It’s official. We’re now smack-dab in the middle of summer vacation. For rising high school juniors and seniors, that means you’re likely smack-dab in the middle of summer college visits.

There are both pros and cons to scheduling your college visits during the summer.

On the upside, it can be convenient to tag a campus visit onto a family vacation (look for BU signs on the interstate!). Summer usually means more flexible schedules for you and your family, and you can schedule morning or afternoon tours without missing school days. It’s also a great way to narrow down your college list before senior year even starts.

A summer campus visit can, however, be deceiving. Our students have left campus — off to study abroad, intern, work, and relax — so you won’t get an accurate picture of Bellarmine life. Sure, there are some students taking summer classes, but there are no basketball games, coffee dates, Homecoming dances, ensemble rehearsals, student government elections, or club frisbee practices in the air.

We’d certainly LOVE to see you over these next couple of months, but if you stop by campus, here are a few things to expect and not expect from a summer campus visit to Bellarmine.

• DO expect an emptier campus. Yes, we are a small school, but we’re not so tiny that campus looks constantly deserted (cricket, cricket). There’s a lot of life up here on the hill, so don’t be fooled by our quiet summer campus.

• DON’T expect to automatically be able to sit in on classes or meet with professors. School’s out, so professors don’t hold their regular classroom or office hours.

• DO expect more time to meet with admissions staff. Our schedules don’t contain nearly as much travel during the summer, so we’re here on campus full-time. Take the time to chat with us a few more minutes, ask a few extra questions, or hang out with your tour guide a second longer (because they don’t have to run off to class either!).

• DON’T limit your visit to campus only! Bellarmine is located in Louisville’s Highlands neighborhood, and it’s the perfect place to spend a summer afternoon. After finishing your campus tour, stroll along Bardstown Road and enjoy an iced coffee, a slice of pizza, or a scoop of ice cream. Peek inside a clothing boutique, or an art gallery, and revel in the neighborhood that Bellarmine students call home. 

• DO expect some hot temperatures. Louisville can be a hot and humid place from June through August. Just remember though: one miserably hot day shouldn’t paint the entire picture of what your BU experience would look like. Louisville enjoys all four seasons. Ask your tour guide about cool autumn nights spent cheering on the soccer team, sledding down the hill in February, and springtime Derby celebrations.

• DON’T expect us to leave you parched and sweltering in the heat. (That would just be mean.) On our campus tours, we provide you with water and frozen treats!

• DO expect to encounter minor construction projects. Colleges across the country use summer as a time for renovation and new building, and BU is no exception. Pardon the mess! We’re just ensuring everything is ready to go when students return in the fall!

Hope to see you soon!

Go Knights!

-Carrie Daut, Admission Counselor