College Visits Advice and Overview

As a junior, making college plans has quickly become a major part of my life. According to the Department of Education, approximately 60% of American high school students enrolled in a two- or four-year college program within a year of graduation as of 2023. Per data from CollegeVine, which offers a vast repository of college information and statistics, the average college-bound high school student in the United States applies to between 6 and 10 schools and visits between 5 and 6. College visits are a great way to get information about a particular university, but they also help to evaluate a school in ways that a website or spreadsheet simply cannot.

Auburn University this spring. Photo courtesy of Zane Shrewsberry.

Generally, scheduled college visits occur at regular times depending on the time of year. These visits generally have three components: a general information session, a campus tour, and specialized information sessions, which discuss specific university programs and offerings. General information sessions may not be overly interesting, but in my experience, they contain excellent information regarding admissions, needs-based financial aid, merit scholarships, and other baseline topics. Many of these details can flow together after visiting multiple colleges, so I recommend taking the time to write basic notes during and immediately after an information session. Many colleges will also hand out folders with most of the information from the presentation inside, so be sure to keep those for future reference (most colleges also include a discount card for the campus bookstore). 

Campus tours offer a welcome relief from long general information sessions. Depending on the college (and the weather), these tours generally last between one and two hours and take students past dorms, academic buildings, dining halls, and athletic facilities. Usually, tours go through a model dorm room to give students an idea of what on-campus housing looks like at that particular college. I’ve experienced varying degrees of tour guide interaction with students, but I have been on tours with guides who can offer a great deal of personalized insights, so be sure to ask any questions you may have. 

After a break for lunch at a campus dining hall, most college visits conclude with specialty information sessions about the university’s honors college, study abroad programs, and specific schools within the college (such as a business school), which may have different admissions requirements or more specific information available. These sessions are incredibly useful for students who have decided on what they will be majoring in, but may not be overly helpful for undecided students. This is another good time to take notes and grab any information sheets that are available.

Overall, college visits are a great way to gather information about universities that interest you. Even if you aren’t particularly focused on a specific college, going on a visit there may provide a good benchmark to judge other schools by. I recommend keeping an open mind, recording as much information as possible, and asking questions that are important to you. Good luck in your future endeavors!