know is it? I think you're going to just to kind of reach. The conversation could always be like weather or what's your favorite building? Or you know what's your favorite food to eat? You know whatever your favorite restaurant on campus so it can be something kind of casual. And then as you build into that conversation, you know kind of naturally go into some of those like heavier questions perhaps.

Um, Alright.

So then, once you have completed the visit, um, whether you're like hopping in the car, going to another school, or you going straight home, I think there is this sort of reflection time, so that's the the immediate time after your visit, and then also 123 weeks out. Continue to the application an maybe like you know discernment. Process of if you're going to enroll, so know that this doesn't happen overnight. I think you know some students will visit campus and say, Oh I knew immediately, like that's where I wanted to go.

Um?

That's not my personal experience like I know. Like so many things have articulated that exist, so I trust it. But for a lot of folks, it's like, oh, I felt 90% or yes, I felt a spark and I was really excited to be on that campus. But I'm still not totally sure, so I want to normalize like it's OK if you go on a campus visit and you don't fall in love like the first 10 minutes at your there, it might take some work of conversation or might take the work of a second visit, but it really will be worth it, I promise. So again, whatever your reaction is.

Spend some time kind of unpacking that.

Whether it's you know if I love immediately or it takes some time or you really don't like it at the end of the day, just kind of spend some time there.

And this is where documenting really helps, because you can look back at photos you can look back at notes, and so when things start to blur together or maybe like, maybe you really love this school and then you heard your favorite teacher or your friend. Kind of maybe like this, that this is the school or whatever. That's probably a bad example, but maybe something happened that kind of like tarnish your opinion, or you're like having second thoughts like Gosh, I really love that place and now someone that's important to me like doesn't seem totally on board. Well those notes and photos can really ground you in.

No, like this is really high thought. When I was there like I want to circle back to that.

So I know everyone has an iPhone, but like you, if you have one like you have all these tools right of your hand or even like on a flip phone, you can still take pictures and so like type into notes.

Um?

And also like admissions, officers have Boo cuz of pens and notepad. So if you forget this or like your phone dies or you don't want to take a phone, know that you can always ask like hey, if you said to me like I'd love to take notes on my visit. Do you have something I can write an I'd like? Yes, let me run to my office and retrieve that for you.

Like showing an initiative would be great.

So keep that in mind and then also having that kind of time to you know whether your coming with a friend or parent or whoever, maybe your. Maybe it came to visit on your own. And like on the drive home, you're just there with your thoughts, but give yourself some space. You reflect if you are there with another person like don't don't hop in the car and like start debriefing. That might be your natural inclination. But like, even if you could give it like it here, it's my wait till you like drive through the gates or like make it to money going get on the Interstate so everyone has like just a breather.

And then you can kind of start to compare notes.

On

Obviously it's OK not to fall in love with this well even if you come out. Like I said, You're like, OK, I know with certainty that's not the school for me. I personally and professionally don't consider that a waste of your time. It might sort of feel that way, especially like if you're expending resources, but it's getting you to the end goal of knowing what the right fit in place is, and so that's kind of be a bummer. But if it's tearing you in the right direction for where you gonna land eventually, like, still helpful.

And the next bullet points about flexibility and like not judging your whole experience on one interaction very similar.

Grayson flexibility with yourself, but also the campus visit. Um, but more so. Like if you meet like if you like I said.

Everyone has their own personality like your tour guide might be like factually great, they might have given a tour. They did their route. They gave you the information that they needed to share. But like you just didn't connect with their personal story or you don't like their outfit or you know something. It could be small. That kind of like turns you off to that. That experience you know.

Try to like recognize out and have some grace that one one very positive or one very negative interactions like on the spectrum like aren't going to be indicative of the whole experience, so making sure you're kind of in tune with that. Or like if it rains on your visit.

And that happens a lot here in the summer, so it's a beautiful day. Maybe you had the afternoon visit and all of a sudden it comes like this thunderstorm imports rain. Unfortunately, like we can't control that, it might not be fun for you to walk around campus with an umbrella or soaking wet, but.

You know for us or whatever school like hopefully that wouldn't. It might not be your best memory, but it might hopefully would not cross wanting affable list entirely for you because of that experience.

And then thinking about OK, what's the next step? What do you anticipate?

You anticipate another credit, so we'll get to that right now.

So obviously like I just said, You're reflecting on your first visit, so it's not going to run home and make plans for a second visit, and that might not be feasible. Whether that's travel time, you know if you are a North Carolina student and you're flying out to UCLA for a visit, like you might not have the ability to do that twice. So that being noted.

Think of is there follow up or would there be another chance that I might be on that campus? Or like go to an event or something of the sort that would give me a second experience?

So think about or think of again like your previous visit context, their experience. So maybe you did visit a college campus but but it was when you were a freshman in high school and your sibling was going through the college search process. So yeah, you visited. That's cool, maybe even registered in like have demonstrated interest, but if that's the case, I senior year, it might merit that second visit.

So kind of two side conversations there.

Hum.

You and then if you.

Visiting again, whether that's in the same year or you know somewhere in your high school experience.

Are there going to be different options when you return? Specifically is a senior and then as an admitted senior. So say you applied, you know you're admitted in your going back really in that. OK, maybe I'm deciding between my final two schools or my final three schools and I'm going. I'm circling back and that visit experience as an admitted student feels different than coming as a perspective.

His perspective student, you're still fact finding you haven't gone through the full admission process yet, but with your if you're coming as an admitted senior, you know should I choose? I have a space at this school like they see me here. I can academically make it here and now. It's kinda in my cord. Is this where I want to call him so those that's a very different dynamic for a lot of students.

And so that's why would you say like future visit options? Just planting that seed? Maybe you do the on campus or virtual visit again. Like I said earlier, spring 2021. There might be all these options that open up.

Well, that's one way or other schools on your last job. Is it a scholarship weekend? Is there a specific open house? Is there an event in the spring or even the fall for admitted students specifically? So not only are you visiting the campus, but you're also visiting the campus with other students. Who would be your classmates? If you all are admitted in your figuring that out.

A flying program that might be again like if a school is offering a travel stipend or a specific visit experience, say maybe it's like a.

Music Department overnight or uhm?

You know for us we work with Posse scholars until for our perspective and that's it. You know there's some travel assistance in a flying component bear, so again, specifically also broadly think of these type of options that might be coming down the line as a way to follow up or plant in your mind. OK, totally bummed I can't visit this school in the fall semester my senior year because they're not open for visitors. What are ways that I can engage moving forward?

So I hope that gives you some flexibility and things like I don't want all hope to be lost like like I said We want you to be here. I know you guys are answer to visit campus is like across the less and probably internationally for some of you, but.

Is we understand it? That's out of your control. A lot of it's out of our control, so working with what we've got, we're going to get through the cycle you are going to find a home.

So just think about what is to come.

And then just kind of as we round out those virtual visit tips. So a lot of how you should like, discern and prepare for a visit. That's virtual I would say is very similar to how you prepare for on campus. The only component you know physically going to be here at that time, but you're still having FaceTime. You're so interacting it still showing initiative, and so these are sort of are like, you know, kind of basically like our main ticks of we still want you to engage with us.

You're still bringing your best self just like you would if you were coming to campus.

Um, when we say be mindful that means like just like you would, I thought I said kind of like don't go into autopilot. I think that is, uhm, I love it when you're thinking of the virtual world like you, whether you're doing classes online or you just kind of have like fatigue from being on the computer all day. If you're registering for a virtual visit, you know being mindful of what's your surrounding like what's your background on zoom? Are you able to like separate from your siblings or do you?

Do you have your video camera on? Are you able to have your mic on? So knowing that a lot of that situational but you know you're not laying in bed with your computer on a virtual campus visit, that wouldn't be putting your best foot forward or being mindful, so be mindful of the prisoner of yourself and others. I can give super important when you come into the virtual world.

So don't panic is one you know, visiting the campus is not a test and it doesn't become any more of a test. Or you know any scarier in my mind if it's virtual so don't panic about having to make that transition again. Like totally understand that it's not ideal, but try to work through that. And also like if you have connectivity issues, don't panic, or if your cat runs across the computer screen like there are some things like we get it, it's a different ball game. Some things are out of your control is like.

Try to hang out in stride. Worst case scenario, like if your Internet goes out or you forgot the time zone change, you have to reschedule. Don't panic through that.

Cancel if you need to say Miss on campus. Uhm and again like just as you would with an on campus visit, you bring your parents like, have your own experience. But yes, consider your parent or Guardian or mentor. Whoever is bringing you that they probably have their own questions, an anxieties, and they're trying to figure out things just as you are. So whether you do that as a unit or kind of like you run parallel on that visit. You know parents are more than welcome to tune into virtual visits and be on campus as well.

And then tell us how it went so it it's on campus or virtual. But really with virtual, I think that's a huge engagement piece of you. Follow up with us if you have questions that were answered from that format, let us know. We sit out in the evaluation. Please be honest in that because as we navigate these virtual visits and tours, the only way we're going to get better an really give you what you need as a student is if we get that feedback.

And again, as always, think about your next step.

All right?

So will round out the next few minutes with questions Chatham in. If you have him and I thank you guys so much for patiently waiting on a couple of questions that came through. UM, one was about travel, skyping specifically at Swanee, and so that fluctuates year to year, like sometimes depending on circumstances. I would say we normally do in the spring, especially for admitted students, if that if you need to visit campus and that is going to help make your decision, then we are typically able to offer.

Travel assistance or a particular site, and so it's we really kind of manager on a case by case basis, but if you are really considering Swanee and that is the only way that you really going to be feasible for whatever reason, then we're happy to work with you through that.

That's a great question.

And then what is the best way to discern which way the campus leans politically, and whether discourse between both parties is so so kind of that ethos on campus, talking with students?

Again, I don't know categories like a best way, but.

I would say two things. One do some research on student organizations like what kind of events are having um.

You know if you're walking around Swanee and you see something about, you know.

Uhm, you know particular like we are cultivating this dialogue or like a specific event that we had. We had debate, watch parties and so every person had to kind of like turn in their phone when they came in and it was supposed to be sort of like neutral space. Everyone watched the debate and then you have this sort of discussion around that without looking at tweets without looking at Instagram without kind of having an opinion, it was it was supposed to be. Everything was that cultivating that open saves for students that identified with.

All different, you know kind of components are on the spectrum of where they might have fallen politically, so that's 120 specific example. So I would say look at those events. What was the outcome of the accident if they went, what their perspective was? You can look at classes. If you sit in on a Class C, how students are discussing with each other in that respect level, are they pushing each other to think differently? What does that feel like so we don't always get?

Take it away. Take capture that political information or like what Webers political, or just like something personal to see. We don't always get to capture that in know. Statistically, the makeup of our student body, but I would see like just in in conversation an observation that will help you discern and kind of what's the best fit or what you're looking for, hopefully.

Being, but ideally I think.

You know, some schools may be really like vocal and blatant than others. It might be a little more failed, so that's also part of what kind of college campuses are you looking for?

Whether you know moderate are really big array of of student perspectives. Are you looking for campus that is more liberal or more conservative? I think that's part of your discernment process and then matching that with OK. Now that I know what I want, how does this campus align with that?

OK, do you personally think that college fairs in showcase events are more beneficial or personal? 1 on one events it's another great question.

So.

I'm not avoiding the question. It's hard to answer because they're very different types of events. Uhm, even if you said like a campus visit to a one on one conversation between myself and a student, so it already takes that group dynamic to a one on one so they are all beneficial. I think it it's also way like What's more beneficial for you.

And it might be both to have the big group experience, but also to have maybe the virtual campus appointment. Or excuse me virtual counselor appointment. So instead of the if we're not able to travel and have like coffee chats with you guys or those off campus appointments, we talked about an interview, tips were changing all those into virtual, so it might be a Skype. It might be a zoom or Google Hangout, so if that I would say yeah, that's going to be great. To show slony, you know that you want to have that two way conversation in a very specific setting.

So that's always beneficial for the college and for you, um, you know. But as far as like visiting campus to a college fair to a high school visit, a lot of the content of what we're gonna share and like pass on about Swanee like the root of it will be very similar, because that's why didn't he? It really just depends on this setting that you're in. It like how long can we? Maybe talk to you like add event or on a virtual visit our info session manually be 20 minutes and so that's we have to give that information out.

And then manage kind of a Q&A, so we might not have a lot of time to focus on Rachel your specific questions, whereas in a personal 1 on one conversation it's all about you essentially an like we have questions we might want to ask, but you have that the attention of that time frame.

Alright, another great question. What is the best way to engage the regional admission reps and when is it appropriate?

So I would say and I don't know if it's just like the appropriate question, but anytime I would say any point in the cycle like go ahead and reach out to your admission counselor whether their regional or work here in Fulford or it might be a regional graph elsewhere I don't know.

The idea of a regional admission counselor or regional representative is that they are based in the area that they cover.

So for example, if there's a regional admission rap based in Atlanta, that means they work with Atlantis students and they live in the area and like they know that territory in your high schools, and maybe that will save Georgia.

So that's kind of an example. Or like we have a regional based in Baltimore. We have original based in New Orleans and so they are able to travel more specifically in connect with families. Again not in the middle of a pandemic, but they're able to have those conversations and be there in a way that you it's more consistent and not just a couple of months out of the year. So every school will handle that differently as far as if they even have regional representatives. And if so where there based so it's not a one size fits all.

But I mean there there there two cultivate those relationships. So I would say at any point you can definitely email them and say Hey, I go to this high school like I know you're my representative like what's the best way to like, engage your express? My interest or set up a call or meeting?

So again, I would say like.

You could do it anytime of the year, but it's also like our again like to the maybe 1 aspect of it. Is it appropriate like it's our job to connect with you guys at students and so you have questions like that's yeah, absolutely appropriate to pass on to us, because that's what we want to help you figure out.

All right?

So I don't see any more questions. Here is my contact information, so I share this every time and then also the general admission email. So if you guys have questions that come to mind later or maybe we're watching the recording of this and there's no Live Q&A, please email some questions. Hopefully you're able to you feel more confident in if all works out and you can visit a campus this fall, you're equipped. If not, you've got some tips for how to look to the spring, or if you're an admitted student, what that might look like.

Hum an I I'm going to paste in the link to the Tiger tips landing page.

So that will give Mr. Session or you want to look for the future. We have all of this learning sessions there.

And then I wanted to share a link. Like I said, I would talk about what if? What if you're not able to visit the campus at all?

Um, why did X COVID-19 related or whether that's just kind of out of your control? Georgia Tech has an emissions blague and there is a great post there that they came out with an April. So again for a lot of seniors that were admitted were hoping for that spring visit that weren't able to have one. They put out a blog Post like 10 ways to make your conversation without visiting campuses so that my son counter intuitive to this session because it's about visiting. But again, if there are things out of your control and you can't visit.

I want to share this and give them the credit that you know this is a great resource to say like what are some tools that you can utilize. If for whatever reason you really not able to visit a campus that other school you're applying to an heavily considering.

So there are those two links. Again, reach out to me or gas info for it. If you have questions and will be back next Thursday with the Swanee session that's continuing to talk about the financial aid process, so gearing up and we've sort of had an intro to that Indiana Tiger tip too, but this will be more specific of. OK, we're gearing up to really go through this process.

Alright well thank you guys so much and I will see you next week.