Sure, the pictures are pretty. But beyond the glossy paper and smiling students, college viewbooks can’t give you that warm fuzzy feeling that a real campus visit can.
There’s much to be said for feeling out a college’s vibe, for getting out and touching the ground you’ll call home for the next few years, for having a look around the place for yourself. When you’re ready to pack up and begin touring four-year schools, follow these tips.
Call ahead
Most tours include a group question-answer session with an admissions representative, a student-guided walk around campus and, sometimes, a meal at the prize dining hall.
To get the most out of your tour, call ahead to make sure you get VIP treatment. Campuses get thousands of visitors a year, so make sure they have room for you on the date you plan to visit.
Ask questions of everybody
Your tour guide will be a student at the school trained to answer your questions. What does your guide think of the professors? Are they easy accessible? Where do alumni get jobs? What kinds of clubs are on campus? Can they put you in contact with other transfer students?
Find some random people to talk to at the bookstore or cafeteria. After all, the students remember when they, too, were trying to decide on a school. “If they’re not friendly, that sends a signal, too,” says Robert Rummerfield, director of College Visits, Inc. “That’s not a place I’d want to be.”
Go exploring
One recent grad, curious about the buildings on her campus, made a point to visit at least one bathroom in every building on campus. Her Grand Bathroom Tour let her see buildings she wouldn’t have otherwise visited and gave her a reason for being there.
As a prospective transfer student, your purpose is clear without needing the bathroom tour excuse. So don’t be afraid to peek into the chem lab or computer facilities to get a clear picture of campus offerings.
Don’t rely on the tour guide to show you a representative mix of residence halls. You might see the blue-ribbon dorm room without realizing that new students are stashed across town. Ask whether transfer students are guaranteed on-campus housing, or if you’ll have to find an apartment on your own. Then, ask your tour guide for tips on the areas in which students generally live. While you’re looking for a room to call home, take a walk around the city to get a feel for the community.
The average college visit typically lasts two hours, says Todd Hoffman, president of Campus Visit Inc., a company that can helps plan college visits to Philadelphia, Boston and soon Pittsburgh. That’s one hour for the tour and one for the info session.
How can you make an educated college decision if you don’t wander the campus and city while you’re there? After exploring campus, stop at a diner in town for a cup of java. Shop the downtown stores to make sure there’s a place to buy birthday cards and laundry detergent. You won’t be studying all the time, so make sure the town will be able to support your off-campus desires.
While you’re downtown, talk to a waiter or store clerk to get an honest opinion about your potential school. Your tour guide is going to offer a biased opinion of the college. “They’re not going to last as tour guides if they’re not avid fans of the university,” Hoffman says. “You need to look beyond the admissions people.”
Don’t cram your visits into one day
The most common question Hoffman and his team gets is, “How many colleges can I visit in one day?” He recommends no more than two.
If you visit more than two, “none of the experiences will be as productive,” he says. “You’re about to spend the one college you’re going to go to. It’s a major decision. Don’t rush it.”
