By Chris Andrews ’18

As a senior, it is that time of the year where college is the number one thought on my mind. My college planning process began over a year ago when I started researching colleges online to narrow down my search and continued into my junior year with weekend tours at my favorite ones. One of the many things that I have been doing is going to college representative visits. Even though I find that they are very helpful, many of my classmates go to the visits so they can skip class. And that is if they bother to go at all.

Meeting with college representatives at Staples is a key part of the process in senior year. While the information presented can be redundant for those who have already visited the school, there are several advantages to these visits.

For one, this is a good opportunity to get to know a school that would otherwise be difficult to visit prior to acceptance. Also, the small group setting can be an ideal opportunity to get all of your questions answered compared to in the group sessions where the number of questions are more limited. Hearing the answers addressed to others is useful as I find that there can be much similarity in my classmates’ questions.

Additionally, it is beneficial to meet with the Connecticut admissions representatives first-hand for the inside information on what is needed to be accepted at that particular institution. Perhaps if you are able to make a very good impression, that rep might be an advocate for you in admissions selection meetings.

As some may enjoy missing class, there is so much more to these meetings than a free pass. Take advantage of the convenience of these meetings at Staples and make the most of your visit by bringing all of your really tough questions.