You’ve toured colleges on the east coast, the west coast, the southern states and the Midwest. Good on you. Now you’ve got to show off what you’ve learned in your college applications!

Many schools have a checklist where you can note that you visited – whether you attended an information session or made contact with anyone in admissions. So while you are on campus, make it an official tour. If you can, meet with someone in admissions and get her card so you can follow up and note it on your application too.

Lots of school applications will also have supplemental questions like, “Why do you want to attend our school?”or “Tell us which programs most interest you, and why?” Here is your chance to show that you are genuinely interested in their school and would attend if given the chance. Avoid the temptation to regurgitate 15 facts about the school you got from a pamphlet. Instead, zero in on what really interests you, whether it is the small class sizes, design-your-own major options, the excellent research capabilities – or all three! If you can show in-depth understanding of the school rather than just what someone would glean from a cruise around their website, you’ve got a leg up on the competition.

Finally, show that you value the campus culture. Mention what you will add to the class. Schools know what they have to offer you, show what you can do for them too.