Why You Should Plan a College Visit Before Making a Final Decision

Deciding where to go to college is a big deal. It can be tough to navigate, especially when you have so many great options. Visiting campuses is a great way to narrow down your search and find the school of your dreams.

Here are some other reasons you should really consider a college visit BEFORE you make that final decision!

1. To Get The Whole Picture

instagram.com/avinasiwiii

College websites and mailing brochures can give you a look into the statistics and facts: how many students get jobs after graduation, faculty, student ratios, events that happen on campus, etc. But visiting a campus literally gives you the feel for what your every day life would be like there. This is a unique opportunity to not only see what the school is really like in person, but to see what the people are like, taste the food, walk the grounds, sit in the classrooms, use the facilities, etc.

2. To Feel Out The Community Atmosphere

Sometimes you just step onto a campus and it feels like home. Other times you’ll know right away that you don’t like the vibes on the campus. If you value the “community feeling” of a campus you’re going to want to check out the communal areas during your college visit to get a sense.

3. To See If It’s a Happy Place To Be

instagram.com/giady_rm20

Do the students and faculty appear to be generally happy? Visiting helps you get a sense if a college is a happy place to be in, or if it is more of a chaotic or stressful environment. Take advantage of the opportunity to chat with students and see if they enjoy where they are. Take notice to the way people are interacting. Are they smiling at each other and talking or playing Frisbee on the front lawn?

4. To Explore The Campus Itself

smith.edu

Every campus has a unique beauty to it. You absolutely want to live on a beautiful campus, for it is where you are going to live for the next four, (if not more,) years of your life. Touring the campus lets you see what there is to love about it, what stores, coffee shops and restaurants are nearby, etc.

5. To See How Students and Faculty Interact

It is important to note what kinds of classroom set ups there are at the school and generally what type of relationship the professors have with the students. (Usually, there are both lecture halls and smaller classrooms.) But it is crucial to know what you want for yourself and seek that out when you visit. A lot of times during a visit you get the chance to witness student/faculty interaction in a classroom setting and sometimes even meet with the faculty yourself. This will give you insight as to whether or not the school fosters the student/faculty relationship you are looking for.

6. To Picture Yourself Living There

Remember you will be spending at least four years calling this place your home. You want to be sure it is a place where you could picture yourself waking up every day and enjoying spending the majority of your time at. A college visit can make it feel more real to you rather than looking at the mailing brochures targeted to market your enrollment.

7. To Discover What Being a College Student Feels Like There

Every college has a variation of the student experience. Not all schools are the same. A college visit allows you to see firsthand what the student experience is like at that campus. It allows you to see what the working and study facilities are like and experience the entertainment and fun parts of the student life.