What High School Students Should Consider When Visiting Colleges

By Marilyn G.S. Emerson, M.S.W., CEP and Jana Jett Loeb

A high school student’s view of whether a college campus is the right place for them can be influenced by many factors:

Academic Offerings – Does the college or university offer the types of courses and programs the student is interested in? While it is not necessary for students to know specifically what they want to study, it is important that the school offer courses and programs the student feels are intriguing and want to learn more about. Students also need to think about how they learn best. Is it in small or large classes? Students can get a sense of academic offerings and size of classes by sitting in on a class. Sometimes, admission offices post a list of approved classes students may visit. If this list is not available students need to contact the admissions office directly to determine which classes allow visitors and how to be approved to visit a class. Students should be sure to observe the students in the class as carefully as they do the professor; how the students interact with one another in a seminar or ask questions in a lecture can reveal a good deal about the intellectual motivations of the student body.

Extracurricular Activities – As students tour campuses, they will likely pass bulletin boards and posts with flyers and notices about upcoming events. Students should be sure to examine these. It is one thing to hear in an information session that a school has 400 clubs, but seeing these boards is a glimpse of how student life actually takes shape on campus.

Distance from Home – Whether they drive or fly to visit a college campus can make a difference in a student’s view of being far away from home. Traveling from the East Coast to the Midwest can be a two hour flight or an 8 -10 hour drive. It is important for students to understand the differences between flying and driving as they formulate their thoughts about what it will mean to be living away from home.

Campus Living Arrangements – For some students, where they will live will heavily influence whether they choose to attend a particular college. Students need to think about which living conditions are important to them and ask direct questions about residential life. A few questions that they might want to consider asking are:

• · Are all students required to live on campus for four years?
• · What housing options are available?
• · How are roommates assigned?
• · Are there any restrictions in the dorms?

The Area’s Culture – Specific customs, weather patterns, the pace of life, and even language and speech patterns contribute to the culture in different parts of the country. Students should consider their personal comfort level – are they open to differences or do they prefer the familiar?