Questions to Ask on College Visits 

Questions to Ask Colleges and Universities When You Visit

Academics

1.      How large are the classes?

2.      How many of the classes are taught by a professor, and how many are taught by a teaching assistant?

3.      Are there any popular classes or must-have professors?

4.      How much freedom do freshmen have in choosing courses?

5.      How are first-year students advisors assigned?

6.      Is it easy to change your major?

7.      How would you describe the first-year experience, in terms of advising or any classes that everyone has to take?

8.      Do the professors hold office hours? How often can students interact with professors outside of class?

9.      Can undergraduates work with professors on research?

10.  Are there honors programs or capstone classes? If so, what are they like?

11.  How many hours of class do students typically have each week? How much homework outside of class?

Academic Support

12.  Where are the best places to study on campus?

13.  What are the hours for the library? Do these hours change during reading periods or exam weeks?

14.  Do any majors require seniors to write a thesis or complete a senior project?

15.  Is there free academic support or tutoring, like the writing help center? Is it effective?

16.  What kind of learning disability resources does the school offer?

17.  Is there a writing center to help with essays and research papers?

18.  Do the librarians help with research?

19.  Are there computer labs?

20.  Are there social orientation programs for freshmen? Are they enjoyable?

21.  What is the average class size for introductory classes? What is the average class size of upper-division courses?

Extracurriculars

1.      Is there career counseling? Is it helpful?

2.      What are some of the most popular extracurriculars and why?

3.      What clubs or other opportunities exist for community service?

4.      Do sports play a large role on campus? What division are the sports teams? What about intramurals or exercise classes?

5.      Can you talk about the fill-in-the-blank club? (Examples might include the student newspaper, student magazine, international relations clubs, art groups, science clubs, musical performances, plays, bands, ensembles...whatever you’re interested in!)

6.      In what ways do students connect with and volunteer in the surrounding community? 

Student Life

1.  How many students live on campus?

2.  Do most students stick around or go home on the weekend?

3.  What percentage of the student body belong to a sorority or fraternity? What does Greek Life look like on the campus?

4.  What activities are offered to students?

5.  What clubs do you have on campus?

Residence Life

1.  What are the residence halls like? Are there lounges, laundry, and kitchens? Shared or private restrooms?

2.  Do most students live in the residence halls? What about after sophomore or junior year? If they move off campus, do they live in apartments or shared houses?

3.  Are any students placed in triples?

4.  How are the resident assistants? Do they plan social events for first-year students to get to know one another?

5.  What would I do in case of a conflict or need for a room switch? Is that possible?

6.  What kind of food does the dining hall serve? Are there different options? How is it, really?

7.  How long are residence halls accommodations guaranteed?

Campus Culture and Surrounding Area

1.  Where do students tend to hang out on and off campus?

2.  Are there movie theaters, concert venues, and malls or shopping centers?

3.  How ethnically diverse is the campus?

4.  How many international students are there? What countries do they come from?

5.  What are some big campus events, like homecoming or alumni weekend?

6.  Is it easy to get around campus or get off campus without a car?

7.  What transportation options are there around campus?

8.  Is it a safe area to walk around at night? What kind of safety measures are in place?

9.  Do many students work on or off campus? How easy is it to find a part-time job?

Admissions Office

1.  What's unique about this college?

2.  What leads most students to choose this college?

3.  What qualities and experiences are you looking for in applicants?

4.  How large of a role do SAT scores play in admissions?

5.  What percentage of students graduate in four years?

6.  What sort of student would succeed here?

7.  What sort of student might not be happy here?

8.  Can you tell me about career placements or grad school acceptances for graduates?

9.  How do you help students prepare for post-grad employment?

10.  Do you have an active alumni network?

Financial Aid

1.  What is your average financial aid package?

2.  What is the typical breakdown of loans versus grants?

3.  What percentage of financial need does the school typically meet?

4.  What is the average merit award?

5.  What percentage of students receive college grants?

6.  What is the average college debt that students leave with?

7.  What work-study opportunities are there?