Benefits of the College Rep Visit

By Aaron Swartz

Every year when the calendar hits September, admissions officers at thousands of colleges and universities across the country hit the road to officially kick off their “travel seasons.” Throughout September and October, these officers, or “reps,” will spend their mornings and afternoons visiting various high schools in their designated recruitment territories, often wrapping up their evenings in packed gymnasiums at local college fairs. This time of the year, while demanding, is an essential part of the admissions cycle for college representatives. It gives them an in-person opportunity to connect with prospective students and bring their campus experiences and opportunities to life. 

These visits, however, are not only valuable for the colleges. For students who attend high schools where a college may stop in, this time of the year creates a fantastic opportunity to begin building relationships with admissions officers, solidify their interest in a particular school, or even learn about a school that was never on their radar. Keep reading for a few of the biggest benefits of the college rep visit for high school students. 

School Visits Create an Opportunity to Build Relationships

College admissions can often be thought of as a solely formulaic process, where students must build the perfect persona to present to the almighty admissions committee that exists behind the curtain. In reality, these admissions officers are people just like us! They have personalities, hobbies, and certainly wouldn’t be in their field of work if they didn’t enjoy connecting with students. At many institutions (not all), the admissions officer assigned to a specific recruitment territory is often the first person to review applications from that same location. When a representative comes to visit your school, this creates a unique opportunity to begin building a meaningful relationship with the rep that may help you stand out in a crowded applicant pool. An engaging conversation, followed up with an email afterwards thanking the representative for their time, helps take you from a name on a file, to a distinctive conversation or memory for your application reader. 

At Some Schools, Attending the Visit Can Actually Influence Your Admissibility

We’ve written in past blogs about the importance of demonstrated interest at certain institutions around the country. When a school tracks your interest as a part of their admission process, and then sends a representative to your high school, they’re expecting you to be there! Not every high school has the luxury of having an admissions officer directly in the building, so when your school does get the chance, it’s essential that you carve the time out in your schedule to attend. It's also essential to fill out the contact cards that reps will likely have at their table, as that card is what gets uploaded into their internal system, signaling your attendance at their event.

You Might Learn Something New!

For a senior solidifying their final list of colleges to apply to, a visit from a representative might offer the perfect opportunity to ask that tailored question about the program or organization you’re particularly interested in learning more about. For a sophomore or junior, these might be the introductions to the schools that will make that final list come senior year. Taking the chance to simply start a conversation with a representative could help you discover options and opportunities that you never knew existed! 

There is Always Value in Public Speaking

A chance to interact with an official representative from a college or university may come off as a bit daunting to a high school student. It’s hard to walk up to a stranger and start talking! However, these environments create a wonderful opportunity to begin learning how to network, share more about yourself, and ask insightful questions, all of which are skills that will be valuable far beyond the college search. 

As the travel season continues to heat up, take that extra moment to check in with your counselors to see what schools might be making their way to your neighborhood. You never know what a simple, three-minute conversation might lead to! 

About Aaron Swartz

Aaron Swartz serves as the associate director of College Guidance at University School of Milwaukee. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Swartz attended Pembroke Hill School followed by Syracuse University, where he graduated with degrees in public relations and marketing. After graduation, Swartz continued at Syracuse as a full-time admissions counselor and eventual assistant director of admission, prior to joining USM in August 2025.