In February, Metro Visit Days made a triumphant return to in-person campus visits. The annual event – a staple in the Minneapolis community for over ten years – had taken place virtually since the pandemic began. Serving as the kick-off event for the new junior class of College Possible students, Metro Visit Days extends students the opportunity to get an in-depth look at life on a college campus.
Metro Visit Days is College Possible’s most accessible event: Students are picked up from their high schools on a weekday afternoon and driven to a central meeting place where they then travel by bus to their chosen college. All their transportation and food during the visit is provided, and there is space for all students to attend. For many students, this is their first college visit, giving them a chance to discover their college campus preferences, to learn about available opportunities, and to build relationships with colleges and admission staff.
After three years or remote learning, this event is a great opportunity for community building. College Possible students from across the metro-area come together to bond with their new cohort and meet their AmeriCorps coach. This year’s visit included 148 students from 22 high schools across Minnesota. These students had the opportunity to visit one of five metro-area institutions: Augsburg University, Hamline University, St. Catherine University, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and the University of St. Thomas.
“Everyone on the campus was so friendly and I think [the University of St. Thomas] is a very lovely campus. It was a fun experience and I’m glad I was able to go with a group like College Possible,” said Taleah, high school student.
When asked to rate this year’s visits, students rated the experience 4.56 out of 5; “I was able to get a feel of the environment and understand more about the application process,” said Wacheke, a student who visited the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. “The experience I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to listen and ask questions of panelists who are current students at Hamline University,” said Stephanie. “I have learned a lot of information that I would not have gotten just from the university’s official website.” Paw Gay visited Augsburg University and shared this feedback, “I liked that the college has small classes. This way, I feel I would be more comfortable speaking up during class and could have more time to discuss personal concerns with my professors.” When asked what she liked most about her visit to St. Catherine University, Hannah said, “[What I liked most about the visit was] Being able to see all the different buildings and the purpose of them and what’s inside of them and how it’ll help your education there.”
Amalin, who visited Hamline, immediately wondered if there would be other campus visits available. “This was such a fun experience; I want to go on more tours and see many more different schools.” The opportunity to visit different schools is invaluable when choosing where to spend four years of your adult life.
Do you want to support events like Metro Visit Days? Visit CollegePossible.org/GiveMN to make your gift today!
