Visit Colleges in the Spring 

Whether you visit a campus on a special preview day, a regular school day, or for an overnight visit, you should sign up with the admissions department and let them know you are coming. It’s easy. Most college websites include a place to register for a visit. Don’t miss this opportunity to let colleges know you’re interested in them! Some colleges keep records of how often prospective students come to visit. If you decide a college may be the one and you’ve visited them four times, they will look on this favorably and value you more because of it.

Prospective students are usually asked if they want to visit a classroom and take a campus tour. These are great opportunities — don’t miss them! Choose a class that interests your student or attend a general freshman level class to see what the first year of college will be like. Attend informational meetings with the financial aid department, if offered.

As you tour the campus, remember that the tour guide will usually only show you the places that make the school look good. Throughout all of these activities, you and your student should be taking notes. Write down the details (names, classes visited, impressions, strengths, and concerns). This information will help you remember each college you visit and will provide your student with great content as they prepare their application essays.

While visiting, use all your senses as you walk around: look, listen, feel, taste, and touch. Your answers to the following questions might help you choose between colleges that seem to be equal on paper. Prospective students and their parents are usually given meal vouchers to eat on campus.

• Is the food healthy and appealing? Could your child eat there for four years and remain healthy?
  
• Does this college seem like a positive environment?
• Can you picture your child living here for four years?
• Do the students appear happy and respectful?
• Is it a pleasant atmosphere?
• How does it make you feel about safety and security?

Students should ask open-ended questions to (hopefully) engage in meaningful conversation. When you visit a college, prepare questions in advance to get information you can't find online or in their view-books. Think about general categories of questions you might need to ask. Phrase them the way you would ask in real life, not using words from someone else. Ask about admission, academics, financial aid, student life, campus experiences, and how they measure success. Try to ask open-ended questions that don't have a yes or no answer.

Parents may want to ask about homeschool admission policies. A simple, open-ended question can tell you a lot about whether a particular university is friendly or fussy toward homeschoolers. Explain that you are a homeschool family. Ask if there is anything specific they like to see from homeschool students, and how you can help them understand your teen’s education.

There are important issues you want to discuss on your visit. Review the list of essential questions for a college visit in our infographic. Think about what you learned and ask yourself a few questions about what you learned and how you felt afterward.

Visiting a college is a critical step in finding a perfect-fit college for your teen. Assess each university carefully so you know their views. You need to know whether a college with “Christian” in their name will match your family values. You can tell little from the name of a college and you can tell only a little more from their marketing materials. You don’t know the personality of the college until you encounter it in person, during a college visit.

There is no perfect college, as there are no perfect people. But a purposeful visit can help you find the best college for your child.