I brought my twin girls to many games, they have uncles who graduated from VT, I did, close cousins who did, grandfather who helped build Pritchard etc. Because of my job, I was able to set up connections for them and they got a personalized one on one tour of the campus and met the professors they would potentially be studying under.

At all the other schools they went to, they got the generic, big group rah rah session with visuals (movies, powerpoints, current students pushing the school, walking the campus).

VT is now way down on the list of where they want to go. They said going to VT is like never leaving home and they are so used to the school that it would be boring to attend (i.e, they want something new and different). I believe a lot of those feelings come from the lack of letting them attend the marketing show the generic visit provides with 40 other families all who have excited teenagers looking at the school for the first time.

Fortunately/unfortunately, they are going to be able to get into just about any school they want to. I am now faced with them wanting to go to engineering schools that are ranked lower than VT and cost more all because they don't want to go somewhere they have visited "a million" times. Note: I told them they had to make up the difference in costs - they are on board.

Bottom line for my family which may or may not apply to yours - unofficial is great and they can see the school from your eyes. Just remember, they are 16-18 and what's important to them may not be what we as alums show them. I would still highly recommend the generic, big group marketing show that is the official visit.

Good luck!