Campus Visits

Question

Can anyone out there provide a perspective on how much admissions departments value campus visits as part of the application process?

If I'm offered interviews at my target schools, I definitely plan to visit the campuses and do class visits. However, most schools don't seem to offer a lot on the weekends, and I can't take a day off of work to do an all-day campus visit for each school, and then take off another day to do the interview (if one is offered). I'll be visiting the schools that have open interviews (Duke, Dartmouth, etc.), but I wasn't planning to take a day off of work to visit some of the other schools (Columbia, NYU, Yale, Cornell) unless I get an interview. Do you think that this will significantly hurt my chances of getting in?

shaselai · Answer

that question was popped up during an infosession with stern,bu,anderson and another school that escapes my mind. Basically it wont count against you if you dont visit BUT they do encourage as you will be spending 2 years there so you should at least check out the place. I am a bit in your boat - few vaca days, family expecting me to visit and stay for xmas etc. so some vaca days already spoken for... I gonna visit if they interview me much like you....

brainhurt · Answer

My observation is that some schools value it more than others. For example, NYU and MIT both seem to stress the importance of getting to know their culture, whereas HBS explicitly says that visiting/not visiting doesn't affect your application (in fact, R1 applicants can't even do a class visit).

rhyme · Answer

In general, it doesn't make a difference. Certain schools that are perhaps more sensitive to yield (those that are trying to move up the ranks) may place some minor weight on it, but in the grand scheme of things it's unlikely to influence the decision in a meaningful way in either direction.

3underscore · Answer

As per rhyme - you can learn about the culture remotely. It is understandable why you wouldn't travel to every school in advance of spending $100k. That is why they have the preview weekends - you travel when you know it is a distinct possibility.

shaselai · Answer

i think it also depends on the applicant. Some care about ranking/recruiting etc. more than the area while others want to see what the place is like.

chendawg · Answer

are you supposed to have finished the application when you visit a school? Or no? I can't seem to find it anywhere.....hmm

rgupta83 · Answer

I think campus visits matter at schools that stress "fit" So schools like Tuck, Fuqua, Yale SOM, Darden, etc. and less so at other schools. However I spoke with my buddy about NYU when i considered it and he said they care a lot about what you did to get to know the school like visit, and what not. I think if you can visit definitely get out there to all the schools. If not, make sure you visit the information sessions that are in your area. This may be a bit late for this cycle, but if there are some sessions in Jan def do your best to make it out. They remember everyone who shows up.

In terms on when in the process to visit, if you are going for an informational type visit and not an open interview I would go after you have done a decent amount of the application to really have questions that you need answered. If you are going for an open interview, i would have your application as close to complete as possible so you know what to talk about during your interview.

Hope this helps.

cwhs · Answer

Visiting a school also gives good material to write about in my opinion...

Campus Visits

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