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Visiting Colleges
Arrange in advance for an interview and a tour - The cost of one year at an independent college is about that of a new car. And just as you would not pick a car by driving by the showroom, so you will not find the information you need to know about a college by driving around the campus. Some large state universities do not offer interviews, some discourage interviews. Some colleges will help you arrange an overnight in a residence hall, visits to classes, a chat with a coach or faculty member, and a meal on campus. If you cannot arrange a lengthy stay, at least take the campus tour and ask questions of your tour guide. Always call the Admission Office in advance of your visit.
Don’t forget a notebook and camera to record your impressions, names of contacts, and to list your questions. If you visit many colleges at once, they may tend to blur together after the first few stops.
Some Important Questions and Factors to Consider:
- Where is the college located? Is it too close to home? Too far away?
- Is its history important to the college's philosophy?
- Is it liberal? Conservative? Somewhere in the middle?
- Large or small: How big? Are there other schools of the same size in the area?
- Co-ed? Religious or nonsectarian? Urban or rural?
- What is the grading system? Requirements (number of hours) and required courses for graduation?
- What percentage of seniors go on to graduate school? Medical school? Law school? MBA programs? How are graduates employed?
- What percentage of freshmen actually graduate in four years? Five years? Eventually?
- What degrees are offered?
- Does every department offer a major? Which courses are open to freshmen? Which courses are required? Which are electives?
- Are there special academic programs or terms (e.g. junior year abroad, exchange programs, interim intensive courses, a January term)? How popular are they?
- Can an entering student change from one division to another?
- Student Union facilities? Accommodations on campus?
- How about the library: what is it like? How many books? What are the hours? What are the graduate and undergraduate facilities?
- Is the college one which divides its academic year by semester? Trimester? Quarter? Does the college offer a trimester in which the student does intensive work in one course? Studies off-campus?
- How many courses can one take? What is the ordinary academic load?
- Where does the student body come from? Is there diversity?
- Are there social fraternities or sororities? Do they have houses on or near campus? What percentage of the student body is part of the Greek system?
- What are the residence facilities like? What percentage live on and off campus? What effect does this have on the campus community?
- What are the dining facilities? Can students eat in their dormitories? Are there eating clubs? Dining plans? Accommodation for special diets, especially vegetarian? Is there a college nutritionist?
- What are the health facilities on campus? Medical or dental plans for students?
- Adequate gym, pool, tennis facilities? Intramural sports? Interscholastic teams?
- Scholarship aid available? From school or government or where? Loans? Under what conditions and to whom? Are co-signers necessary?
- Are there student jobs available? Are they reserved for work-study students, or are there jobs available for anyone?
- What are the facilities for worship on campus? What type of religious organizations or groups are present on campus?
- What types of honorary and/or professional societies are sponsored by the college? (e.g. Phi Beta Kappa)
- Are there many extracurricular activities? Are there too many distractions from study?
- How many faculty? Faculty-student ratio? What percentage of the faculty hold the highest degree in their field? Who are considered outstanding by students? Who will be teaching the courses you want to take?
- What does the college look like? Do you see yourself in these surroundings for four years?
- Admissions: high, average, low in terms of competition for places? What difference in competition in admission to specific programs, majors?
- What computer services are available on campus? Do dormitories provide direct Internet access? Do most students bring their own computers to campus? Are classrooms wired?
- What are the admissions criteria? SAT I? SAT II? ACT? To what degree is rank-in-class important? Extracurricular achievement? Course load?
- What is the general campus atmosphere? Intellectual? Collegiate? Nonconformist? Anti-intellectual? Socially concerned? Experimental? Some combination of these?
- What are typical classes like (especially for first or second year students)? Large classes? Lecture format with discussion groups? When can you take a seminar? How many are in the introductory biology class? Introductory Psychology?
- Is it easy to get into the courses you want? If the school offers a joint program, is there inter-campus transportation available so that you can take the courses you want on another campus?
- Can you study in your room? Where else are study areas available?
- Describe the advising system. Are there advisors and guidance counselors available?
- How available to undergraduates are professors? Do you have to take the initiative? Are there posted office hours?
- Is there a job placement center? Is it accessible and helpful before the senior year?
- What general necessities are available on or near to campus? (e.g. stores, laundries, hair cutters, etc.)
- What does the newspaper look like? What types of issues or topics are discussed? Is it popular or widely read?
- Are the students satisfied with the way things are run? What sorts of issues are currently the "hot" issues?
- Do the facilities live up to the pictures in the catalog?
- What kinds of entertainment are available on/off campus? Movies? Plays? Concerts? Exhibits? Lectures? Clubs?
- Are there hidden costs and/or fees?
- What does the college do to orient its new students upon arrival?
- What does the college present as its weaknesses? Its strengths?
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