11 minutes

I've been on a number of college tours recently with my son, who is just starting the 11th grade.

Prior to going, I came across an article that reported most high school kids can determine within 11 minutes of the start of a campus tour if it's a place he/she would be comfortable.

It's sort of like house hunting and walking in to a house that has everything you need but that just doesn't feel right.

So far, the 11 minute rule appears to be right on the mark.

On the most recent tour, after about 8 minutes, my son turned to me and said, "what kind of a college is this?"

I had to agree with him.

So here's a few quick pointers for when your time comes:

1. Definitely go on the tours. It's the best way to get a feel of the campus.

2. If things don't feel right after about 11 minutes, start to move toward the rear of the tour procession.

3. Look for an escape route. So far we've found that loitering in the college bookstore is the easiest way to make a break for it.