College Visits – Understand College Culture

No matter how many pages of a college's website or brochure you read, nothing can replicate the feeling of walking on campus or meeting with students and professors. Aside from providing opportunities for one-on-one discussions, prospective students can also pick up on the subtleties of campus culture that may not come across on paper.

You can read all the FAQ sections on a school's website, but what if your question isn't frequently asked? By meeting with students, faculty and administrators, students can have individual questions answered and even provide insight about their unique financial or academic backgrounds that allow for more nuanced answers.

It's not uncommon to be asked “Why do you want to attend our school?” on the essay section of college applications. A campus visit will help you provide a thoughtful, accurate reason why you would benefit the student body and vice versa. On the flipside, it can also help you realize why the school isn't a great fit in ways you may not have recognized otherwise.

Choose which colleges to visit

Narrowing down the options of which colleges to visit – let alone choosing one to attend – can be an overwhelming experience, especially for those students who plan to enter a fairly common major. The good news is that lots of organizations and services make it easy for students to get a broad overview of the educational landscape before zooming in on the specific traits they are looking for in a school.

Go See Campus
Allows students to do detailed college searches for institutions with specific majors, acceptance rates, cost, location, funding and student body sizes.

National College Fair
Brings hundreds of colleges and universities to various parts of the country so students can speak to representatives without having to travel to each one individually.

Worldwide College Tours
Rather than hosting nearby events, WCT brings college recruiters and admissions experts directly to high schools, thereby making it possible for prospective students to ask questions and get a sense of various schools without ever leaving their own campus.

After researching a range of schools, learners need to narrow their list. Every student is different, but a general rule is that visiting only one school won't give you a wide enough lens to make informed decisions. You also don't want to live outside your means and visit more than is financially reasonable. That may look like three schools for some or six for others, but it's a choice that should be made carefully and likely with family.

Plan your trip

Once you've decided where you're going, it's time to decide how and when to get there, and what you'll be doing when you're there. Depending on a student's radius of interest, some trips could require public transportation or a car, while others may require a flight. If this is the case, it's best to start planning early to get reasonably priced tickets rather than waiting until the last minute.

Once travel arrangements have been sorted out, don't forget to also think about transportation once you arrive in each place. Is there sufficient public transportation to take you from the airport to the college, and potentially around the city? Would it make more sense to take a taxi or rideshare for the short amount of time you will be there? Or would it be better to rent a car? Are there multiple schools you can visit on the same trip?

The other significant question to be answered is what you'll be doing once you get to the school. Are you at the stage where a group tour will suffice, or would you rather shadow a student, sit in on classes and/or stay in a dormitory for the night? These activities take more planning, so again, begin thinking about your goals for the trip well in advance.

Collect the info you need

When packing for a college visit, it's important to keep in mind what you'll need and what's better left at home. A few ideas include:

• A list of questions for various campus representatives you'll meet (e.g. tour guide, current student, faculty, staff)
• If you want to take notes, consider bringing a recorder or making sure your phone has space to record details from an info session. That way you can focus instead of scribbling notes furiously the whole time.
• A campus map. If you have individual meetings that aren't part of the group tour, the last thing you want to do is show up late because you couldn't find the right building. Most school websites have printable maps.
• Appropriate clothing. Aside from looking professional (we've got tips on that later in the guide!), remember to bring weather-appropriate clothing in case it rains.
• A camera. You'll want to remember all the different buildings you saw, so either bring a standalone camera or use your smartphone.
• A form of identification. This may be needed to enter specific buildings, so keep it close by just in case.

• How large are most classes?
• Do professors make themselves easily available outside class?
• Do undergrads have the opportunity to work with professors on research projects?
• How hard is it to change your major?
• Are computer labs available?
• Which extracurricular activities are most popular?
• Is community service emphasized?
• Are a variety of dormitory styles available based on individual student needs?

• Where do students tend to spend their time when they aren't in class?
• Do you find the campus to be diverse and accepting?
• Is it easy to get around school and the surrounding areas without a car?
• Are there ample opportunities for part-time employment?
• What's a typical week like?
• If you could change anything about the school, what would it be?
• Do campus administrators and faculty take into account student surveys and requests?
• What is it like to be a freshman on campus?
• Did you find it easy to make friends?
• Are your classes sufficiently challenging?
• Do you feel like your degree and experiences at the school are preparing you for personal and professional success?

Often group tours include lots of walking, so it's important to dress comfortably. While you should avoid gym clothes or anything too informal, a pair of jeans with a nice shirt is often completely acceptable. Tennis shoes, flats or other footwear that won't give you blisters is perfectly fine, provided they are clean and not overly worn.

The rules of the group tour still apply, but you might want to consider wearing better jeans or a pair of nicer pants just to be on the safe side. It's possible that you'll have the opportunity to talk to professors or administrators in an informal setting, so you want to be prepared.

When meeting with an admissions officer or any other employee of the college who could decide your fate in terms of admittance, it's important to put your best foot forward. That doesn't mean wearing anything flashy. Instead, students should aim for business casual attire. Think pant or skirt suit with reasonable shoes, all of which should be in a neutral color such as blue, black, beige or grey. Some schools may provide guidelines, which you should follow.

It's always better to err on the side of being overdressed, so if you're taking a campus tour before an interview, plan to either wear something nice all day or, if possible, bring a change of clothes.

Research the school before you visit.
Not only will this help you pinpoint questions to ask, but will also show that you're sincerely interested.

Introduce yourself to an admissions officer.
Do this even if you don't have a meeting as it will help them to put a face with the name when your application arrives.

Send a thank you note.
After your visit, send a brief note (through email is fine) to anyone you met with or spent time with.

Turn off your smartphone.
At the very least, put it on mute or vibrate to avoid any embarrassing alerts during meetings.

Forget to arrange a visit.
You could end up being there on a day that tours and/or information sessions aren't scheduled.

Neglect to build in time to explore campus on your own.
Campus tours typically stick to general areas of campus to accommodate groups, but you'll likely want to go see areas of the school that correspond to your specific interests.

Wear out your welcome.
It's fine to ask a few questions and chat with faculty and staff, but remember that they have places to be.

Ask generic questions.
Not only can you find this information easily, but it won't be impressive to any campus representatives you meet.