November marks the final month of college representative visits to PHS in 2024 , concluding three months of visits from over 200 colleges and universities from around the country and the world. Students were able to explore a wide range of institutions during school hours, learning about the unique features each college offers.

Nipurna Shah, PHS’s college counselor begins the planning process by opening a calendar on Scoir in mid- August for schools to begin registering their representatives for visits. This calendar streamlines the scheduling process, allowing institutions to coordinate with other high schools and arrange visits more efficiently. Currently registered colleges return year after year, and many others show interest in visiting PHS.

“For the most part, we have a robust assortment of different colleges, and many of them come back every year,” said Shah. “They like our students. They want our students.”

Adjusting to the bell schedule each year to squeeze in college visits requires a close look at holidays, professional development days, and other school activities. To minimize potential scheduling conflicts, Shah communicates with both college representatives and the school’s administration . However, coordinating many people’s schedules is never an easy task.

“Our schedule gets really full very quickly, and then some colleges, at the last minute … decide they want to come. So I have to work around existing colleges to see if I can fit other ones in,” said Shah.

Shah also considers the students’ bell schedule, as seen in her decision to avoid hosting college visits on Tiger Day Thursdays since it is a shortened day with limited availability. Unexpected evacuation and fire drills can also create complications, often requiring last- minute adjustments.

“When we had the evacuation drill, I had two colleges scheduled. The evacuation drill was scheduled after those colleges had already committed to coming, so I had to figure out another ... time for them to come,” said Shah.

Despite these logistical challenges, Shah stresses that visits are a valuable opportunity for students to learn what unique programs individual colleges have to offer. In addition to exploring these academic options, students gain insights into how the admissions teams view applicants. The representatives who visit PHS are often the first readers of students’ applications. Shah notes that having a personal connection with a college representative can be meaningful in the application process. Additionally, many U.S. colleges track demonstrated interest from prospective students, which can be shown by attending a college visit.

“It’s a good opportunity for the students to ask any specific questions about programming or research ... which they can use ... when they write their essays on why [they] want to go to the school,” said Shah. “You know they don’t say that forthcomingly, but they’ll give you little tidbits on how to support your application.”

Shah describes college visits as a chance for students to make more informed decisions about their future, empowering them to choose a school or program that best aligns with their personal and academic interests.