Making the Most of College Open Houses

One of the best ways to determine if a college is a good fit for you and your child is by attending open houses.

Open houses are public events where prospective students can spend time on campus learning about the college's programs, meet faculty, staff and students, and tour the campus. These visits help your teen imagine life on campus and evaluate the environment. Parents can also explore logistics like commuting, transportation, and tuition costs to ensure the school is a practical choice.

Families can begin visiting colleges during your child's sophomore or junior year. Visting schools can be a lengthy process and take up entire weekends, s you definitely want to clear your calendars and plan ahead! Extended travel may be necessary if your teen is considering a school out of state or a long driving distance away.

Know that you may not always get your pick as open houses and tours book very quickly, but it will still be worth visiting even if there isn't availability on your specific tour.

You'll want to schedule open house visits through the school’s website, and take advantage of:

• Campus tours.

• Major-specific presentations.

• Financial aid seminars.

• Conversations with current students studying the same subjects that your child is interested in.

Since my daughter is graduating this year, inshaAllah, we began doing campus visits in early October. We made a list of all the schools she was interested in and then booked tours for the campuses and areas of study she wanted to know more about.

You can get a strong sense of the college vibe and community as soon as you step onto the campus and we learned many things during our tours.

For example, we learned that New York universities do not usually have a campus life. The city is their campus, therefore you have to be confident and comfortable with exploring and navigating the city when you aren't in classes. You may check out a Broadway show or a new restaurant when you're not in class or study in a nearby cafe. Don't forget that if you are commuting to an NYC school, you will most likely be taking public transportation to get there and home.

Some universities we visited in NJ were located in more rural areas and were very quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of NYC. Due to the sheer amount of land, campuses were large and spread out, which meant that you may not see many people in these types of colleges, and commuting to various campuses for classes may be burdensome.

On the other hand, there are some universities where you can get the best of both worlds because they are located in a city environment but have a good-sized campus where you can get the full experience.

When considering a campus, it's important for your child to ask themselves questions about who they are and what kind of environment they want to benefit from.

Am I the kind of person who wants a quiet, college environment surrounded by lots of nature?

Or am I the kind of person who can see myself in a busy, city-like university for the next 4 years?

Do I prefer to drive to school or will I be ok taking public transportation?

Or would it be easier for me to live on campus?

Does the school have the amount of diversity that I am looking for and can I see myself making friends and fitting in here?

What opportunities outside of academics does the campus offer?

Once you have visited all your schools of interest, make a pros and cons list for each one as family. Ask students who are currently attending these colleges how they feel about it and what their experience has been. The final thing to do is to pray istikhara and leave it in Allah's hands.

This November, as you guide your homeschooler through the college admissions process, remember to take things one step at a time. Organization, preparation, and attention to detail will ensure your teen presents their best self to prospective schools and make the most out of their time there, inshaAllah.