Yesterday, I posted that it isn't always necessary to visit a college because there are other ways of demonstrating interest if it's inconvenient to make the trip.
But if you really want to delve into how colleges make decisions, visit collegedata.com. Here's Villanova's page. They consider a student's interest, so it's a good idea to visit especially if you live locally. If you visit University of Indiana's page, you'll see that they don't consider a student's "interest" at all. If the school is your top choice, by all means visit and build a relationship with your area rep. But it's not a prerequisite for getting in.
Come check out the updates! I've added 2017 students and their colleges to my website slideshow. As I check in with 2016 students, I will post the comments they give about their college experiences so far. Getting in is great, but being happy and successful for four years counts more.
I listed 15 private colleges that offer up to 73% non-need based merit aid in my last post. That means that attending a private college can cost less than a state school. Here are 7 more schools that are on many of my students' college lists. Qualified applicants can save 30-43% on tuition.
Macalester College 30% University of Richmond 31%
Loyola University, MD 34% George Washington University 34%
Bentley University 35% Bryn Mawr College 39%
Gettysburg College 43%