RESTON, Va., April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring break is not just an
opportunity for fun-in-the-sun. It is also a perfect time for college-bound
students and their families to visit the college or university campus they
will call home for the next few years. Wiredscholar.com, the foremost online
"going-to-college" resource, has free tips and checklists available to help
students and their families make the most of their college visits.
"Visiting schools can help students and their families get a feel for the
campus before making a commitment," said David Cooper, managing director for
wiredscholar.com. "The number of visits will depend on time and money but
students should try to visit schools that will provide a variety of
experiences. For instance, students and their families should visit large and
small schools, as well as urban and small-town campuses."
"It is also important that students choose a campus where they feel
comfortable and can excel academically," continued Cooper. "Campus visits
provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate these aspects and the overall
college or university environment."
Wiredscholar.com offers the following tips for high-school students as
they visit college campuses:
* Do some prep work. Before their visit, students should decide what
they want to learn about the school and put together a list of
questions. They should use the same list for every school so that they
can make fair comparisons.
* Schedule interviews with faculty and admissions staff. It is helpful
to meet with professors who teach in a student's area of interest.
Students also should meet with an admissions representative to verify
admission requirements and discuss costs and financial aid.
* Take the campus tour. If the school offers an escorted tour, families
should take advantage of it. They will get access to more of the
campus, and their escort can be a great source of candid information.
* Attend information sessions, if they are offered. Interviews should be
scheduled after the information session and the campus tour, if
possible. Students will speak more knowledgeably and come up with
better questions.
* Ask questions. This is the chance for potential students to discover
things they will learn no other way. They should ask current students
what they like best and least about the school, what they would change,
what the campus is like on weekends and which professors are best.
* Trust their instincts and take notes. First impressions are important.
Students should ask themselves whether this is where they want to live
and go to school for four years. They should make notes to jog their
memory when decision time comes, and when something catches their
interest, follow up with a phone call or e-mail.
* Send a thank-you note. After visiting a college, students should
remember to send thank-you notes to everyone they met with on campus.
It is a courtesy that will help get them noticed.
Campus visits can be exciting and informative. To help students and their
families plan a successful visit, wiredscholar.com provides a School Visits
Checklist. The list can be found by visiting
http://www.wiredscholar.com/global/checklists/checklists.jsp.
For students who are just beginning to explore their post-secondary
options, wiredscholar.com offers a School Comparison Tool, which allows
students to view information on admissions, the campus environment,
enrollment, freshmen admissions profiles, school expense and financial aid for
schools they are considering. Additionally, the site has a college-matching
service, My College Options, that is the first free post-secondary planning
service and the only program of its kind to offer a written certificate
guaranteeing privacy for users. For more information about planning and
paying for college, visit http://www.wiredscholar.com.
About Wiredscholar.com
Wiredscholar.com is the foremost online resource for "going-to-college"
information for students, parents and guidance professionals. Launched in
spring 2000, the site is the most comprehensive and objective resource on the
Web for information and interactive tools to assist with college preparation,
evaluation, selection, application and financing, all in one online location.
The site is a four-time "Forbes Favorite" in the college-planning category in
Forbes.com's "Best of the Web." Wiredscholar.com is an independent brand of
Sallie Mae, the nation's leading source of education funding, which extends
the company's commitment to helping students achieve a higher education. For
more information, visit http://www.wiredscholar.com. SLM Corporation and its
subsidiaries, other than the Student Loan Marketing Association, are not
sponsored by or agencies of the United States.
SOURCE Wiredscholar.com
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Related links:
http://www.wiredscholar.com
http://www.wiredscholar.com/global/checklists/checklists.jsp
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/147826.html
CONTACT:
Jemarion Jones, +1-703-810-5637, or
jemarion.jones@slma.com, for Wiredscholar.com
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