By Oakes Hunnewell, Ed.M., CEP

Why visit at all

For many juniors and seniors, fall and spring are opportunities to visit college campuses across the country. If prospective students are able to do so, in-person campus visits can help them determine what colleges are a good match. If travel is not an option, remote or virtual visits can also help students determine level of interest. A good starter strategy is to identify local colleges and universities of varying sizes and locations. Even if they do not intend to attend staying local, these visits will help students quickly understand their likes and dislikes. The main purpose for the campus visit is for students to experience aspects of colleges that cannot easily be seen through books and web-sites. It is important to explore academic opportunities. It is also crucial to discover the atmosphere and culture on these campuses. If students are not happy socially, there is a much greater chance they will not be successful academically. According to University Language Services, an online web-site focused on how to choose the right college, “you’re going to spend the next four years of your life on campus. The right social setting will make you a happier student, and your happiness is definitely something worth taking into consideration.”

The tour: student life

Campus visits are divided into two segments, the tour and the information session. During the tour, it is important that the prospective students pay attention to student life. They should pay attention to the following-

amount of students seen around campus
general expressions on the students’ faces
places where students congregate
general level of activity taking place on campus
visibility of student organizations around campus
reaction of students as they walk by the touring group
what the students look like- athletic, artsy, edgy, intellectual looking
dorm rooms- show rooms vs. lived in rooms

The tour: academics and resources

There is no doubt that the central focus still remains around academics and resources available to the students. During the tour, prospective students should also make note of-

the facilities in their preferred area of study impressive
the classrooms- small, discussion based or large lecture halls?
students in the classrooms- focused or distracted
the library- a social gathering or a quiet place to study Note that a ten o’clock tour may be an entirely different experience than a two o’clock tour. Students sleep a lot. Morning is not their preferred time of day.

The information session

Preceding or following the tour is the information session. This is an opportunity for prospective students to hear about the college from an admissions representative. Generally, the admissions representative will highlight key programs offered by the college and will go over the application process. Prospective students should listen for-

some unique features about the college
programs offered that have not been mentioned in other information sessions
study abroad opportunities offered by the college
alternative calendars such as a mini semester (January term), block schedule or a co-op
internships and research opportunities for undergraduate students
learning support resources provided for students needing help

Questions and next steps

Many times, the information session will be followed by a time for Q&A. This would be an opportune time to pose questions if they haven’t already been answered. If you are in the process of beginning your college search, consider visiting ForecastEd. It can help you narrow the field down by listing colleges and universities that fit your criteria. It can also do so much more.