Senior Resources

Making a College Visit

It’s good to spend time on several campuses before making a final decision on where you’d like to attend. During your visit, picture yourself attending the school and imagining what could be. You should tour the facilities, meet students and staff and get a glimpse of campus life.

To Plan a College Visit: Contact the school’s admissions department and schedule a visit. When scheduling, keep in mind that a campus visit over summer break will provide a different perspective from that experienced during the school year. To get the most out of your college visits, you should prepare a few things ahead of time.

Needs and Wants List: This list should include the items you feel are important to succeed in college. If small class sizes and certain extracurricular options are important, ask about them. Assistance programs for special learning needs may be important to inquire about too.

List of questions: What do you want to learn during your visit? If you want to talk with professors in a certain major, discuss that ahead of time with the admissions officer.

A friend or family member: Ask a friend or family member to go with you. They can offer another perspective and may ask different questions.

List of campus activities and attractions that interest you: Check out the school and community website to get a feel for the campus and community.

If you don’t have the time or resources to travel and see colleges, contact them and ask about resources they have available to help students experience what they have to offer. Many schools have online tools such as virtual tours and student blogs.

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A COLLEGE

What do I want to major in?

Do I want to be on a small or large campus?

What is campus life like?

Do I want to be close to home?

What extracurricular activities does the school offer?

What are the costs and average student debt?

Which colleges have the major I’m interested in?

What is the student-to-professor ratio? Are the class sizes large or small?

What is the school’s graduation rate?

What is the job placement rate?

Do I want to graduate early? If so, does the college offer accelerated classes (e.g. two eight-week classes in one semester)?