HOW TO PLAN A CAMPUS VISIT

By Gus Iversen

Visiting schools is one of the more exciting parts of the college application process. Typically, this involves going on a little trip and getting a feel for what it might be like to attend school somewhere; from the sights and sounds around town, to the culture of the classroom and the campus. Now, with the arrival of COVID-19, virtual tours have been an increasingly popular (and cost-efficient!) alternative to on-site visits.

Different schools will have different protocols for setting up tours, so the best place to start is usually on their website. Conventional wisdom says it’s best to go on these tours during the spring of junior year, if possible, but a summer visit can yield advantages. Sure, the campus will be less active, but that means all the people you want to meet with will (theoretically) have more time for you.

Keep financial limitations in mind as you pick and choose the campuses to visit in person. Obviously, flying out to a school across the country is going to cost more than driving a couple hours to a nearby school. For getting first person experience, budgeting money is just as important as budgeting time.

Once you’ve got a visit lined up, here are some of the areas you’ll want to explore, and questions you might ask as you’re looking around. Classrooms – What is the average class size? How does course selection work for incoming freshman? How does priority work in the registration process? How many classes, or how many credits, does the average student sign up for each semester? What percentage of students study abroad?

Dorms – Is living on campus required or optional? What percentage of students live on campus? How do students wind up in a certain dorm, with certain roommates? What is the campus dining situation like? Do most students move off campus after the first year?

Library – Many schools have very impressive libraries that provide access to unique resources that are not available anywhere else. Find out what kind of research opportunities are available through the library system, and if you know what you’ll be studying, ask how those resources might serve someone in your specific position.

Extracurriculars – If you’re interested in specific extracurricular activities, such as Greek life, organized sports, clubs, activism or other campus organizations, make sure your tour guide knows. Ask them to connect you with people involved in the groups so you can learn more.

Surrounding area – While colleges may often seem like islands unto themselves, it’s important to feel comfortable in the neighborhood or town where the college is located. Are there off campus events that the school is involved with? What is the crime situation like? Are there museums, cultural centers? How do most people get around: cars, buses, bikes?

Types of people you should talk to

Admissions officers – Every school is different, so while some might have time with admissions officers baked into the tour, others might require extra planning. In many respects, the admissions department is most qualified to handle your big picture questions, so scheduling a little one-on-one time is a smart idea.

You might ask them if demonstrated interest (visiting the campus, following its social media accounts, etc.) factors into the admission process. Are there majors where enrollment is capped? What can a candidate do to stand out in the application process?

Professors – Unlike the admissions officers, a professor’s job is not tied intrinsically to your visit. They have their own students and courses to think about, which is a good thing because they might share more candid insight.

Ask professors what they like about the school. What do they dislike? Roughly how many students do they have in their classes? Are classes lecture based or discussion based? If the professor teaches in a field you plan to major in, then drill down even further with questions about student outcomes, what it takes to succeed, and what special requirements are required to graduate.

Students – If there’s anybody who you’ll interact with on a college visit who will tell it to you exactly like it is, it’s the student body. Take every opportunity to talk to students about their experiences and opinions about the school.

What is the best thing about attending the school? What is the worst? Are they happy there? Are professors accessible for one-on-one help? What is it like to live in the dorms? What do people do on the weekend? Is the student body diverse? Are people friendly? What kind of activities are they involved in outside of their classes?

Do not underestimate virtual tours

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that a lot can be done from the comfort of a computer screen. When time and money is limited (and aren’t they always?) it’s important not to underestimate the value of a virtual tour.

While you may not get the same sense of spontaneous, immersive discovery from a virtual tour that you would with an in-person tour, we really cannot stress enough that a virtual tour is still infinitely better than no tour at all. Check with your top colleges and figure out what kind of virtual tours they are offering, then get your visit scheduled! CB