Making the Most of Your College Visits What to look for when touring college campuses

Would you ever think of buying a car without driving it first? Of course not—how else will you know how it runs unless you get behind the wheel and take it for a spin? The same goes for choosing a college to attend. While a school may look good on paper, you might be in for a shock when you actually step on campus for the first time. You can't tell what a college will really be like just from pictures on its Web site and catalog. Perhaps the freshman dormitories look like they should be condemned or the campus is situated in a high-crime area. You wouldn't be able to see these potential deal-breakers from the pages of a glossy catalog featuring happy-go-lucky coeds studying under the flowing branches of a wispy willow tree. (Little did you know that the willow tree is only five paces away from the county prison!)

While these visuals may seem like an exaggeration to you, they are a possibility. That is why you need to visit every college that you plan to apply to. Here's what you need to look for, and to find out, when you take your campus tours.

1. Academics
The best time to visit college campuses is during the school year, when classes are in session. That way, you can see the actual size of a class, the format in which the class is run, and who is teaching the class (a professor versus a teaching assistant). But, no worries, there are still classes that go on throughout the summer. You just need to make sure you ask lots of questions of your tour guide, to get the real deal on what the classes there are really like.

Take a look at the size of the classrooms. Are they large lecture halls that hold more than 100 students? Are they smaller rooms that fit about 30 desks in them? Think about how you learn best: if you're a self-starter, then large lectures might be ok for you; but if you need some one-on-one attention, the school you choose to attend should provide small-class learning opportunities for its students. Ask your tour guide about the average student-teacher ratio in freshman classes versus upperclassman classes. While the ratio may be small as the course materials become more complex, general classes that you might take during your first year, such as U.S. History 101, may contain upwards of 100 students.

2. Location
Campuses are located in one of three types of locations: urban, suburban, or rural. If you're looking to attend college in a bustling city, for example, that's great; but just because a school is situated in a city that appeals to you doesn't mean that it is the right place for you to be. For example, perhaps the campus is located in a remote part of a city, from which it is difficult to get to the city's center. Or maybe the campus is located in one of the busiest, noisiest sections of town—if you like peace and quiet when you study, this might not be the best location for you.

The same goes for suburban and rural schools. Just because the location sounds ideal from a catalog, it might not be ideal when it comes time to actually live on campus. Perhaps that university located in the rolling green hills of Kentucky didn't mention that there were dozens of horse farms surrounding it. While horses and green hills sound lovely, you might not think the same of the smell of horse manure waking you up every morning! The key here is to take a really good look around you when you visit a campus. What do you see that you like? What don't you like? And make sure to check out the areas surrounding the campus as well. Is there shopping nearby? Where is there to go on the weekends? Anything that looks undesirable to you, such as, say, a nuclear power plant, should be considered before sending in your application.

3. Housing
Where are you going to be living on campus? This is a big factor in determining what college you want to attend. While the academics and location are very important, don't forget that you will be spending many of your waking (and sleeping) hours in your dorm room. Find out the following information before deciding to move on campus:

• Are there freshman and upperclassmen dorms? Or are all students housed together?
• Are the dorms co-ed or single-sex? If they're co-ed, are women and men separated by floor, or by room?
• What kind of study rooms are available in the dorms?
• Is there a quiet time enforced every night for studying?
• How many resident assistants are on each floor?
• What kind of laundry facilities are available?
• Is there a student lounge?
• Are there computer and phone hookups in all the rooms?
• Does the dormitory have a sprinkler system?

4. Student Life
Let's face it: you're probably not going to spend all of your time studying and sleeping during your four or five years of college. So you need to find out what the social situation is at the colleges you're interested in. Is the school a party school? Are sororities and fraternities big on campus? What kind of extracurricular and competitive sports are available? What other extracurricular activities are available for students? Knowing what to expect from the social scene before you sign on the dotted line will help you determine if the school will be right for you.

5. Security
Your personal safety is of utmost importance when you leave for college. Not only will your parents be worried about you—especially since this is probably the first time you'll be on your own—but you also might be concerned yourself. You'll be walking a lot of places on your own, both during the day and at night, and you need to know what kind of security is available for students. If the campus is large, find out if there is transportation available to get from place to place. Many large campuses offer intercampus bus service—just make sure to ask when the last bus runs. You should also find out if the school offers an escort service. For example, if you are studying late at night at the library and don't want to walk back to your room by yourself, it is reassuring to know that a security guard will be available to accompany you back to your residence hall.

Campus visits are probably the most important investment you will make in deciding on which college to attend. Be a critical consumer, ask lots of questions, and don't settle for anything less than what you want! For more information on how to choose a college, visit Peterson's College Bound Area on the Web.