Ask a College Advisor: What Are Good Questions to Ask During a College Visit?

Answer:

College representatives are accustomed to getting many questions from prospective students on campus tours, ranging from simple to exceptionally meaningful.

Some colleges keep track of these connections, known as demonstrated interest. Regardless of the tracking of demonstrated interest, you want to ask valuable questions during your visit and avoid asking questions that you can easily find in an online search.

Here, we explore the different kinds of questions you should consider asking.

Schools that meet 100% of a student’s financial need aim to be an affordable option for students they admit. These schools may have larger endowments — and a more selective admissions process.

College can be very expensive. But, every year, scholarships go unclaimed because students are unaware that these opportunities exist. They miss out on these dollars that could significantly reduce the burden of their bill.

Sure, this data point is searchable, but getting more context here is important. Learning the percentage of students who live on campus can help you understand what the campus community is like and how you will fit into it. It can also help you estimate costs like food and transportation.

The transition to college can come with unexpected challenges. Learning what type of support is available for students is an important part of deciding if a particular school will be the right fit for you.

Most schools have counseling services available to all students, as well as other medical, professional, and emotional support systems. Some other examples of support services include:

These partnerships with companies, organizations, and government agencies are extremely important as they open doors for networking, research, internships, externships, and future career opportunities. Specific programs and departments may have additional relationships with local professional networks.

Everyone has a different learning style, and class structure can help determine how successful students will be. Larger universities may offer lectures with professors and smaller discussion groups with teacher’s assistants. Smaller universities with smaller class sizes may feature more discussion-based classes with the professor.

These are just examples of questions you can ask on a college visit. Research will lead you to more questions to ask during the different stages of the application process. Any question that helps you clarify whether a college and program may be the right fit for you is a good question to ask!

DISCLAIMER: The responses provided as part of the Ask a College Advisor series are for general informational purposes only. Readers should contact a professional academic, career, or financial advisor before making decisions regarding individual situations.