Flickr user Decaseconds
In most cases, doing an overnight college visit is a good idea. It allows your student to get a better sense of the overall mood of the campus away from the classroom. It also gives them an idea of what it will be like to live with other students in a dormitory. This is especially important if your child has never lived away from home for a significant amount of time.
Most schools accommodate an overnight college visit
Most schools encourage an overnight college visit and make all arrangements to accommodate visiting students. You will need to let them know in advance as overnight stays are a popular type of visit and places typically fill up quickly.
Ask faculty first
If you are uncomfortable about the idea, one way to allay your fears is by writing up a list of questions to ask the faculty before you say yes to your child. Ask them about the school policies regarding smoking and drinking in the dorms. Find out whether there is adequate supervision. If you are satisfied with the answers, you should absolutely let your student stay on campus overnight.
Consider staying at a hotel
If you are vaguely uncomfortable but have no real reason to deny permission for an overnight stay, you could compromise by allowing your student to stay in the dorm overnight while you book a room in a hotel on campus.
Use College Raptor to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the US—for FREE!
