Smarter Admissions

College visits are a worthwhile element of the college planning process. From getting a sense of what you want in a school environment to making the final decision between schools to which you have been admitted, campus visits offer valuable insight for making this important decision. 

While virtual visits are available for almost every US college, nothing takes the place of actually walking around a campus, seeing the classroom buildings, dorms, and dining halls, and feeling the energy of a school community. Great college visits will either fire you up about applying to that school or turn you off of it completely. Either way, you have learned something valuable that will inform your college decision.

Start Close to Home

College visits don’t have to be expensive, time-consuming trips. There is value in visiting colleges close to home, even if your student thinks they want to go away to school. By visiting colleges early in the discernment process, you can learn a lot about what a teen prefers (or wants to stay away from) that can shape their eventual college list.

Schools close to home can help a student decide if they are interested in being in a city, a suburb, or a rural area? Do they like a school that is integrated into a city or on a self-contained campus? Are they choosy about architectural style or convenience of dorms to the dining hall? These are all factors a student may not even think to consider until they walk around an actual college campus.

It’s good to visit colleges of various sizes early in the college planning process. A student may say they want to go to “a big school,” but it’s hard to know what that feels like to them until they have walked across campus– or maybe even had to take a shuttle– themselves. Another student may think they want to go to “a big school,” but then they visit a small, well-manicured campus and discover they love a cozy, homey atmosphere.

Talk to Students

It may seem obvious that talking to students while on campus is a good idea. It’s surprising how many high schoolers skip this, though, because they fear looking too much like a try-hard.

The reality is that the person leading your tour is paid by the school to be excited and say great things. And while that tour guide may be genuine in their enthusiasm, they aren’t at liberty to be too honest with you about things they don’t like. By talking to students who aren’t employed by the school, you can feel free to ask questions about what they love, what they wish was different, and why they came to (and stayed at) the school. Having conversations with current students is some of the best research you can do.

It is also useful to have a conversation or two with campus staff. Whether it’s a cafeteria worker, a maintenance person, or janitor, I always ask how they like working there. These folks can offer a lot of insight into the campus culture and give you a sense of what the community is like.

Planning Your Visit

It’s best to try to tour colleges while classes are in session during the academic year. Not only will this give you the best sense of campus vibes, but it will also give you the best opportunity to speak to a variety of students. Understandably, this isn’t always possible as breaks from high school often align with college breaks. 

Regardless of when you visit, make sure to register on the college’s website before you go. This is an important step, especially for schools that consider demonstrated interest as part of their admissions criteria. Plan to attend an information session and do a guided tour if at all possible. If your timing doesn’t work for these offerings, see if the school has a self-guided tour on their website. It is also worth reaching out to the Admissions Office to see if they have additional visit materials. 

If sitting in on a class or staying over in a dorm are of interest to you, each school’s website will let you know whether or not that is an option and how to schedule.

Check out the school’s online calendar before your visit to see if there are any sporting events, concerts, plays, or other activities of interest to you happening while you’ll be there. Attending these events can supplement your understanding of the campus community and its offerings.

Take Notes

Even though you think you’ll remember everything about a particular school, it’s good to take notes. You can use Study Smarter’s College Visit Checklist to help organize your college visits. This way, when it’s months later and you’re trying to decide whether or not to apply to a particular school or trying to decide between two schools, you can use your notes to jog your memory. Referring to things you learned on a campus visit in your application essays is another way to demonstrate your interest in the school.

Regardless of where you are in the college planning and application process, campus visits are one of the fun highlights. Take your time to soak in each school and what it has to offer you as a potential student.