You know you’re expected to evaluate colleges, set out your wants in a school, and at least start thinking about your major. And you know you should probably take a trip to several campuses – they can offer you a truer impression of a school than a virtual tour can! But do you know what you should be doing throughout your visit?
Apart from merely visiting the main structures, including some of the dormitories and classrooms, you should certainly spend some time to chat to students roaming about campus!
Why Should You Talk to Current College Students?
Many of the personnel delivering the official campus tour, teachers, current students, and alumni alike, are attempting to sell you on the institution. They’re only going to offer the college wonderful evaluations. By talking to daily average pupils, you may gain a sharper, more accurate image.
They’re living the experience without attempting to pitch you on something. Current students are more likely to offer you an honest view on the school, campus, their classes, and the local area.
But bear in mind, it’s completely conceivable that you may run into kids who can’t stop in talk (they may be running late to class!) or are simply bashful and would prefer not. Don’t give up and don’t hold it against them. They shouldn’t feel pushed to talk to you. Try to identify someone who looks to be resting on the Quad, for example.
We recommend chatting to a few different students to obtain a good idea of the college. The first student you run across may provide a very poor picture of the institution, but the subsequent five might adore it. Or vice versa. You don’t want to base your entire selection off one pupil!
When Is the Best Time to Visit A College Campus?
Ideally, the best time to visit a college you’re interested in is during the spring or autumn semesters while classes are in session. The college may provide summer classes, but students will be few and far between. Throughout the “regular” school year, students will be everywhere. There will be lots of possibilities to find someone who isn’t in a rush.
Some students visit schools before they submit their applications, while others wait until after they get acceptance letters. Some even do both! If you have to travel far or it’ll cost a lot of money, we recommend going after you received your acceptance letter to the college.
What If You Can’t Visit in Person?
Some students don’t always have the opportunity to visit to every institution on their list. If you’re in this boat, you can surely locate current students online to chat to! Go to social media and discover kids that are going to the school.
You may go on the official Facebook page for the college and identify students in the comments. Alternatively you may head to the college’s subreddit on Reddit. There are lots of locations nevertheless to find them online!
Questions to Ask Current College Students
We’ve put together a list of some questions to ask current college students, either in person or online. You shouldn’t ask someone every single question on this list, especially if they’re hurrying someplace, but a handful per student who agrees to talk to you should be good! Of course, there will be some exceptions – you could simply stumble across someone who wants to speak and is more than willing to answer all the questions you might have!
These are just a few Questions to Ask Current College Students:
- Why did you select to attend this college?
- What was your freshman experience like?
- Do you believe there’s a decent support / transition programme for freshmen students?
- What is your favourite part about this college? Least favourite?
- Where is your favourite study spot on campus?
- Favorite location to eat?
- What are you studying here?
- If you could alter one thing about this college, what would it be?
- Are the career fairs nice here?
- What are the financial assistance opportunities like?
- What type of campus events does the institution put on?
- Any tips for incoming freshmen?
- How approachable are the staff/faculty/administration?
- How would you describe the community atmosphere?
- What is the adjacent city/town/village like?
- What clubs, student groups or extracurricular activities do you recommend?
- Did anything surprise you when you became a student? Like costs or rules?
- What is dorm life like?
- What would you say the school’s strengths are? Weaknesses?
This is by no means an entire list, but it can potentially start a dialogue going and answer a few questions along the way. If you’re interested in being a student at that specific college, some of the finest individuals you can talk to are the other students themselves.
You should also be asking questions crucial to you! If you locate someone who is in your planned major, you could try to ask more direct inquiries. Or if anything is significant to you, like a certain student group, you may want to bring it up, too! You may certainly pick and choose from the list above and construct your own list.
Will you be planning a trip to a college campus soon? It can be really beneficial to go with these questions in your back pocket! Just try to keep in mind what you want out of a college during your chat.