From Monday, July 15, through Friday, July 19, Indiana’s 30 private, nonprofit colleges and universities are welcoming students and their families interested in learning about the college selection process. Visitors will experience the unique personalities of each campus through tours, informational sessions, and conversations with current students and staff. All activities are free of charge. A complete list of participating campuses, event schedules, and registration information is available at www.collegetoolkit.org/pcw19.

As part of this week, a number of campuses are hosting 21st Century Scholars Day on Wednesday, July 17 (please check the schedule for participating campuses). Scholars, as well as all other students, are invited to visit ICI institutions hosting special activities designed to help complete requirements of the Scholar Success Program. The program includes 12 college-prep activities, mandatory for Scholars but recommended for all students, including visiting a campus, estimating the costs of college, searching for scholarships, and submitting a college application.

Visitors between the ages of 16 and 20 touring ICI campuses during Private College Week will also have the chance to enter a drawing for one of two Microsoft Surface or Apple iPad mini tablets. Entry forms and rules will be available at each campus.

“We want all students and families to discover that an Indiana private college education is within reach in terms of affordability,” says David W. Wantz, president & CEO of the Independent Colleges of Indiana. “In addition to federal and state grants, including the 21st Century Scholarship, ICI colleges and universities make millions of scholarship dollars from their own funds available to students, making a top-flight college degree a dream come true for tens of thousands of students.”

The Princeton Review cites campus visits as the “most important part of your research” when deciding which institution to attend. Students are better prepared to decide what university is right for them by getting to know how the campus feels and where they best fit into the picture. Although Indiana’s private colleges encourage and welcome visitors throughout the year, this concentrated week offers students an opportunity to visit as many campuses as they would like without missing school. Individual tours may also be scheduled upon personal request.

About Independent Colleges of Indiana serves as the collective voice for the state’s 30 private, non-profit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ nearly 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI intuitions produce nearly 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates. More information about ICI is available at icindiana.org.