The best way for you to learn if a college is right for you is to visit. Visiting schools will give you an opportunity to see the physical lay out, schedule an interview (if offered), ask questions about admissions or financial aid,
tour the area, sit in on a class, eat in the cafeteria, and/or stay in the dorms overnight. It is the best way to get a feel for the atmosphere of the college and to see if it is a place you could be comfortable in. Keep in mind that you can learn the most about a school by visiting when classes are in session.

If you cannot visit in person, virtual visits are the next best thing. While not the same, you can still get a sense of campus life. Virtual information sessions will also give you the opportunity to get your questions answered and hear from admissions office staff and current students. Schools that track demonstrated interest will track attendance at virtual events.

A spreadsheet is helpful for keeping track of details so you can compare schools later. Complete it while the visit is fresh in your mind.

How to Schedule an In Person Visit:

• Try to visit a couple of schools in the same area on the same day or during the same weekend.
• Schedule your visit online well in advance to ensure your spot on a tour, in an information session, and/or an interview. Tours the weeks of high school breaks book up fast!
• You do not need to see every collegebefore you apply, but you should see a college before you decide to attend.
• If you are going to miss school for your visit, make sure you tell your teachers and the Attendance Office in advance.

What to Look for:

• Campus Setting – Walk around campus on your own and drive around the surrounding community.
• Student Body – Is it diverse? Do students seem friendly and outgoing?
• Classes – Who teaches freshmen? Call ahead to sit in on a class, if possible.
• Dorms – Are they clean, attractive, spacious, quiet? Are they coed, and if so how are they set up? Are there study rooms or lounges? Stay overnight to get a better understanding if possible.
• Cafeteria – Eat in the cafeteria if possible and talk to students.
• Library – When is it open? Is it a study place or a social place? Search for your favorite book.
• Facilities – Laboratories, computer & Internet ccess- is technology up to date?
• Security – Do you feel safe walking around?
• Student Services - Health center, counseling cnter, career counseling office, etc.
• Faculty – Meet with a professor in your chosen major.
• Bulletin Boards & College Newspapers – What do students care about? Read the bulletin boards in the academic department you are interested in. Listen to the student radio. 
• Athletics - If you are interested in being recruited for a sport, make an appointment to see the coach and to see a game or practice, if possible. 

Important Tips!

• Be certain to visit any area that is important to you, even if it is NOT on the tour! Gym, athletic fields, art studio, music studios, etc.
• Immediately following each visit you MUST write down a few notes on what you saw, what you liked or did not like, so that you don’t get different schools confused later on.

Questions for your Tour Guide:

• What happens on a typical weekend?
• What are the school’s most popular clubs, sports and activities?
• What are this college’s biggest drawbacks?
• What do you know now that you wish you had known coming to this school?
• How hard is it to register to get into the classes you need? (In other words, do classes fill up quickly and you can't get into the ones you need?)
• If you could change one thing about the college, what would it be?

Questions for the Financial Aid Office:

• What percentage of the last freshman class paid full tuition?
• What percentage of accepted students were offered financial aid that met their full need?
• How will my aid package change after freshman year?
• What happens if my need increases later?

Questions to Ask College Representatives:

Academics

• What are the five strongest/most popular majors at your institution?
• Who teaches the general education or core courses?
• How big are the freshman classes?
• When must I choose a major?
• What type of high school credentials are you looking for in an applicant?

Programs/Services

• What types of internships/co-op experiences are available?
• Where do you have study abroad programs? When can students apply for them?
• What types of extra-curricular activities are available on campus?
• How many years are students guaranteed on-campus housing?
• What academic services do you offer to students (tutoring, career counseling, study skills workshops?)

Procedures

• What are the application deadlines for admission and financial aid?
• Do you accept Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) test credits and if so, what scores on tests must be acheived for credit? 
• Do you accept credits from dual enrollment courses? 
• Is there a maximum number of credits that can be accepted?
• How does your institution place students in their freshman classes?
• How do you assign faculty advisors to students, especially those who are undecided majors?
• How are roommates selected?

Statistics

• What is your freshman retention rate?
• What percentage of students graduate in four years?
• What percentage of the freshman class earned better than a 2.0 GPA last year?
• What is the average high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores of the entering freshman class, and what is their average GPA after freshman year?
• How many students reside on campus? What percentage of the total student body is residential/commuter? Is yours a “suitcasecollege,” where the majority of students go home on the weekends?
• Where can I obtain statistics about crimes on your campus?

A few more things:

• While walking around, ask a student (not a tour guide) what he/she loves about the college or what he/she does on weekends.
• Try to see a dorm that you didn’t see on the tour.
• See if you can imagine yourself at this college without your parents, who have accompanied you on the tour. Think about separating for a little while to develop your own impressions.
• Get the names of people you meet for future contacts. If someone met with you individually or interviewed you, be sure to send a thank you note!