So before you start arranging campus tours, you should consider planning carefully for your college visit so you make the most of this investment of time and money.
Before You Go
Plan at least two weeks ahead. Most college tours require some notice to get ready for your visit. Contact the college hosting office well in advance to make sure you can see and experience what is important to you.Plan to take your time. Even if college campuses are close to home, you will want to plan enough time to really explore the campus and college environment. Two campus visits in one day ought to be the maximum you plan to make. One a day is probably better.
Start with a virtual tour. Many schools offer virtual campus tours on their websites (check the prospective or future student link on most schools' home pages). Several websites like Campus Tours and E-Campus Tours offer short online tours or link you to photos from the college website. Another firm, Collegiate Choice, sells DVDs of walking tours of various institutions. I wouldn't consider using these sources to make a final decision, but they will give you a flavor of the campus before you go.
Plan ahead for housing information. Make sure you ask to see housing options on and off campus. If you don't ask, housing may not be included in the tour. Ask about on-campus housing (dorms and apartment living) and off-campus housing (apartment complexes, basement apartments, etc.).
Things To Include in Your Campus Visit
Take the general tour. The tour offered by most college hosting centers will give you a good general feel of the campus, its layout and services. Just make sure you don't stop after the guided tour.Visit classes. You and/or your student should ask to sit in on a class offered in your student's field of interest. You can get a sense of the faculty, the interest level of the students, and the facilities.
Talk to students. Make sure you visit with students on campus. Eat in a campus cafeteria or restaurant and sit at a table with students there, or just stop some on a walkway or in the bookstore. See what they like and dislike about their school experience. Ask what they would do differently if they had their freshman year to do over again.
Talk to advisors. Schedule appointments with admissions counselors, student financial aid counselors and the academic advisor for the department your student is likely to study in. Get a feel for admissions standards, scholarships and financial aid and classes needed to fulfill major requirements.
Read a student newspaper. Most all college campuses have a student newspaper. This can be a great source of information about the school, its students, activities, and issues. Sometimes the editorial page and the classified ads have the best information about what a school is really like.
Check out computer resources. Does the campus have secure wireless resources? What about computer labs? Are there printers around that can be used by students and at what cost? You'll want to know.
Visit fitness and wellness facilities. Find out if there are indoor tracks, swimming pools, exercise and weight equipment conveniently available for your student.
Keep a record. Particularly if you are visiting multiple campuses, the details can run together. Write down notes about each item of interest. Take some photos. Gather business cards of the faculty and staff with whom you visit. This is an important part of the campus visit process.
Investigating and deciding on a college or university is an important component of your child's life. Perhaps few other choices in their young lives are as critical as this one. Planning ahead and making the campus visit productive and informative is the key to success. You'll be glad you took the time and effort as you and your student make the best choice of a college or university.
