Questions to Ask Yourself on College Visits
How to Learn Whether a School is Right for You
Sep 17, 2008
During a college visit, you have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of many aspects of life at a particular school. From the campus appearance to the people, it's important to keep your eyes open to everything going on around you at the college. Being aware of your own reactions to what you see and hear, rather than just glancing around idly, will help you get the most out of your college visit and decide if a school deserves to be at the top of your list.
First Impressions: The Campus
The whole idea of focusing on appearance may seem superficial, but liking where you are going to be living for four years is vital. Here's what you should ask yourself right away:
- Do I like how the school looks?
- Can I see myself studying over there on that bench?
- Does that building look like one I'd be happy living in?
- Would I be comfortable perusing this library?
- Do the dorm rooms resemble a jail cell more than they resemble my bedroom at home?
- Is the campus well-lit at night? Will I feel comfortable walking around at late hours?
People-Watching: The Students
Since you are going to be living with, going to class with, and making friends with the students at any given university in the future, it's important to observe how they interact with you and each other:
- Do the student's I've met so far make me feel welcome here?
- Do they say hi to each other/acknowledge each other?
- When I walk into the dining hall, do I feel like I'm in a scene from Mean Girls, or like I've just stepped into a lively, friendly mess hall at summer camp?
- Do the students seem happy to be here?
More People to Observe: The Professors
Informing yourself about the professors is important, because they are, in addition to standing at the front of the classroom and lecturing, the ones who will be advising you, leading seminars, and hopefully attending departmental events. Not to mention they will be the ones to hand out grades throughout your college career:
- Are the professors absorbed in their own work or do they actually seem to care about their students? (Find out about office hours and whether the students can contact professors outside of class.)
- Research a professor's background: Does she have a graduate degree? (This is important, because someone with or working on a Ph.D has spent an extensive amount of time on his or her area of specialty. Some professors have Master's degrees and are in the process of working on a Ph.D. Don't write off someone without a Ph.D completely, though, because she may have impressive specialized experience in her chosen field that makes her just as qualified to teach as someone with a Ph.D)
- Do the professors seem to enjoy teaching? (This is one reason why it is important to sit in on multiple classes.)
Quality of Education: The Academics
While you should definitely research a school's academics before your campus visit, there are some things that may only become apparent once you arrive on campus for the first time:
- Are the programs I'm interested in high-quality? (Try to talk to a student majoring in a related field to find this out.)
- Will this school challenge me? (Again, sit in on a few classes and see how well you follow everything. If multiple classes seem too easy for you, then the school may not be challenging enough. Or, look into more advanced course offerings.)
- Are the facilities appropriate and more than adequate for what I want to study? (e.g., Are the computers up-to-date? Does the science lab look like it was last renovated in 1972?)
Knowing what to look for and be aware of on a campus visit will help you make an honest assessment of a school. Also try to avoid bias, such as the school being Ivy League or Big Ten. Such claims-to-fame can be, consciously or not, influential in your college search. You want to make sure you choose a school for all the right reasons, and being attentive and self-aware on a college visit will help you make the right decision.
