By Benn Myers, commentary editor
When filling out my college applications, there is less variation than a person would think. While essay questions vary slightly and the information requested can differ from school to school, for the most part all the same questions are asked. This is fine. It gives you an idea of what to expect and greatly speeds up the college application process. However, there is one question which pop’s up in almost every college application that I think has no place in the college admissions process: “Have you visited the college campus?”
I understand that this question is designed to test a student’s interest in a prospective school. I get that. If a student goes out of his or her way to visit a college, it shows a high level of commitment. A lot of people say that this is a completely fair advantage and one that schools have the right to use.
But the issue isn’t that simple. This system ignores the pressures of reality. First, and most importantly, there’s the issue of cost, I’d love to fly across the United States and visit Northwestern in Chicago or Harvard in Massachusetts; however, the reality of the situation is that trips, even short ones, are inordinately expensive. The sons and daughters of the wealthy already get an enormous advantage when it comes to college admittance because they come from the best schools and generally the least troubled backgrounds. To give another application advantage to the students who can afford to spend a few grand to send their children across the country is simply tilting the playing field even more, working towards destroying the vaunted “diverse” student body colleges always bring up.
Additionally, there is the issue of time. Even if a person can afford to take the trips, the pressures of life often don’t allow them the time. Students who juggle a mix of classes, jobs and social activities often don’t have the days or week to spare in order to go visit colleges.
The college visit edge is a boon given to only those with the two most important resources: money and time to spare. For those who are either unable to afford it or stretched across the board with their life at home, visiting colleges becomes an unrealistic luxury. Would it be nice for students to be able to visit all their colleges? Yes. Should it be expected? No, not unless you think the well-off aren’t at enough of an advantage already.
The Owl 