Debrief

Talk about the experience and what you think of the college. Hock advises parents to let their student do the talking first, because some students are less likely to contradict their parents if they feel differently about a campus. Engage in a candid dialogue about the pros and cons of each place.

And one more thing: Hock reminds students that they shouldn't skip a college visit. She even recommends an overnight stay on campus, even after you're accepted. One of her students did just that after she learned she'd been accepted to her ideal college. An overnight stay made her realize that the party atmosphere and social life there made her uncomfortable, and she decided to attend another school.

Better learn now than suffer for four years or go through the process of applying again and transferring somewhere else.

"Attending a college you've never visited before is like a four-year-long blind date," Hock says.