What To Look For During Campus Visits

So you’ve narrowed down your top Colleges and now it is time to make the trek to get the scoop IN PERSON. We’ve heard it said over and over that visiting your schools of choice before deciding is wise. However, if you are like most, you are probably wondering WHAT exactly you are looking for. We’ve narrowed it down to the top 4 things to look out for when visiting your potential College.

Neighborhood and Safety

While schools are fairly contained to their campus, it is still important to feel safe and stable in the environment you are in. Look at what safety measures are in place on campus (gates, physical barriers, security personnel, rules and guidelines, police response (and whether problems will be handled by local police or campus police), and any other facilities surrounding that cause concern. Maybe the police and fire station across the street make you feel more at ease, but the cemetery next door to another school you viewed- does not. Also consider, regardless of how nice or secure the campus itself seems, you will undoubtedly need to venture off campus from time to time. Whether it is for groceries, social time, doctors appointments, whatever- you will need to get out in the community. If the community is not safe and you do not feel comfortable venturing off campus, this could present a big problem for the long term.

Students and Staff

When you walk around campus, are the students smiling? Happy? Talking? Engaged? Or do they seem depressed, withdrawn, angry, or some other less desirable state of being? Talk to some of the students and ask what they think about the school. Usually, people who feel passionately about something are willing to talk- whether good or bad. Try to get a feel for the attitudes and personalities around the school to decide if you would mesh and feel comfortable. Also, talk to some of the staff and see what the general feeling is around the school and how the school treats its students and workers. This is a clear way to see the intentions and authenticity of the school.

Amenities

Does your happiness depend on your workout? Maybe a school without a gym or a gym within 5 miles would be a big bummer for you. Or maybe you are a foodie and love to experience new restaurants- only to find no options other than corporate and fast food within the vicinity. Drive the streets, take in the community and the options available to you as a resident. Check in to grocery stores and retail shops for pricing and selection. Are the prices higher than you are used to? That may be something to consider as you are getting by as a student- one population known for lacking dough to roll in.

Trust Your Intuition

Most importantly, when you are touring any campus, take note of what you like and don’t like, but don’t ignore your own intuition. Sometimes a place, a person, or a situation just feels right. It may be hard to explain, but using your heart when making decisions like these can help steer you in a direction that is right for you- regardless of what facts and figures you dig up. Being able to step on campus and experience a place for yourself will likely tell you fairly quickly whether a place is right for you or not. No website or statistic can do that for you.

If your results turn up a zero, don’t fret. That is what these trips are for, to find a place that you love- but also to weed out the ones you don’t. Happy Hunting!