There's something about a good roadtrip. The rental car. A new city every day. The long drives in between each destination. The meals. The conversation. Max and I are visiting five colleges together—just the two of us. I don't want this week to end.
I will need far more time than it takes to write this piece to unpack everything we have seen, discussed, and shared. In fact, when my team asked me to write about my visits with Max this week, I had writer's block. How do you capture a rite of passage with your kid in the moment? I often tell my students that to write something meaningful, you need distance.
Instead of introspection, then, I have sentimentality right now. Here are five things I always knew about college visits that I needed a reminder about:
1. Tour guides come and go, but a college stands on its own.
I say this after experiencing some really great tour guides and some not-so-great ones this week. Yet, no matter who was guiding us, the college, its campus, community, and offerings enchanted us. I have always said that I have never seen a college campus that didn't inspire me. Max felt similarly, even at the school he couldn’t see himself attending.
WATCH: 3 College Tour Must-Dos
2. Size matters.
We have seen some small, mid-sized, and larger schools on this trip (and before this trip). It’s so helpful to see a variety to know which environment your kid is more comfortable with. There was one school this week that everyone loves. Despite the dreamy campus, Max could tell it was not for him due to its size. That visit was just as important as the ones that Max absolutely loved.
3. The meal you have with your kid following a college visit is the most informative conversation you will have with them.
They divulge first impressions. Capture this moment. Don't just grab lunch on the go. Sit down. Have a real meal. Your kids need little prompting to tell you how they really feel about the college they just saw. I wish I could record the lunch and dinner conversations I have had with Max this week. He speaks so unfiltered in those meals. It’s like they’re writing a diary entry and you are privy to everything on their mind.
4. Summer is great for a first visit, but plan to return to those favorite schools when class is in session.
Your kid needs to see these campuses with the students who go there full-time. That's when they can either see themselves there or not. So far, there are two colleges Max really liked on this trip. He’s already asking to return.
READ MORE: The Summer of College Visits: Getting Started With My Rising Junior
5. There is not a better experience you can share with your kid than visiting colleges.
In a matter of a year or two, they will be off to college and adulthood. I don’t care when you visit. Just visit. You won’t regret it.
READ MORE: A Letter to My Rising Junior
I almost canceled the last college visit of our week. I was feeling bad about being away for so long—from work and the rest of my family. My husband urged me to keep going. Max wants to keep going too. How can I say no to that?
