Visit a College Campus
One of the best ways to learn about college? Visit one (or two or three...)! There are many ways to explore colleges in person, from informally attending a sporting event or driving out to a campus to walk around on your own, to registering for formal campus tour through an admissions office or joining a school trip, you can learn a lot about whether the college is the best "fit" for you. If you are thinking about attending, here are some tips and tools for pointing you in the right direction.
- Before You Go - review these considerations while planning your trip
- When to Visit - these useful tips will help you determine the best time to visit, so you will can get the most out of your trip
- Campus Visit Checklist - this checklist provides ways you can Gather Information, Explore the Campus, and Check Out Campus Media, while proving steps for getting the most out of your college visit and a list of questions to ask various people while you are there
- Campus Visit Scorecard - take this score card along with you to capture your impressions. As you explore multiple campuses, this will help you remember what you liked (or not) about each
Research Colleges
The availability of the internet in the palm of your hands makes researching college very easy. There are endless possibilities for exploring colleges online, so here are just a few favorites:
- Once you have an idea of specific colleges you are interested in, visit their websites. When exploring, take notes on the college's educational philosophy and/or mission, admission requirements, and browse the website to get a feel for the values of the college. Find the Prospective Students link or tab for admissions requirements, how to schedule campus tours, application information, and much more. Remember you are an undergraduate.
- An easy way to get quick college information is to simply Google it! A Google search immediately pulls specific college information to give you a great snapshot of tuition, general college information, and the link to the college's website.
Keep Track
Checklists, scorecards, and photos - oh my! With so much information gathered, it is important to organize all of your resources and impressions organized. A couple ways to keep track:
- Take photos - your personal snapshots of camps sights, landmarks, signs, facilities - anything of interest to you - can be easily "remembered" by having them readily available on your phone or camera
- Keep a journal - whether digital or a good ol' paper notebook, be sure to document your detailed impressions and valuable information, so you not only remember all of it, but you can keep each college straight
- Create a filing system - begin gathering and organizing your accolades, accomplishments, scores, and more so you have it ready for when you need it
Grade-by-Grade Checklists
Checklists can also be found under Preparation.
