What to Ask, See, and Do on a Campus Visit

Campus visits are an important part of the college search process. Campus visits also require planning, coordination and can be expensive when you factor in travel costs, missed work days, etc. So you want to be sure that when you get to a campus you maximize your time and get the information that is important to your family.

When visiting campuses be sure you have your “must ask, see, and do” list written down so that you don’t forget anything. I’ve got some suggestions below. BUT, before I dive into that let me give you this warnIng… you should NOT ask questions that are readily available on a school’s website. For example: What are the available majors and minors or a particular program? What is the course breakdown for a major? This will give the impression that you haven’t done your homework! Schools may get the idea that you are not really interested in them if you come unprepared and having done no prior research.

Okay… so you KNOW this school is high on your list and you want to dive deeper and find out if it could be one of your top picks! Schedule an official campus visit through the admissions or visitor page on the school’s website. After you schedule your tour you can follow up with the admissions office and find out if the visit includes an information session with an admissions official. If not, find out if you will be able to meet with your admissions counselor or someone else from the admissions office on the day of your tour. Most tours are led by a student ambassador who might not have the answer to your questions. Your goal is to leave the school with a complete picture.

What to Ask on Your College Visit

• Freshman retention rates - How many freshmen return after their 1st and 2nd semesters? This will give you an idea of how rigorous the program is and whether the school has a “cut-throat” or “nurturing” environment. Not to say that one is better than the other, but YOU know your student and know what kind of environment is likely to be best for them.

• Graduation rates - How many students who matriculate go on to graduate in 4 years? How many in 6 years? When you’re paying 50 - 100K a year you want to be darn sure they are going to be able to graduate in 4 years and not 6!