• Summer visits allow you to spend more time on campus.
• Professors and others may be unavailable and some buildings may be closed.
• Plan visits when you can meet in person with someone.

While many students and families take college visits during the school year, the summer is still a busy time for college admissions offices to coordinate campus visits. With students not bound by a school schedule or single-day campus tours during the school year, the summer offers more flexibility for students and parents to spend a longer time or multiple days on campus.

“The summer really is an ideal time for that exploration," says Kent Barnds, vice president of admissions, financial aid, and communication and marketing at Augustana College in Illinois. "There’s a little greater flexibility on a college campus then to accommodate visits. Summer is sometimes an ideal time for a student and a family that is at the beginning of the college search and may be a little uncertain about what they want."

Summer visits often allow students and families to explore campus more freely and find parking more easily, says Kelly Nolin, director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Montana.

A less-crowded campus can also be good for students who may feel anxious about the college experience and can be a less-intimidating way for them to acclimate to a campus environment, she adds.

Related:

But it also means students won't get a sense of what the campus feels like when everyone is there, Nolin says. Families should also be aware that some professors may not be available and some offices or buildings may be closed or inaccessible during the summer.

But experts say that with some planning and coordination, families can still schedule effective campus visits. Here are some tips for planning summer college tours.

While it's less frequent than during the academic year, some colleges hold formal visit days during the summer to ensure people from certain offices are present,........

© U.S.News