申请美国大学之前参观学校到底有多重要？

许多家庭在孩子申请美国大学前，都有全家人一起去参观学校的计划，家长参观前最好能做好功课，带着具体问题去参观，并提前预约安排好想要见的学校人员和注意考察周围的社区环境，充分利用参观的机会对学校进行深入的了解。

参观大学的重要性

参观大学校园是申请美国大学过程中非常重要的一步，四年的大学生活是人生中最重要的光阴，尽管现在网络提供了很多信息，但是没有比实地考察更能切身感受未来的大学了。

How Important Is A Campus Visit?

The campus visit plays a crucial role in determining if the college or university you are considering is the “right fit” for you

“right fit”是选择大学的关键因素，实地考察是了解大学的最佳途径

Get A Firsthand View

A campus visit is your opportunity to get a firsthand view of a college. A college catalog, brochure or website can only show you so much. To really get a feel for the college, you need to walk around the quad, sit in on a class and visit the dorm and etc.

在大学中参观，可以了解校园的人文环境、硬件条件和整体氛围、学生的组成，所在城市的治安、饮食、气候的情况

To See the School/City in Person

•A college tour allows you see the buildings inside and out, including classrooms, dorms, dining halls, gyms, student center, and science labs

•You can also get a sense of what’s happening on campus from flyer-covered bulletin boards

•You are able to check out the surrounding environment; Do you prefer to live in the city or countryside? Enjoy the autumn or hate the snow?

院校之旅的向导们都是学生，你们有相同的背景，通过和他们的交流可以获得意想不到的收获

Learn About the School from Firsthand Sources

Most college tour guides are current students who can give you firsthand knowledge of the student experience. In addition to getting your own questions answered, you can also learn from the questions asked by other students on the group tour

除了按照Common Application的要求七选一之外，大多数学校在递交申请时会要求提供补充论文，很多大学会提问“你为什么选择申请我们的学校?”

美国有超过4000所大学、学院，你为什么选择我们的大学?这些大学想要确保你们了解他们的文化、课程、教授以及其他信息。如果你从来没有亲自看过他们的校园，你怎么写出来能够让招生官印象深刻的文章呢?

To Write a Killer ‘Why Us?’ Essay

A college visit will help if you need to write an essay to the prompt, ‘Why Us?’ Not all colleges/universities ask for this, but there are many that require a supplement essay in which you describe your reasons for wanting to attend

拿一份大学的官方资料，比如手册、校报、活动日历等等，这些都有助于了解大学。不要忘记拿招生老师的名片，这样当你有问题的时候你就可以直接跟招生官交流。

Demonstrate Your Serious Interest in the School

•The more you can connect with the prospective schools (by meeting the admissions officers, speaking with faculty, etc.), the more you can sense if this is the college you want to make your home for the next 4 years.

•Some schools record your name on its visit records, which may make a positive impression on admissions staff

虚拟浏览和照片给你的体验是有限的，因此看到的可能不全面。较好的方法就是亲自参观，就像一再强调的。

有两种参观的方法，非正式参观和正式参观

Two Kinds of Visits

‘Drive-By’ Informal Visit

•This type of visit can be made without much pressure, and does not have to be the college to which students will eventually apply

•Visits can be started early in the college search

•Summer and Spring breaks are ideal times to visit campuses

•Will help students find whether they prefer a large or small, metropolitan or countryside university

Formal Visit

•The visit includes campus tours, information sessions, interviews, class visits, or a meeting with school officers

•More appropriate for seniors who have narrowed down their list of schools

•Best time to visit is when the colleges are in sessions and students are on campus

院校之旅没有具体的着装要求，但我们推荐整洁舒适的服装

What to Wear?

•Though the colleges don’t suggest outfits to wear on the tour, do dress casually; casual attire includes plain T-shirts, casual button-downs, and polo shirts; khakis, chinos, slacks, dress pants or nice jeans; cargo or Bermuda shorts. Female students can wear a skirt or dress

• Ensure that your appearance is tidy and modest. Avoid flip-flops, baseball caps, short shorts, tank tops, spaghetti straps and athletic attire

• Campus tours typically require that you walk long distances. Thus, wear a pair of comfortable walking shoes

为了充分利用院校之旅的机会，给大家提供一些向学生向导们询问问题的小建议

Questions to Ask

Some of the preparing questions to ask;

•How much time do you typically spend on homework?

•What’s the average class size?

•What kind of orientation programs are there for freshmen?

•Are there opportunities for research or summer internship?

•What are the clubs/sport activities available?

•Is it common to study abroad?

•How would you rate the cafeteria food, on a scale from decent to inedible?

•Do a lot of students belong to frats or sororities?

•Where do the students hang out on weekends?

在访校期间，注意聆听学生向导的介绍

Things NOT to do on a College Tour

•Interrupt the tour guide

•Dress inappropriately

•Get distracted

•Invade the tour guide’s privacy

(e.g., by asking personal questions)

•Be too shy to ask questions

•Argue with the tour guide

•Walk out in the middle of the tour

•Gag or spit cafeteria food

•Turn on your cell phone

ACT COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL AT ALL TIMES!