When your son or daughter was in the midst of the search process for college, chances are that he or she (and possibly you) spent countless hours poring over college websites. College websites have become an extremely important admissions tool. Many students who visit colleges say that they were drawn to a particular college because of its website. Admissions professionals work hard to make their sites not only informative, but also appealing and representative of the institution.
Once your child heads to college, you should begin to look at the college’s website differently. As a parent of a college student, you’re no longer looking at a website to evaluate the institution, but using it to gather information, and to have a sense of the place where your child will be spending significant time during the coming years. Use this tool to it fullest advantage. Spend time browsing the site, look beyond the “For Parents” section. Enter the site through the “Current Students” portal as well as the “For Parents” area.
The following are ten suggestions for parents on how to look at the college website to gather the most information:
