Although colleges send out a lot of information, a campus visit is the best way to see for yourself what a particular school is like. Most colleges encourage campus visits, and many publish special brochures to help you plan one. When you have decided to do a campus visit, write or call the admissions office. Tell them the date and time you expect to arrive. Ask if they can make arrangements for you to stay overnight in a dormitory, if needed.

Take the Tour...Talk to Everyone You Can
While visiting, have someone from the admission office take you on a tour of the campus. Talk to students, eat in the cafeteria, attend a class, and introduce yourself to a professor if time permits. Try to talk to as many people as possible. Make sure all of your questions are answered! 

When you talk to students, ask what they like most and least about the college, if faculty are accessible outside of class, and how they like the dorms, the library, the food. Ask them about work-study opportunities and extracurricular activities.

While you tour the campus, note whether the buldings are in good repair and the grounds are well kept. Get a sense of the dorms, laundry facilities, cafeteria and the surrounding town or city. Remember, this will be your home for the next few years.

When you talk to an admissions representative discuss what they look for in prospective students, which of their academic programs fit your interests and if you fit their profile. Ask if there will be new programs or facilities that will be available in the next couple of years. Find out the percentage of freshmen who return sophomore year and the percentage of freshmen who graduate in four years or five years. 

Write Down Your Impressions
Once your visit has concluded, immediately write down your thoughts while they are fresh in your mind. Some areas to think about are:

Were the people you met friendly and did they answer your questions fully and candidly? Did you feel that the students were the kind of people you’d like to get to know? Did you sense that the college was interested in having you as a student? Did you like the social atmosphere? Did the campus itself impress you in any way? What do you feel about the academic demands and atmosphere? Would you like to spend more time there?