Visiting Colleges
Visiting colleges is an important part of deciding which college is right for you. On a college tour, you can ask questions, see what the campus and students really look and feel like, and decide if it's the kind of place that's right for you.
To make the most of your visit, consider these tips and advice:
Schedule your visit well in advance, since some tours may fill up. Also be sure to schedule at a good time, if possible.
Read up on the college, using college guides, brochures, course catalogs, and web sites. By doing this "homework," you'll uncover topics you'd like to learn more about during your visit.
Visit a local college first. Then you'll know what to look for and ask about during later college visits.
Bring a camera, a notebook, and a campus map.
Make sure you have enough time. Schedule two colleges per day at most and allot extra time for getting oriented and finding parking.
Visit as many schools as you reasonably can. If there are too many, try to visit your top choices as well as a diversity of colleges—visiting a large urban campus and a small rural campus could quickly rule out one type or another.
Attend the informational session and tour offered by the admissions office. Pick up any papers that look useful, such as brochures, financial aid form, business cards, and the like.
Ask a lot of questions about academics, extracurriculars, the social scene, the surrounding community, safety, housing, and food—especially questions that you can't find answers to in your books, brochures and websites. Ask not only the admissions staff, but also regular students around campus who can give you their honest opinions.
Make sure your parents behave! Here are some common parental faux pas to avoid:
- Using the royal "we" or speaking for the student
- Bragging about the student or by bringing up personal issues.
- Monopolizing the discussion.
- Sitting in on the on-campus interview, if there is one.
Take your own tour. If possible, check out the dining halls, dorms, classrooms, student center, library, and other facilities. If you can audit a class or dine on-campus, go for it!
Get a sense for the student body by reading the college newspaper, perusing the bulletin boards, and simply observing what kind of students are walking around campus.
Tour the local community. Would you enjoy spending time there? Is it easy to get around?
Consider writing a note to the admissions staff you met with, letting them know what you enjoyed about your visit. By doing so, you'll make a valuable connection and possibly pick up some demonstrated interest brownie points.
Review your impressions and notes after your visit. Which school(s) fit your criteria? Where could you see yourself for several years?