It’s truly difficult to imagine what it would be like to attend the universities you’ve been accepted to without physically being there. If cost is an issue, reach out to the financial aid office of the universities to see if they can help relieve some or all of the cost. They may suggest applying for a Fly-in Program.

Fly-In Programs

If you’re thinking about going to school away from home, you should be familiar with fly-in and special visit programs where schools pay for prospective students with limited financial resources to visit campus. These programs can give you a unique opportunity to not only visit campus, but to spend a few days there, sit in on classes, and interact with students who may very well be your peers for the next four years.

You can find out about fly-in and special visit programs by checking out schools’ websites for information about visiting campus. Does the school offer tours, on-campus interviews, and overnight stays? Do they have special events for low-income or multicultural students? If you’re not sure, call up the school’s Admissions Office and let them know who you are, when you want to visit, and if your family has financial difficulties. They may have special programs or transportation stipends for you and your family to visit campus.

Below is a list of schools we’ve partnered with who offer visit and fly-in programs:

• Amherst College (MA)

• Azusa Pacific University (CA)

• Babson College (MA)

• Barnard College (NY)

• Bates College (ME)

• Brandeis University (MA)

• Carnegie Mellon University (PA)

• The Catholic University of America (DC)

• Claremont McKenna College (CA)

• Colby College (ME), Commitment Experience Fly-In

• Colorado College (CO)

• Columbia University in the City of New York (NY)

• Cornell University (NY)

• Dartmouth College (NC)

• Davidson College (NC)

• Dickinson College (PA)

• Duke University (NC)

• Emory University (GA)

• Fresno Pacific University (CA)

• George Washington University (DC)

• Grinnell College (IA)

• Hamilton College (NY)

• Harvard University (MA)

• Indiana Wesleyan University (IN)

• John Hopkins University (MD)

• Kalamazoo College (MI)

• Lafayette College (PA)

• Luther College (IA)

• Miami University (OH)

• Missouri University of Science and Technology (MI)

• New York University (NY)

• Northwestern University (IL)

• Quinnipiac University (CT)

• Reed College (OR)

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)

• Skidmore College (NY)

• Smith College (MA)

• Trinity College (CT)

• Tufts University (MA)

• University of Arizona (AZ)

• University of Pennsylvania (PA)

• University of Redlands (CA)

• University of Richmond (VA)

• University of Rochester (NY)

• Washington and Lee University (VA)

• Wellesley College (MA)

• Wesleyan University (CT)

• Whitman College (WA)

• Willamette University (OR)

• Williams College (MA)

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)

• Yale University (CT)

If you still can not physically make it to the campus, see if the university has a virtual tour on their website you can check out to show you around. Also, research the types of clubs and organizations they have. This will help you get a better sense of if you’ll find something on campus that will connect to your interests.

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