Exploring Colleges

The number one best way to determine if a school is a good fit for you is to visit! Visiting campus allows you to see the university firsthand, interact with current students, faculty, and staff, and let the school know you are interested. Many a time a student has absolutely loved a college from their website and other sources of information, only to visit and find out it's not the right fit.

Consider this: you will be attending class, eating, sleeping, possibly working, and spending all or most of your free time on this campus for the next four years. You want to know what it's like before making that commitment!

There are several ways to visit a college.

Attend an Open House

Most colleges and universities host multiple open houses throughout the year. These are large events meant to show you a lot about the university in just one day. Open houses typically include a presentation by the admission office, a campus tour, possibly eating on campus, and other sessions about financial aid, student life, or other important topics. To view open house dates for any colleges and universities, please visit the schools' admission websites.

Schedule a Campus Visit

Colleges and universities offer campus tours throughout the week and on weekends. If a school's open house dates do not work for you, call their admission office to schedule a visit. These smaller visits typically include a campus tour and a presentation by an admission counselor. Sometimes they involve a one-on-one appointment with an admission counselor.

Attend a College Fair

If you are unable to visit a college for whatever reason, a college fair is the next best thing. College fairs bring representatives from many schools, sometimes upwards of 500, to one place. The representatives set up tables with photographs and information about their school, and they are available to answer any questions you may have. They will probably ask you some questions, too, to help determine if you and their school are a good match.

College fairs provide you the opportunity to learn a lot about a number of different schools.