The more campuses I tour, the more I
realize I need to go “below the surface” of a typical college visit. Otherwise, I come away from the experience
learning little about what it’s like to actually be a student at that
school. If you are planning to visit
colleges during an upcoming school break it’s especially important not to visit
too many schools back to back and to find ways to distinguish one campus from
another.
Here are some tips for going beyond the
typical campus tour:
---Be sure to ask the tour guide some
specific questions about her/his own experience as a
---Eat lunch in a campus cafeteria and
approach students who are eating there with questions. Most will be happy to share their experience.
---Beforehand, arrange a tour with an
admissions officer. You can search the
school website to find out the name of your local college representative. If he/she is not available, another staff
member may be happy to meet you.
---Research your potential major and email
a professor in the department, or the department administrator, about possibly
setting up a visit when you are on campus.
---Contact a current student, a family
friend, acquaintance, or alumnus from your high school and arrange to meet on
campus.
As you plan your campus visits, be sure to
allow some “down time” to relax and re-group between each one or two
tours. Jot down your impressions while
they are still fresh in your memory.
Taking photos can also help jog your memory later.
I hope you enjoy your visits—as well as
experience a little of genuine campus life for students.
