Between September and November, Upper School (US) seniors crowd into spaces like the Community Room and Lindberg-Serries Theater with their lunches to meet admissions officers from colleges across the country and the world. These 30-minute-long informational sessions enable seniors to learn about schools they’re interested in and offer insight into the admissions process.

 US College Counseling Office Manager Antoinette Truman coordinated the college visits, which occurred every day except Wednesdays. 

 “Getting that face time with a rep can be really helpful,” she said. “They can see your face and your name, and they’re the same people that are reading your applications, … so when they see your application, they can connect it with you.”

 Of the 112 colleges that visited, 37 were located in the Northeast and an additional 24 were from the East Coast.

 “These sessions help students learn about a college they might not be able to visit or haven’t heard of before,” Ms. Truman said. “It’s a good opportunity for students to find out more about a school and broaden their horizons. Coming in with an open mind and being engaged and active in conversations is really helpful.”

 University of Vermont Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions Kathleen Parent visited the US on Sept. 30.

 “We use data like how many students are current applicants or how many past applicants have we received to make decisions on where we will travel,” she said.

 During college visits, students can ask questions about anything from specific academic programs to campus life.

 “I hope students walk away with their questions answered,  not only about UVM but the admissions process,” she said. “I always hope that I’ve eased some worry, as I know this can be a stressful process for students.”

 Lexi Nicholas ’26 attended one college visit.

 “It was really interesting to see an admissions officer face-to-face,” she said. “It made the application experience feel a lot more human.”

 Meeting college representatives can be comforting.

 “The admissions officer had a bubbly personality, and she was really sweet,” Lexi said. “It made me want to go to her school more. It gives me reassurance to hear admissions officers talk about how they do the application process.”

 Salar Sekhavat ’26 went to four informational sessions.

 “I had actually decided I wasn’t going to apply to one school, but after I heard the college admissions officers speak about it with such joy, and I heard them talk about all the opportunities offered, … I decided I was going to apply,” he said.

 Listening to admissions officers can influence which colleges students apply to, Salar said.

 “At one of the college visits, the admissions officer was just so nice, and she seemed so invested in the students and their experience. She was talking about students she had met years ago who had gone and had so much fun at their college. It just felt really genuine.”

 Fifteen international colleges traveled to the US, the furthest being New York University Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.

 “It’s a pretty incredible opportunity that these people are coming all the way to BB&N to talk to us,” Salar said. “These visits are super enlightening and eye-opening. Students should make the most of this chance to learn more about schools they may or may not be considering.”