Students visiting college at younger age

As the spring season is underway, increasingly more underclassmen are starting the college process early by visiting colleges. Because many students vacation near potential colleges, they use part of their vacation time to explore different colleges campuses.

Over spring break, sophomore Yena Jeong did exactly that. While on vacation on the East Coast during spring break, she and her family visited Yale and Harvard.

“Lately I've been thinking a lot about what I want to major in, [and] how I want to spend the next six years of my life,” Jeong said. “A lot of people have told me that it's way too early to be thinking about majors or schools to go to, but it's better to be informed than have a million questions.”

Although some have criticized her for visiting colleges too early, Jeong believes the experience is motivating and amusing. 

“Around this time of year, you hear about this senior getting accepted to this college and that senior getting accepted to that college,” Jeong said. “And that's going to be me in two years.”

Some underclassmen, such as sophomore Nicole Chiou, who visited multiple Ivy League schools a trip to New York to play piano during a Carnegie Hall concert, are already compiling a list of “dream colleges” that they would like to go and possibly apply to.

“I think it’s good to think about your dream colleges, even if it’s a long shot,” Chiou said. “[It helps] inspire yourself and help you strive to be better.”

Yet, according to senior Justin Lee, there are some downsides to visiting colleges. Lee said that it’s unnecessary to spend money and time visiting a college students might not be interested in.

Still, Lee agrees that visiting colleges early is a great way to get a headstart.

“Going to the schools and seeing them in person gives you a good idea of what they're like,” Lee said. “A college is more than just a number [or ranking], and at a school like Saratoga, we seem to forget that.”

Lee said that he “obsessed” over rankings and chose to apply to a lot of schools depending on how prestigious they were. But after he visited schools such as UCLA and UCSD, he decided to apply to them because he liked the campus and school.

“I literally printed out a list of top colleges and another one for top colleges in my major,” Lee said. “[Students should] see the schools, experience the people and take into account everything.”