Every year between September and late October, and sometimes into January, Bloomfield Hills High School offers college visits to its students, when representatives from different colleges and universities come to the school and tell interested students about their programs: what they offer, what students need to get in, and what their campus is like.
Students who are interested in attending these college visits must use Naviance to register for individual presentations. These sessions often are for seniors, as this is the time period to submit college applications, but a good amount of juniors also attend to get an early start on selecting potential schools.
Many students find these visits to be very beneficial for a multitude of reasons. Senior Alexis Albert said, “I feel like they [College visits] were very helpful because they allowed me to talk to various college representatives without having to go out of my way outside of school to see them.”
Colleges are often beyond driving distance for most students. Thus the fact that representatives take the time out of their day in order to visit a high school really allows students to see the wide range of possibilities as to what they may want to explore.
This way, once the student can get to know more about the programs that a college offers, they may make a decision on whether that program is a good fit for them if they want to look further into it and how they want to approach their future careers. These options allow a more clear and concise view of what options the student has.
Albert continues, “I want to go into something art-related or potentially psychology. So I’m looking at schools like SCAD CCS, U of M, and schools like that.” Because of a college visit at the CRC she made last year, she became more interested in the school of SCAD- Savannah College of Art and Design, and this interest encouraged her to look further into the college and visit the campus in Savannah. This visit led her to apply to the summer art program offered in SCAD for 6 weeks, which she felt really opened her eyes to the field of Art. Albert now has a dual enrolment program offered by SCAD, to take a graphic design art class during the school day.
The success of these programs leads students to really open their minds to all of their options, and can potentially lead them into pursuing a school they have never really considered before. Not only are these college visits beneficial for the seniors in the current moment as they are applying, but they are also beneficial for juniors who want to explore the horizons of what’s really out there, before narrowing down their search.
“I feel like it definitely gave me more information, and it also gave me a chance to explore my options more variously,” said junior student Kerpa Bedi. Representatives from colleges often offer the students who attend their sessions brochures and/or links to more information, or might give them codes to waive their application fees. Some may also offer scholarships opportunities, so speaking to a representative and asking questions will get students to gain a full range of knowledge on what they have, and what they can do.
Junior Eva Welham said, “I think they are helpful to experience the culture and kind of get to know what it’s like for you going there, so I will definitely be booking college visits in the future.”
Overall, whether students are preparing to apply in their senior year or simply starting to consider their options as juniors, these college visits provide essential insights that can shape students’ college search and potential career paths. These sessions not only help students discover the right fit for their college goals but also empower them to take the next step toward their futures.
