Ca

mp

us V

isits - Th

e R

ea

l Gu

ide

Th

e C

oll

eg

e V

isit

The College Visit

Types of VisitsDaily tour -- interview with an admissions representative/counselor• Sit in on a class• Meet with a professor• Overnight stay in the residence hall• Open House programs•

You Can’t Judge a College by Its BrochureA campus visit is your opportunity to get a fi rst-hand view of a college. A college • catalog, view book, or website, can only show you so much. To really get a feel for the school, you need to walk around campus, sit in on a class, and visit the dorms.

Get Answers to Your QuestionsA visit also gives you the chance to talk to students, faculty, fi nancial aid, and • admissions representatives. You can get answers to all of your questions.

Get Valuable InformationPick up any offi cial school material you see, such as brochures and fi nancial aid • forms. Don’t forget to get business cards, so you’ll have a live contact if you have a question about admissions or fi nancial aid.Student produced material will give you a sense of what campus life is really like. • Look around for newspapers and activity calendars. Check out bulletin boards to see what bands are coming to the campus, parties are advertised, internships are posted, and generally what the day-to-day energy of the place is.

Is This College Right for You?Ultimately, it’s your decision. Listen to your gut. Do you feel comfortable walking • around campus? Do you click with the students and faculty? Spending time on a campus allows you to determine if a school is a good match, which is extremely important.

Source: www.collegeboard.com

You can’t really get a feel for a school until you visit the

campus -- don’t skip this step!

Th

e C

olle

ge

Visit

Questions to Ask

AdmissionsIs there an Early Decision, Early Action, or Single Choice Early Action plan?• On what basis are applicants accepted?• Are personal interviews or letters of recommendation required?• Can admission denials be appealed?• What are the application fi ling dates?• What high school courses are required for admissions?• Are entrance tests required? Which ones? What range of scores is accepted?• Does the college require a certain G.P.A.?• How important is the essay? Is there an essay required?•

GeneralWhat is the surrounding community like?• Is the college public, private, or church affi liated?• What is the current undergraduate student enrollment?• What special or unique programs are off ered?• Does the college have general education or course distribution requirements?• Does the college have special programs for transfer students?• What is the academic calendar (semester, quarter)?•

Student PopulationFrom where do the majority of students come?• What types of student groups are active on campus?• Are there fraternities and sororities on campus?• Is the surrounding community supportive of the college?• Is housing available/guaranteed for freshmen? Is it available all four years?• Do most of the students commute or live on campus?• Are freshmen allowed to have cars on campus?•

AcademicsWhat is the average class size? Largest? Smallest?• How many students returned for their sophomore year?• What was the grade point average for the freshman class last year?• What is the procedure for student orientation, class placement, and scheduling? • What services does the school off er for a student undecided about a major?• What percentage of students graduate in four years? In fi ve years?• What are the most popular majors on campus?• Are students taught by professors, graduate assistants, teacher’s assistants?• Are there free tutoring and computer labs open for most of the day?• Are co-op or internships available and/or required?•

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions!

Qu

est

ion

s to

Ask

Social LifeWhat is the average age of the student body?• What is the male to female ratio?• What percent of students reside on campus?• Is this considered a “suitcase campus” where most students leave on weekends?• Are the residence halls co-ed? Is there a substance-free residence option?• What are the procedures for selecting a roommate?• What are some of the rules that govern campus and residence hall life? •

Tuition/CostWhat is the cost of tuition? Room and Board? Are there other fees?• How much did costs increase from last year to this year?• Are students required to make deposits for orientation and/or housing?• Are these deposits fully refundable until May 1?• Are deposits required each year for returning students?• When do bills have to be paid?•

Financial AidWhat percent of students receive need-based fi nancial aid?• What percent of students receive scholarships based on merit?• What would a typical freshman fi nancial aid package look like?• What percent of those who apply for fi nancial aid receive it?• Will fi nancial aid be adjusted if need increases?• What application(s) need(s) to be fi led to apply for fi nancial aid?• Is a tuition payment plan available?• Are there campus jobs available? Are there nearby off -campus jobs?•

Questions to AskQ

ue

stion

s to A

sk

Ca

mp

us

To

ur

Ch

ec

kli

st See a residence hall room; check out the facilities in the residence hall.

Look at the community living space, study rooms, location on campus, etc.

See a classroom and view academic buildings. See how the classroom is set up. Are there professor offi ces in the building?

Observe the student body around campus; the parking availability; distance to and from the academic buildings and residence halls, etc.

Check out the dining facilities to see what options are available.

Look at the library. Is there study space, copy machines, computers and extra services such as writing labs or audio listening booths available?

See what is important and interests you; the sports center, the science labs, the theatre, etc.

Take a look at the posters around the campus. See what activities are off ered and the diff erent organizations that are available to join.

When you are done with the tour you should be able to answer the following question: Would I feel comfortable on this campus, learning in this environment?

Campus Tour Checklist

College Comparison Worksheet

COLLEGE NAME

LOCATION

DISTANCE FROM HOME

SIZE OF CITY

ENROLLMENT

CAMPUS SIZE

SCHOOL TYPE

DIVERSITY

REQUIRED COURSES

RECOMMENDED COURSES

ADMISSIONS PROCESS &

DEADLINES

TESTS REQUIRED

GPA/TEST SCORES

PROGRAMS OF INTEREST

ACCREDITATION

STUDENT:FACULTY RATIO

STUDENT HOUSING

ON-CAMPUS LIVING

REQUIRED?

STUDENT GROUPS OF

INTEREST

TYPES OF ATHLETIC

PROGRAMS

TUITION, ROOM & BOARD,

STUDENT FEES

TRAVEL EXPENSES

TOTAL COST

% RECEIVING FINANCIAL

AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

FINANCIAL AID DEADLINES

GRAD JOB PLACEMENT

NOTES

Co

mp

ariso

n W

ork

she

et

Representatives from many diff erent colleges/universities visit high schools from their region. They go to college fairs and are accessible for you to talk to if you tour the college/university campus. This is the person that you will talk with throughout your application and admissions process so it is important to meet them and discuss any questions that you may have.

High School VisitListen to the daily announcements or check with your guidance counselor to see • when colleges will be at your school.Make sure that you sign up 24 hours in advance so that you may be excused from • class. Before meeting with the representative look over all the college information so • that you can ask the questions you may have.Take notes during the session. It will help you when reviewing your top college • choices.

College FairGo to any college fairs around your home town (look at local colleges to see if • they are having any fairs at their campus or ask your guidance counselor).Get all the information from the diff erent colleges that have your degree interests. • (Just because you haven’t heard of the school before doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be the right fi t for you.)Ask some general questions to get more familiar with the college/university • (location, majors, cost, activities, etc.).EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS!!!•

Campus TourOnce you select your top colleges, visit each campus!• Most representatives are available to meet with you after your tour to discuss any • questions you have; take advantage of this!Ask as many questions as possible and get their business card so you can contact • them in the future.Make your visit productive!•

Visiting College Representatives

Take advantage of as many resources to learn about schools you’re interested in as you can. C

oll

eg

e R

ep

rese

nta

tiv

es

Go

od

Lu

ck

on

Yo

ur S

ea

rch

!

Kettering University1700 W. University Ave.

Flint, MI 48638