From the start of the school year through January, many seniors navigate one of the most stressful periods of their academic lives: college application season. Days are packed with the daunting task of researching potential schools while juggling an overwhelming number of application deadlines. To help with the college search process, New Trier High School is hosting over 200 college representatives from across the country through Oct. 31. 

The Post High School Counseling Department organizes the visits, and various universities sign up to be placed on the schedule for these visits. However,  sometimes requests cannot be accommodated, Post High School Counselor Michael O’Connor said.

These college representative sessions are designed to help seniors make informed decisions about where to apply by providing detailed information and addressing any pressing questions they may have about specific colleges. These personalized interactions can help students narrow down their top choices and gain a clearer understanding of what each college has to offer.

These visits also allow students the opportunity to establish more personal connections with the college representatives they meet.

“Putting a face to the university or knowing that this person can advocate for the student if they apply can make these visits a little bit more comfortable for the student,” O’Connor said.

Some students may be wondering if in addition to getting support from the representatives, they may also be able to increase their chances to visit the school.

“The answer to your questions is ‘it depends,’” O’Connor said. “There are schools that look to track student engagement like college visits to high schools, communication with admissions offices, and even responding to emails.  The important thing we try to impress is that it also gives the student a better, more informed perspective of the school.”

Senior Sofy Barba, who attended a session for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) on Sept. 5, found  her experience to be valuable.

“The representative allowed us time to ask questions. It was informative and helpful in terms of teaching me more about the school,” Barba said. “I would recommend it for other students as a way to show initiative as well as learn more about the school, almost as if you had visited it.”

The UIUC visit was one with more people, having 55 people in attendance. Visits with fewer people allow for more one-on-one time with the representative and offer an opportunity for that representative to get to know students personally. 

Senior Tara Hecht attended a session for the Rhode Island School of Design last school year to learn more about the school’s art program. According to Hecht, there were two people there, including her, making it a far smaller meeting than UIUC’s.

“I got to ask specific questions to the representative that were more personal to me specifically. It gave me insight on my own circumstances in a more personalized way than just going on the website to see a more general description,” Hecht said.

To find out more about these visits, or to sign up, students can log in to their Maia Learning account and find the schedule under the Events tab. Visits happen throughout the school day, typically in room 201, but the location can vary. Seniors and juniors can attend during their free periods. However, if a senior wants to attend a visit during a class, they must ask their teacher’s permission beforehand. Juniors may not miss class for college visits. 

So, are these visits a success? Some students certainly think so.

“The visit was really helpful for me and I learned a lot about the schools I was interested in,” Hecht said. “I would really recommend it.”