International Applicants - Campus Visits

[Jayanth2689]

Hi all

I have been pondering over scheduling campus visits to 5 - 6 bschools sometime during Sep/Oct this year. And obviously (apart from the inherent benefits of such visits) the first concern/constraint would be to invest sufficient time, money and effort for these visits.

I would like to call upon all BTG forum members (outside USA, accepted or currently in bschools) and forum experts to provide an insight for the below question(s):

Would i have an 'edge' (not really the right word, i agree) over other applicants because of this effort? Or does it just not matter if i researched these schools from the comfort of my desktop? What difference will it make during my admission process? In the end, would it be worth the trouble?

Please do share your views with the typical international applicant in mind!

[DanaJ]

It depends from person to person... I personally wouldn't do that because of money concerns. Yes, it's possible to get a slight edge, but it wouldn't justify the cost for me. However, if I were a German national making 4000 euros a month, then going for campus visits would definitely be on my to do list if only because the cost is only a fraction of what I make each year. If I were middle class Indian, then I'd be making much less money than a German would, so it would be very expensive for me to go.

Going for a campus visit is nice because it helps you connect with the school on a deeper level and figure out where you want to apply and what message to convey in your essays. And yes, you might meet one or two people that might remember you when it comes to reading apps. But this is hypothetical and most people that apply don't visit beforehand anyway.

[Jayanth2689]

It depends from person to person... I personally wouldn't do that because of money concerns. Yes, it's possible to get a slight edge, but it wouldn't justify the cost for me. However, if I were a German national making 4000 euros a month, then going for campus visits would definitely be on my to do list if only because the cost is only a fraction of what I make each year. If I were middle class Indian, then I'd be making much less money than a German would, so it would be very expensive for me to go.

Going for a campus visit is nice because it helps you connect with the school on a deeper level and figure out where you want to apply and what message to convey in your essays. And yes, you might meet one or two people that might remember you when it comes to reading apps. But this is hypothetical and most people that apply don't visit beforehand anyway.

Makes sense i guess! You just saved me $2000!

Thanks Dana

[DanaJ]

Hey wait for some more opinions before you make your decision! Plus if you can spare the money... I personally can't!

[Jayanth2689]

Hey wait for some more opinions before you make your decision! Plus if you can spare the money... I personally can't!

Truth is, its a pretty big commitment even before applying! and yes im waiting for more opinions on this particular topic!

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hmmmm... I do of course understand your logic, and that 2000$ in some countries can be a huge sum.

But let's look at it differently. It's $2000, invested in preparing the way for the entire investment which is likely to be near 150,000$. (or more!)

So, my first thought is (Adcom and chances aside), isn't it worth it to spend that initial investment so that rather than applying to "rankings" or "names" or "prestige placeholders" you are actually applying to a place you KNOW for sure you want to attend?

It seems like a really valuable piece of knowledge I'd want to have for myself before taking such a huge commitment (financial and otherwise)

Add to that all the other stuff - the people you will meet, classes you will sit in, knowledge you will gain firsthand about the school, and it easily makes the investment more than worth it IMHO.

[Jayanth2689]

Hmmmm... I do of course understand your logic, and that 2000$ in some countries can be a huge sum.

But let's look at it differently. It's $2000, invested in preparing the way for the entire investment which is likely to be near 150,000$. (or more!)

So, my first thought is (Adcom and chances aside), isn't it worth it to spend that initial investment so that rather than applying to "rankings" or "names" or "prestige placeholders" you are actually applying to a place you KNOW for sure you want to attend?

It seems like a really valuable piece of knowledge I'd want to have for myself before taking such a huge commitment (financial and otherwise)

Add to that all the other stuff - the people you will meet, classes you will sit in, knowledge you will gain firsthand about the school, and it easily makes the investment more than worth it IMHO.

Jon, these were the exact thoughts that instigated me to open this topic..i'm not too sure about the others..most of us (international applicants) are quite happy to get in touch with these schools from home..

Yet, i was wondering if such an effort will bring some drastic benefits! i'm still toying with the idea..will decide soon..!

Thanks again!

[Aiming-4-Boston]

I am an international applicant who has just been admitted to a few programs.

I would say it depends partly on which school you are applying. I know that Tuck and Sloan ask explicitly whether you have visited their campus. Who knows what they are going to do with that data, but it's definitely there for a reason. Anyway, even if you are not applying to those two (or some others I don't know about), I still think visiting is a nice thing for you to do.

I visited some of the schools prior to applying, and I can personally say that it helped me prepare for the interview very well. This is because you get to talk about what you have seen, the feeling you have, and people you meet on a different level. More importantly, it helps you understand each school much more than just ranking/reputation on paper. After my visit, I dropped some of the schools where I didn't see the fit from the list. IMHO, it should be viewed like doing the due diligence for your upcoming $170k investment just like what PrecisionEssay said.

I understand money is a concern and there is no guarantee of any return on investment, but if you have some to spare, I would recommend that you do it.

Hope this helps!