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© SCHOOLINKS INC. • 2024
College Fly-In Programs: What are They and How Can Students Participate?
SchooLinks Staff
September 17, 2024
September 17, 2024
Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
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Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
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Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
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Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
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Over the past decade, digital technologies have transformed what is possible for college exploration. Students can take virtual tours, more easily connect with current students or alumni, and read a wide range of reviews and perspectives on different sites to get a sense of the campus, culture, and offerings of a particular school. And they are able to do this for an unlimited number of options without ever leaving their home. Despite this, however, virtual exploration can never fully replace the experience of an in-person visit: being able to walk around a campus, sit in classrooms and lecture halls, stay in a dorm room, and talk and interact with students and professors as a means to discovering whether a school is the right fit.
For many students and families, the costs of taking a trip to visit a college campus–especially one that is outside the student’s state or region–are simply prohibitive. Many families wait until a student has gotten into a particular school to invest in a campus trip. And even then, some students choose to commit to their next four years without ever stepping on a college campus.
Fly-In Programs Fill This Gap
A variety of colleges in recent years have acknowledged the value of these in-person visits, along with the financial burden they place on families and students. In response, they have created “fly-in” programs designed to create opportunities, often for prospective students from underserved communities, to visit their college for an immersive weekend early in the student’s senior year. Colleges and universities set aside a weekend in the fall, or multiple weekends, where they typically have students stay with current students in dorms, meet with faculty from relevant academic programs, and truly get a sense of campus life–with the costs covered by the college or university.
These experiences allow students to understand the systems of support that are available at a given school and often include sessions on applying for financial aid and admissions. Participating students can begin to build connections with students and other fly-in program participants. And they can transform what students think is possible, allowing them to see themselves at a college that may have previously seemed out of reach.
How Students Can Apply
Participating in a fly-in program is often competitive. Application requirements vary from school to school, but often include an essay, transcript, resume, and letter(s) of recommendation. Deadlines are concentrated during the summer before and fall of senior year, but some schools offer opportunities throughout the year.
Students can check with the admissions department at colleges and universities that are of interest to them to see if they have these kinds of programs and if there is still time to apply. Here is a sampling of current fly-in programs that are still open for applications this school year.
Smith College (Massachusetts)
Deadline: September 15th
Connecticut College
Deadline: September 15th
Oberlin College (Ohio)
Priority Deadline: September 22nd
Union College (New York)
Deadline: September 30th
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Deadline: October 3rd
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts)
Perspectives Overnight Program
Deadline: October 4th
Lafayette College
Deadline: October 28th
Building Fly-In Programs into CCR Communications Junior Year
Many students and families are unaware that this kind of support exists from colleges and universities. Because a large number of these programs have summer application deadlines, counselors can share with students and families during their junior year that these programs are available and encourage them to get relevant application materials like letters of recommendations and transcripts before school lets out junior year. Counselors can pair this information with other steps students and families can take to secure financial aid and scholarships as they ready for their postsecondary next step.
Creating resources and holding information sessions specifically geared toward first generation college students and those who qualify for free and reduced lunch can make a monumental difference in promoting equity in CCR programs. Specifically, finding ways to support students and families who may think they do not have the financial means to engage in many of the key aspects of college exploration can go a long way to foster inclusion, convey to students that they are valued, and allow students to see college as a possibility within their reach.
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