It has been a busy day at Popular University, but Kristy is exhilarated after her time on campus. She's sat in on a biology class, taken a campus tour, had dinner with her student host, and is planning on completing the night by attending a party thrown by one of the school's many fraternities. She gets to the party and is immediately offered a beer by one of the frat's members.

For many high school students, the college visit offers the optimal way of trying out a college. Staying overnight in the dorms, speaking with current students, and attending classes all provide prospective students with the chance to see what a university has to offer in terms of academic and social climate. However, this taste of college life can also present social dilemmas for students, as they sometimes have to confront the temptation (and potential pressure) to drink at a college party.

last year, deans from several schools advise underage visitors to "not attend parties on campus at all if they think alcohol might be present" and to seek out alternative forms of entertainment.

To help combat the problem of prospective students drinking while on campus, many colleges take a proactive approach. Besides training and supporting the student ambassadors who host visiting students, some colleges have chosen to inform the students upfront about expectations for their behavior and the possible consequences that may result from misbehavior. Kenyon is one of many colleges that require students to sign a release and code of conduct before a college-sponsored overnight stay.

"We make it very clear to students that any negative or illegal behavior on their part during their campus visit will be considered by the Admissions Office in any evaluation of their application for admission to the College," said Daryl Uy, director of admissions at Kenyon College.

Although getting guidance from the student ambassadors and knowing the school's expectations are very important, it is ultimately up to the visiting students to use their common sense and best judgment. Before visiting the school, be certain to know about the school's policies and procedures for visiting students. You can also do some research on the college's social scene by looking at websites like College Prowler. Finally, and most importantly, trust your instincts. If you find yourself in a situation that makes you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to leave it and find something else that is more attuned to your interests and comfort level.

Consider this scenario: Andrea has a language-based learning disability first diagnosed in third grade. She received academic support services from a reading specialist until age 11. As she entered middle school, she had mastered reading strategies and her team felt she no longer required services under an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Andrea's parents, however, were concerned that she would not be able to finish middle and high school exams because she reads very slowly.

"Don't worry," the school representative reassured them. "Everyone who needs extra time for tests receives it whether they have a diagnosed learning difference or not."

And this was in fact true. Teachers routinely granted extra time to Andrea, and by the end of sophomore year, she had earned a solid 3.5 GPA in a selection of both honors and college preparatory classes.

However, when Andrea sat for the PSAT in October of junior year, she quickly realized she couldn't finish any section of the test in the allotted time. She had not applied for an extended time accommodation through the College Board, which administers the PSAT, the SAT and AP exams. It had been six years since she had any educational testing and that documentation was now too dated to furnish to the College Board. Further, since Andrea has been declassified as having a learning disability and was not covered under a 504 plan, she was no longer deemed eligible in the eyes of the College Board for consideration of accommodations.

It was now December of junior year. Andrea knew that she would not be as strong a candidate at several of the colleges on her list with her current SAT scores. She kept thinking, "If I could just complete the test, I know my scores would improve." With several siblings, Andrea also understood that any chance for receiving a merit scholarship would be greatly enhanced with higher test scores, and she wanted to do everything she could to help her parents pay for college.

Andrea's parents had to scramble and find a professional who could administer the required tests, write a report and get it to the high school so they could send it on to College Board with her accommodation request by the designated deadline. The outside evaluator was expensive, but it all worked out in the end. Andrea was approved shortly before the May SAT date, took the exam and found out by the end of the month that she had increased an average of 150 points on each section of the test, just by virtue of having completed it.

What are the lessons learned from Andrea's experience?

1. If your child is declassified from an IEP, be sure to have a 504 plan put in place if he or she still requires any kind of accommodation, even if the school willingly provides the accommodations without documentation.
2. Apply for accommodations in 9th grade. The approval will stay with the student for all College Board-administered exams throughout high school. For College Board testing, documentation should not be more than five years old (three years for the ACT). Note that ACT has a different policy where students must apply prior to each test.
3. Don't game the system. These recommendations are for students who truly have a diagnosed disability or other qualifying condition, not for someone ineligible who is attempting to gain an advantage.
4. Each disability or condition has unique requirements for documentation. For instance, if students don't routinely use extended time during the school year they will not likely be approved for it on the SAT as they don't likely need it. A complete description of the requirements for a range of disabilities and conditions can be found on the College Board's Students with Disabilities page and the ACT's Services for Students with Disabilities. 
5. Plan ahead by looking at documentation requirements well before junior year.