DAYTON -- After all the glossy presentations and official welcomes, how will you know which college offers you the best fit? Spend the night, says Josie Werhowatz, a recent University of Dayton graduate who organized and coordinated her school's overnight program last year. About 175 high school students spent the night on campus for official visits. "It gives you a true representation of what life is really like," she says. With no parents, no rehearsed speeches or tidied-up dorm rooms, a night on campus can make or break your impression of the school. "If you're going to compare schools, you should do an overnight at as many places as you can," says Jake Muszynski, a UD student who has coordinated the overnight program, too. Prospective students first schedule a visit with the admissions office, where they're matched with student hosts who take the visitors to classes, show them around campus and give them a place to stay. "Basically, you'll be doing whatever your host normally does," says Werhowatz. She advises prospects to schedule visits during the week rather than at the weekend, when it's harder to find hosts and there are no classes. So what do you bring? Along with bedding, clothes, and money for food, remember to bring a notepad and jot down your impressions. Greg Bajbas, a UD chemical engineering major, made overnight visits to two campuses before making his decision. "All you really need is a couple of bucks and a pillow. It gives you a much better idea of what campus is like." Be sure to check out dormitory options, sit in on a class and visit the computer labs, he adds. Another reality check is that visitors are under the same restrictions they would be under as first-year students. Students and parents will receive emergency phone numbers so they will have access to a university staff member or official if needed. Muszynski says he thinks it's a mistake for visiting students and their parents to put too much emphasis on either social atmosphere or academics. "You need to get a good overall picture. Find out if it's a place where you can live for the next four years." By The Associated Press