COLLEGE CAMPUS VISITS
While gathering statistics,
looking at glossy publications and asking others opinions may give you
invaluable data on a school, the ONLY way to know whether or not a
college or university is the right place for you is to visit. Ideally,
you will be able to visit a college before you apply for admission. You
definitely want to visit a school before you commit to attending there.
Always schedule your visit in advance with the admission office. The
way to make the most out of your visit is to meet with as many people
as possible. That is only guaranteed if you plan and allow the school
to plan your visit ahead of time. During your senior year you are
allowed 3 days of excused
absences to visit college campuses.
1.
Tour campus – see all of the facilities that students use.
Ask to see the residence halls that you will be staying in your
freshman year, not just the brand new ones they opened last year.
2. Talk to current
students – they are the current "consumers" and most will give
their
honest opinion. Just remember it is their opinion not necessarily
yours. Try to talk with a variety of current students to counter any
particular person’s biases.
3. Meet with an
admission representative. Ideally, you’ll be able to have a
personal
interview/meeting with an admission representative. But, some schools
have gone to group interview sessions for campus visits. Either way, be
prepared and ask questions. And, realize that the impression you make
on all of the staff that you meet during your visit can affect the
outcome of your admission decision.
4. Visit a class and
talk with a faculty member if possible. Faculty members will be
able to
tell you about what is really available in their department for
students. Do they have internships? Is there student research going on?
Etc.
5. Eat a meal on campus. See what it is really like. Observe the students and how they interact
with each other. Meet a lot of students in one place. Are there faculty
and staff eating with the students?
6. Visit the places where
students meet and hang out. Is there a coffee shop, snack bar or
student union available? Are there outdoor parks or seating areas where
the students go?
7. Read the campus
newspaper as a means of finding out what the issues on campus are. Check the bulletin boards in the student union and in the classroom
buildings. What is happening on campus?
8. Ask questions! Be
prepared before you go. Know what you already know about the school and
what you want to find out. Listen and observe and use your observations
to ask further questions. This is not the time to be shy. See Things to
Consider and Questions to Ask.
9. After the visit is
over, write down your impressions of the school as soon as possible. Was
it a friendly campus? Did the students seem like
people you would
like to know? Was the school interested in having you as a student?
What is the academic atmosphere like, supportive, competitive? What
impressed you? What concerned you? Would you like to go back?
(NOTE: If you are going
to apply Early Decision to a college or university, it is HIGHLY recommended that you visit
prior to applying. Selective colleges with Early Decision programs view
it as impossible to know that they are your number one choice if you
have not visited campus. Your chances of being admitted Early Decision
increase if you have visited.)
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