But just as families are looking more discerningly at college expenses, so too are they assessing the costs — in time and money — associated with campus visits. Depending on how far afield their future coed wants to wander, campus visits can mean time taken off work and school, hotel stays, travel by plane/train/automobile and more.
So I wasn't surprised when I read this in Time magazine: Google — which I'm hoping will be a benevolent ruler when we're all subjects in its kingdom one day — is promoting the use of Google Hangouts in the college admissions process as a way for students to visit campuses virtually.
It makes sense; as the article's author notes, a Google study showed nine out of 10 students research colleges and universities online. A Google Hangout could be a good way for prospective students to chat with current students, admissions and financial aid staff, even alumni about the programs and the school. It would be a great tool for international students, or even those U.S. students looking at a college on the other side of the country.
I can't imagine it replacing the campus visit, though, at least not for everyone. I think it could be very helpful in making the decision to visit a college or university, especially if it is some distance from a student's hometown. But how a place feels when you get there can make a huge difference.
Duke University participated in Google's College Admission Week last year. All its Hangouts are pulled together in this blog post.
(Photo from Microsoft Office Images)
(Google Hangout logo courtesy of Google)
I definitely see the benefits for doing this. It does make it a lot easier and less time-consuming to do this for a long-distance college instead of going through all the trouble visiting the campus in person, and then perhaps deciding that it is not the right fit for the student. However, I still think that in-person visits are still the way to go- things like what you are talking about are more convenient for the 21st century, but only an in-person visit to a college campus can give the student a firsthand look at what the college has to offer.
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