RESTON, Va., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer has finally arrived and many
college-bound students and their parents are ready to visit the college or
university campus they may call home. How can students and their families
make the most of their time on campus? Wiredscholar.com, the foremost online
"going-to-college" resource, has free tips and checklists available to help
students and their families plan successful 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 a diverse list of 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 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 your visit, decide what you want to learn
about the school and put together a list of questions. Use the same
list for every school so that you 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 representatives from the admissions and
financial aid offices to learn about entry requirements, costs and
financial aid.
* Take the campus tour. Always take advantage of guided tours. Your
escorts usually have greater access on campus, and they can be a great
source of candid information.
* Attend information sessions, if they are offered. Schedule any
interviews after the information session and the campus tour, if
possible. You're likely to speak more knowledgeably and have better
questions.
* Ask questions. This is your chance to discover things that you can't
learn any other way. 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 your instincts and take notes. First impressions are important.
Ask yourself whether you could see yourself living and going to school
here for four years. Take notes to jog your memory when decision time
comes. If you remember something later, follow up with a phone call or
e-mail.
* Send a thank-you note. Remember your manners. After visiting a
college, remember to send thank-you notes to everyone you met with on
campus. It is a courtesy that will help you get 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 that
guarantees 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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