Although school might be out for your child, it is never too late to start considering what college your high school student might want to attend soon. Summer is one of the best times for soon to be high school seniors to check out some of their options. However, it might cost a small fortune to get your student to all of the tours. There are many ways around the initial cost of letting your child tour some of their college options before submitting their final application. With these ten simple tips you may have your children looking at their dream school without having to worry about the cost of the tour and other expenses. You will certainly be proud of your student as they make an informed decision about the school they will spend the next four years attending!
1. Tour in Groups
Chances are there is more than one student in your child’s school that wants to look at a university. Tell your child to ask around the school before summer is out, or simply post a notice on their social media page, to see if anyone else would be interested in touring a chosen school. Once you have a few people willing to look into the University try to find an adult to go along. Then, add up the charges of the tour including initial cost of tour, food money, hotels and gas and split the price between the students. This will ensure everyone pays a fair amount without having to go overboard on the price. By doing this you’re saving each of the students and their parents at least $100. Your student will also be able to discuss the school with people in their age group, which could help create a support group while they are away at their University.
2. Online Tours
A lot of universities offer online tours on their website. This is a simple solution to your touring dilemma and could allow you to let your child tour just about any school on their wish list. Try looking online to see if there is any information on taking part in an online tour. Many universities will simple leave their tour up on the site at all times. However, some schools will have live tours for new groups of students each year. If you can’t find any information on the tour then call the school. There will always be someone open to help you. Many schools allow students to view their tours for free, but some do charge a small fee. Either way, you will still be saving money on travel expenses if you can use this solution!
3. Go Local First
If you’re looking to save money on your initial tours then you might want to keep your tour possibilities at the local level at first. This will allow you to save money on hotel and food expenses and will make booking a tour so much easier, since there won’t be as many time constrictions. A lot of universities will offer special discounts to local students who decide to attend, which is great for your entire college budget. You also might be surprised as how many local schools are actually in your area. Try researching a list of schools and ask them when they hold tours. With any luck your child will fall in love with a nearby school, so you can feel a bit more comfortable about the whole leaving the nest concept.
4. Make it a Vacation
A lot of students will have their heart set on schools that are further away, especially if they’re looking at some of the Ivy League schools. Instead of sending your child to the school tour alone, or taking time off work to travel with them you may want to turn the entire ordeal into a family vacation. This will allow you to take positive time off work, so you don’t have to give up sick or vacation days to check out the school. While you’re in the area you can find plenty of things to check out that you otherwise wouldn’t get to see. You may even get to spend some time on the beach or an amusement park during the trip. If your child really loves the school then you might want to explore the area a little more. This will help your child get an idea of the best places to eat and hang out, in case they do choose the school.
5. Ask for Student Guide
If you end up paying money for your student’s tour then you may want to ask for a personal student guide. This is usually a volunteer service for many schools so you shouldn’t be charged extra for the service. Typically, the school with assign a student guide of the same gender for your child. This will allow your child to bunk at the school to get the full experience. This is particularly great because it will save on hotel costs for the night and you’ll know your child will really get to experience a taste of college life in the school. The guide will also show your child the different areas of the school and impart personal knowledge that will keep your child feeling confident about their life at the school. Your student will also retain more information about the school this way as they will get to live the student life rather than being told about the guidelines, rules and history of the school.
6. Check Out More Than One School Per Day
One mistake many people make is to visit only one school per day. This takes up a whole lot of time so you are going to spend a lot more on hotels, food and other expenditures. When you go somewhere to check out a school make sure you book as many tours as you can in one day. This may mean a little driving around to get to schools in different areas and maybe even different towns, but the sooner you get it over with the better. Seeing more than one school in a day will help your student figure out which is the better school too. We all the information coming in from the schools there will probably be one or two school that really stand. This will help when it comes to pay for application fees as your child will have a smaller list to apply to. Getting the tour finished sooner will also allow you to spend more time together during the summer so you can enjoy the last year before your child goes off to college.
7. Bring Snacks
It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling far for the tour or just about the road. Bringing a snack can really help you and your student refrain from spending more money than you have to. Touring can cause a lot of fatigue because you’ll be walking through many large campuses while processing a whole lot of information in a hurry. This can be tough for adults, so imagine how your teen is feeling about the new situation. Before you head out, grab some fresh fruit and water and put it in a backpack, or pack some granola bars in your purse for an added jolt of energy. With snacks only a reach away you won’t have to worry about energy crashes in the middle of tour. This will help prevent you from grabbing an expensive lunch or falling prey to some of the expensive and unhealthy vending machines on campus. Your student will also be able to retain more of the information available too.
8. Shop Travel Deals
If you have to travel for any of your tours then make sure to consult your favorite travel deal site first. A lot of people will hurry and snag tickets because of the summer rush, but this could end up being a lot more expensive than it has to be. Instead, take your time and check out some deals. A lot of schools will offer a lot of tours, so you don’t have to commit yourself to one date at first. Try to find the cheapest flight and see how that fits into the touring schedule. You should also check out the hotel section so you can find a comfortable room without worrying about the price. Sometimes you may even be able to find a school tour deal on the site, which is particularly useful. If you don’t have far to travel then you may way to consider looking at Amtrak or bus deals to see if this will actually help you save even more money.
9. Eat Cafeteria Food
It might be a total nightmare to consider eating cafeteria food while you’re touring but it can really help out with your budget. In fact, college cafeterias usually have cheaper food than most restaurants so you’ll end up saving nearly half on your food bill for the trip. You may even get a special discount for being a guest in the tour. Eat the school food, however, can help you see what your student will be eating when they attend school in the location. This can help you determine if meal passes will be worth the money or if your student would be better off making their own meals or going out to eat. You will also get to see if the meals fit your child’s diet which will help you decide if you will need to fill out special cards for dietary restrictions.
10. Third Party Tour
If you can’t see paying for you and your student to go on a tour then you might want to consider a third party option. These companies actually make a living on taking students to see potential school. All you have to do is pay a flat fee and your child will be taken to a lot of different schools in a specific area. The student is provided with food, a place to eat and transportation to each of the school on the tour list. This will give your child a lot of ideas in school and will give them a little independence in the situation. The tour is usually conducted with many students, but chaperons are always provided so you won’t have to worry about danger or your student getting into trouble while they’re not in your care. Your student will also be able to meet people that are considering similar schools which could help build relationships with students that might become their peers in a year or two. If you aren’t positive about the third party tour then check out reviews online or ask other parents how they liked it. This will help you feel comfortable with sending your child out into the world without you.
Touring colleges can be pretty scary for both students and their parents. Your budget shouldn’t have to stand in the way of this sensitive time in your student’s life. With these ten tips you should be able to find a way to get to see the tours your child needs without forcing yourself to give up on some of the items on your budget. Without money restrictions on your mind you should be able to find a way to enjoy the tour, get to know your child’s chosen school and spend a little time with the student who will soon be going away!
