Winter and spring breaks are popular campus visit opportunities. For seniors, that means going back to “Accepted Student Days” or making a second visit on a typical school day. It’s important to sit in on a class or two, meet with faculty in a specific department and consider spending the night. It may take multiple visits to make this important decision.

Juniors, on the other hand, will likely be visiting for the first time and deciding whether or not to keep a given school on their list.  It’s helpful to visit before May so that students will still be on campus prior to their summer break.  And while most schools start offering tours again in June – and the summer can work for an initial visit – make sure to return when students are on campus if you like the school.

Remember as well to always “officially” sign up for a tour and information session. This way the admissions department knows you were there and you get credit for visiting.

Consider each of these areas on your visits. Take notes! (Seniors will want to get into more detail in each of these areas.):

Academics: What is the strength of the school or the program your student is interested in pursuing? How accessible are the professors? Are teaching assistants used to teach? Is the school’s emphasis on undergraduate teaching or on graduate research? Is the atmosphere more competitive or collaborative? What is the level of student stress?

Class sizes: How large are the freshman classes (this is not the same as the faculty to student ratio)?

Graduation Rates: These may be reported as four year and/or six year rates. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples across schools.

Retention: What is the percentage of freshmen who return as sophomores?  Compare this to other schools of a similar nature.

Support: Are there resources to help with the transition to college? Are there writing, math and foreign language labs? Is there a fee for content tutoring? Are the tutors peers, grad students or faculty?  Is there help with time management, organization and study skills? Does faculty tend to notice if a student is struggling and recommend resources?

Internships: What percent of students complete internships? (A college degree is not always enough these days!) Does the school help secure the internships?

Housing: What percent of students live on campus? Is housing guaranteed all four years? If students live off campus, are they commuters from home or do they live in near-by housing?

Student Body: What is the level of diversity in all areas – racial, socioeconomic, religious, geographical, etc.? What is the level of tolerance for differences? Is there a political leaning one way or another? Do at least some of the students seem like people you could be friends with?

Campus life: Do the students look happy? (Keep in mind that no one looks happy on a college campus early in the morning or when they are dashing to class in the rain.) Try to talk to students in addition to the tour guide. Ask what they like about their school and what they wish were different.

• What percentage of kids goes home on the weekends?
• Are there plenty of activities for students who are not interested in parties?
• Is there Greek Life and, if yes, how dominant is it?
• Are there ample opportunities for volunteering?
• Does the school have the amount of school spirit you are looking for?
• Do students regularly attend sports games or dance, music, drama performances?
• Where do students go when they want to get off campus?

Location: How easy is it to get home and how much does that matter?

Finances: It’s important to consider the overall expense to graduate. Look at the percentage of kids who graduate in four years and consider the extra cost if additional time is often needed at a particular school. All schools now have a Net Price Calculator to get an early estimate of any financial aid your child may be awarded.

Finally, make sure you leave enough time to have a meal in the dining hall, spend some time in the student union, look at what is posted on the bulletin boards and grab a school newspaper.

Try to enjoy this time with your child. It goes by quickly!