College Visits

Visiting a college is the only way to find out your impressions of a college and it is the best way to get a feeling for the school. The more colleges you visit, the more general knowledge you will have about college and the more specific knowledge you will gain about what you like and do not like.

PLANNING A VISIT:

Call or visit the website in advance to find out about appointments and tours. Smaller colleges will probably arrange individual appointments and larger colleges will have set times for tours and group sessions. Some colleges will provide overnight lodging on campus, so ask if you are interested.

If you would like to sit in on a class or talk to a coach or professor, let the admissions office know.

If you are visiting other colleges, be sure to plan enough time between visits to get to your appointments on time and to absorb what you see.

BEFORE YOU GO:

Read over information (brochures, catalogs and/or websites) about the college so that you are prepared and knowledgeable when you visit.

Prepare questions. Remember that the purpose of this visit is for you to get information and a feeling for the college. Ask questions that you want to ask – there are no right questions to ask.

Get directions! The admissions office would be happy to provide them for you.

WHEN YOU GET THERE:

Relax and take in as much as you can.
Take a tour.
Have a meal in the cafeteria. This is the place to acquire the best impressions of student life.
Locate a campus newspaper and read it.
Check out bulletin boards. What are people posting and what is advertised?
Try to see a dorm room.
Ask your guide personal questions – such as why he chose the school or what she does not like. Your guide can provide invaluable information that will not be found in publications.
Spend time in the library. Is this a place where people study or socialize?
Eavesdrop on conversations.

SOME THINGS TO LOOK FOR:

Social Climate

What do people do on the weekends?
What social and cultural activities are offered on campus? Are these activities that you would like?
What facilities are there for socializing? Is there a social center or student union?
What clubs, organizations, and groups are evident and popular on campus?
Are the students friendly? Are they positive about their school?
How would you generalize about the “type” of student that you see – ie. preppy, nonconformist, intellectual, career oriented …
What is the political climate on campus?

Intellectual Climate

What is the student attitude toward learning?
How competitive or intense is the learning environment?
What are opportunities for special programs? ie. cooperative programs, study abroad, research…
Do you feel that this would be an intellectual “fit?”

Campus life

Does the appearance of the campus please you?
What are the living accommodations like? Is there a variety of housing from which to choose – ie single sex/coed, suites, single rooms, “quiet” dorms, off campus apartments?
Where does one find a “community”? ie. clubs, residential communities, Greek system, learning communities?
What is the difference between where freshmen and upperclassmen live?
What would you do when you go off campus?

When you visit, try to get a feeling for what your life would be like if you attend. Remember that you can gather facts from websites and guidebooks. Your visit should give you should provide you with an impression of and opinions about the college. Often, this “feeling” is the deciding factor in your decision.