The campus visit allows the student to experience the school, the people who are there, and to witness first-hand the campus learning environment.
College tour topics: academics, campus culture, research and study abroad options, residence life, activities, athletics, etc.
Two comprehensive sources for prepping for a college tour and a checklist for what to do when you arrive are offered by the College Board Big Future website:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/campus-visit-guide/campus-visit-checklist
SAMPLE QUESTIONS TO ASK ON A COLLEGE TOUR
* Source: The Scholarship System
https://thescholarshipsystem.com/blog-for-students-families/57-essential-questions-to-ask-on-a-college-visit
BASIC QUESTIONS TO ASK ON COLLEGE VISITS
- Why differentiates this school from other colleges?
- Are you happy being a student (teacher) at this school?
- What are this school’s strengths?
- If you had to say, what’s your biggest complaint about this college?
- What is one area where this school could improve?
- How accessible are the professors, financial aid officers, student services employees, etc.?
- What’s the average financial aid package look like?
- What do the four-, five-, and six-year graduation rates look like?
- How many freshmen return here for their sophomore year?
ACADEMIC QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING A COLLEGE VISIT
- Which majors are the most popular here, and why?
- How many courses/hours does the average full-time student take each semester?
- What programs or departments have the strongest reputations?
- What teaching style do most professors here use?
- Are most classes led by professors or teaching assistants?
- Is accessing first-choice classes a challenge?
- Do classes tend to be discussion-based or lecture-based?
- How much time should students expect to dedicate to studying and assignments outside of the classroom?
- Are collaborative or group projects common requirements?
- Do students have access to tutoring programs, writing centers, computer labs, or other learning-oriented resources?
- What’s the average number of students in a classroom at a time for introductory courses? What about advanced classes?
- Is studying abroad an available or popular option?
- Are there opportunities for undergraduate research?
- Is the Disability Services office helpful? What resources do they make available to qualifying students?
CAMPUS LIFE COLLEGE VISIT QUESTIONS
- What does an average day for a first-year student look like here?
- What do students do when they aren’t in class?
- What are weekends like on campus?
- Is there a vibrant social scene?
- Where do students go to hang out?
- Is there something about the local community that sets it apart?
- What student organizations or clubs are the most popular?
- Are there a lot of fraternities or sororities?
- If a student was looking for a great place to study, where on-campus should they go besides their dorm room or the library?
- What facilities (gyms, libraries, theaters, labs, etc.) are available to students?
- Is the WiFi on campus fast? Are there dead spots on campus? Does it go down a lot?
- Are sports a big part of this school’s culture?
