How To Visit A College Campus - Checklist


The best way to see if you’ll “fit in” at a college is to visit it in person.  Make a copy of this checklist and bring it with you, so you don’t forget to see everything you should.  Some general tips: 1. go with your parents, 2. visit the campus when classes are in session, so you can sit in on a couple and speak with students and faculty, and 3. allow 3-5 hours per campus.
College: _________________________

Date of visit: _____________________

Accommodations: _________________

Tour time/place: __________________

Contact/Phone: __________________

Directions attached?    Yes     No
Parking permit needed?   Yes    No

Places to visit and/or look for information:
q       Student center/hangouts
q       Library
q       Classrooms
q       Bulletin boards on campus
q       Admissions office
q       Dining facility
q       Dorms
q       Career placement office
q       Bookstore
q       Off-campus stores
q       The local community
q       School/community papers
q       Events calendar
q       Campus map
q       Places of worship
q       Health center

My overall reaction to this college:
q       Better that before I visited
q       About the same as before I visited
q       Not as good as before I visited

Academic items to evaluate:
q       Classes – quality
q       Classes – size
q       Pressure
q       Competition
q       Work load
q       Freshman orientation programs
q       Academic advisors for students

Housing items to evaluate:
q       Dorms:
q       Quality
q       Neighborhood
q       Security
q       Noise level
q       Off campus:

q       Quality
q       Neighborhood
q        Security
q       Noise level
q       Laundry
q       Kitchen
q       Lavatory
q       Smoking

Eating items to evaluate:
q       Dining hall:
q       Quality of food
q       cleanliness
q       nutrition
q       variety
q       Local restaurants
q       Liquor on campus
q       Special diet availability

Facilities to evaluate:
q       Health center
q       Special services
q       Student center
q       Concert hall
q       Classroom size, lighting and condition
q       Fraternity/sorority houses
q       Counseling services
q       Placement office
q       Disability access/facilities

Sports items to evaluate:
q       Gym
q       Pool
q       Track(s) – indoor and/or outdoor
q       Stadium
q       Skating/Hockey Rink
q       Open spaces for jogging, Frisbee, etc.
q       Tennis courts
q       Intramural sports
q       Intercollegiate sports

Community/Area to evaluate:
q       Overall impression
q       Cleanliness
q       Presence of crime
q       Local entertainment
q       Shopping
q       Activities/entertainment
q       Relationship with college
q       Transportation to/from campus
q       Unusual weather conditions
q       Other colleges nearby

Library Items to evaluate:
q       Size
q       Hours
q       Study rooms/areas
q       Comfort/lighting

Computer facilities evaluation:
q       Number of PC’s
q       Hours accessible

q       Software available
q       Down time
q        Knowledgeable assistance
q       Number of printers
q       Network availability
q       Fees for computer use

Impression of students:
q       Academic attitudes
q       Backgrounds/ethnic mix
q       Results from conversations

Impressions of faculty:
q       Accessible
q       Teaching styles
q       Dedication
q       Openness




Notes: