Important Questions to Ask on Your College Campus Visit

 

It is a traditional rite of passage for high school teens to use their spring break to visit colleges as their first important step in their college journey.

 

In order to make this process as effective as possible, however, it is not enough to simply take a campus tour and sit in on an information session: it is important to meet with staff from admissions, individual departments of study, and the career center and ask some in-depth questions to gain better insight into the nuances of what is most important about a university.

 

To help you do this, here are 15 key questions to ask Admissions, Departments of Study, and the Career Center:

 

1) How much of your freshmen class do you fill Early Decision (binding)?

 

2) Do you offer Early Action (non-binding)?

 

3) How important are SAT or ACT scores to the admission process?

 

4) Aside from grades and test scores, what are the most important factors you look for in your applicants?

 

5) What is your policy for awarding merit scholarships?

 

6) What is your freshmen retention rate?

 

7) What is your four-year graduation rate?

 

8) What is your student/faculty ratio freshmen year?

 

9) What is the academic profile of a student in my major of interest? (Majors such as engineering, business, and nursing often require higher academic scores.)

 

10) What are the opportunities for undergraduate research? Study-abroad?

 

11) How do you assist students to get internships? When do they begin?

 

12) What is the Job Placement Rate of your graduates?

 

13) Which Graduate Schools do your students typically attend? Do they go right after college or wait until later?

 

14) How do you help students get jobs?

 

15) Do you offer students the opportunity to double major across disciplines? (For example Business and Neuroscience)

 

Here is another helpful resource from the Independent Educational Consultant Association: “Top Tips for College Visits” located on my website.

 

https://studdertcollegeprep.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IECA_10-Tips-College-Visits.pdf

 

Enjoy your week off! And, remember to Stay Informed and Enjoy the Journey!