Are you a high school student about to embark on your college journey? What locations should you include on your college visit checklist? You have come to the right place if you can answer yes to either of these questions.
College visits can be stressful if you are unsure what to look for. We will help you understand the importance of a college visit while giving you options for things you can do on your tour. Keep reading to find this information and much more to help you embark on this new journey.
Why Students Should Consider Visiting Colleges?
Why Students Should Consider Visiting Colleges?A college brochure aims to entice and excite you. It provides all the highlights about a university. However, what you see in a brochure is not always what you get. It will likely contain the newest dorms, the most active clubs and even the best facilities. Yet these are things you may not even experience during your first year.
A college visit allows you to see the campus for what it is and not what it could be. How would you know what the surrounding city of a school is like if you never visited the campus? On paper, a school may look like the perfect match, but it may not be what you are looking for socially or even economically in person.
It would be best if you also spent some time during your visit asking questions. Being on campus allows you access to people you may not have had via the phone.
What are the Things You Should Know Before a Campus Tour?
One thing you should make sure you do before your visit is prepare. There are several things that you should keep in mind and do to prepare for your visit.
Make a List and Check it Twice
Creating a college visit checklist is a great way to ensure you get all your questions answered and see the most important places during your visit.
Have a Plan
Research the college area and list places you would like to see on and off campus.
Check for Events
Most colleges always have events during the touring season. Attending college events is a great way to get the real college experience. Plan your trip early and get tickets to events happening on and off the college campus.
Reach Out to Faculty and Students
It may be a great idea to reach out to students and teachers who are available for you to visit. Admissions offices also typically have student volunteers who will take students around the campus when they visit. There are also Facebook and social media groups dedicated to incoming first-year students. By socializing in these groups, you may be able to connect with current students who can take you around the campus.
What to Do on a College Visit?
Visit the classrooms and facilities relevant to your major
Visiting the campus is a great way to see the buildings and facilities that your classes will be in. Touring the buildings gives you the opportunity to see the quality of equipment and even the classroom sizes. You may even get the opportunity to visit an ongoing course.
Visit the areas where you will spend most of your time living: Dorms, fitness centres, and dining halls
Whether you are a junior or a student who has already been accepted, seeing the facilities is a great way to see what you are getting yourself into. Go to the dining hall and purchase a meal. Evaluate the school on more than just what you see on paper.
Check out the local hangouts and eateries that students often attend. If you are looking to be a commuter student, seeing the office campus housing is one important component of your visit. You may even want to visit the local police station or look up area crime rates.
Don’t take the school’s word for it
Talk to actual students. As you are roaming the campus, get the perspective of students hanging out. Guage who you approach accordingly, but having the opinion of actual students is invaluable. They should not be biased and are not part of a program meant to make the school look good.
Check for extracurriculars
If you are looking to join a team or are already an athletic student, checking out the sports teams and facilities is a must. If you are an athlete, you may be able to organize a tryout or practice with the team. When you think about extracurriculars, don’t just think about the obvious. There are several smaller teams and clubs you may be able to visit as well. Consider your interests and choose the clubs you will most likely join.
Don’t let the trip go to waste
Capitalize on the area and visit multiple schools, especially if you travel a considerable distance. For example, if you were travelling to Greensboro, North Carolina, it would make sense to visit the University of North Carolina Greensboro and NC A&T, Bennett College, or even Wake Forest University.
11 Important Questions to Ask Yourself When Visiting a College
You must ask yourself several questions while on the college visit. These questions are no longer about the logistics of the school but more about your ability to fit into the environment. We’ve provided you with a list of questions in several different categories to think about as you’re looking for things to do on a college visit.
1. Do I see myself being happy here?
2. Is the campus big/small enough for me?
3. Do I feel safe on campus?
4. Can I have a car during my first year? Is there parking?
5. Do the facilities meet my needs and expectations?
6. Are there places on campus to hang out?
7. Do I enjoy the campus food?
8. Are the people friendly?
9. Does the campus have everything I need to live comfortably?
10. How is the public transportation in the area?
11. Are there closed grocery stores or shops?
How to Get Out the Most of Your College Visit: 5 Tips
You can do several things to ensure you get the most out of your college experience. This list will help you understand where to go and what to do to get the most out of your college tour experience.
Go With a Group
There are several organizations and school-affiliated groups that host yearly college tours. These tours are often done via coach buses, allowing students to visit multiple schools simultaneously. Though students do not get the flexibility of selecting where they can go, schools will often organize tours and activities specifically for school-sponsored tours.
Take Notes on Your Visit
One thing you should always do while on your visit is take notes. You don’t have to walk around with a notebook if you don’t want to; use your phone or iPad to take quick notes.
Take Pictures & Videos
Document your experience by taking photos. Once your tour circuit is complete, use these photos to compare multiple campuses. You may also benefit from taking videos of the different things you experience. When you watch them later, it can bring you back to the moments you spent on campus.
Don’t Forget About Safety
As you walk around campus, pay attention to campus safety. Take note of the police presence on campus and evaluate if the police poles on campus are functioning. Check out the police reports and information released about the campus.
Pick the Perfect Day
Though visiting college campuses during the holidays may seem ideal if you want to see the campus at its best, these are not the best times. Christmas, Thanksgiving, and even summer break are the worst times for these visits. Your high school Spring break, or Mondays, is a great time to visit a campus and experience prime activity.
Wrapping Things Up: 5 Things to Do on a College Visit
A college visit is a great way to better understand a college campus and its surrounding areas. You can do several things while taking a college visit to ensure you get the best experience. This includes not only visiting the dorms and campus facilities but also taking a look at off-campus housing and local hangouts. Our college not only has to pick you, but you must also be able to pick it confidently. A tour is a great way to get off the fence about a school.
