How to Visit Colleges: Your Guide to Preparing for Your Next College Visit

By Elizabeth West (BA 26)

Planning a college visit can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to organizing a day to explore on campus or finding a local place to stay overnight. However, campus visits can ease the stress of choosing a college later on by offering a firsthand look at what a college has to offer! These visits provide a firsthand experience of a school and help you decide where to prepare for your future career and create a home away from home. Scheduling a visit with admissions can help you discover a campus, experience student life, and receive insight into the values of an institution. 

So, if you have questions about how to visit colleges, here is your guide! 

Before a College Visit

The first step in planning a college visit is contacting the admissions office to schedule a tour. Admissions can provide useful resources, such as directions to the school and specialized options for your visit, like sitting in a class or meeting with professors and coaches. 

Before visiting, you can also look at a college’s website to learn about its values and academic offerings. This can help you prepare questions to ask during your time on campus. 

If you’re traveling from out of town, finding a place to stay can factor into planning as well. The admissions office and the college’s website will often give recommendations for convenient and affordable lodging options.

Other factors to consider are prospective student days and visits during academic breaks. Depending on the time of year, a college will offer visit days for incoming students with specially planned events. However, for a more private or personalized visit, you can plan a general weekday tour. To ensure you receive the full experience of a campus during your visit, check college websites to see if the students are on break for a holiday or at home for the summer. Visiting while students are following their daily routines on campus is the best way to get an accurate impression of a college’s student life.

If you are unable to take an in-person visit to a campus, there are alternatives! Online tours of colleges and webinars are viable options for families who live far away or have busy schedules. For example, Grace College offers one-on-one virtual meetings with admissions counselors to answer students’ questions. These can be a great substitute for in-person visits if that works for you personally. 

What to Expect During a Visit

On a college visit, you’ll usually begin with a financial aid meeting with your assigned admissions counselor. At this meeting, you’ll discuss scholarship opportunities, financial aid packages, grades, and other similar topics. This conversation will help you understand the academic and financial questions you might be thinking, such as, can I afford to attend this school?

Following your meeting, you will probably take a tour of campus. During your tour, you’ll get to explore the academic buildings, the dining commons, school offices, the gym, and hangout spots like the library or a coffee shop. Many schools will have student ambassadors lead you around campus. At Grace College, student tour guides will show you the layout of campus and answer your questions about the college. 

To experience the college’s academics, incorporate sitting in a class into your visit! This is a great way to meet professors and other students. Spending time in a class can answer your questions about what major you should study and if you like the teaching style that’s presented. 

Experience Campus Life 

A college visit means more than seeing buildings; a visit gives glimpses into the heart of a college campus and community. Experience a campus culture by eating a meal in the dining commons or taking a walk in the surrounding community. Pay attention during your visit to see how the students and faculty interact with each other. Do you see professors spending time with students outside of class? Do students or staff approach you during your visit? Do you see club or service events going on around campus? Does your tour guide seem genuinely excited about their school? These are signs that the campus life is healthy and full of energy. 

The location of a college can also play a large part in your decision. Grace College’s location next to Winona Lake and the downtown shops in The Village gives it aesthetic appeal on top of its academic standing. The lake provides a relaxing space off campus for students to enjoy.

Preparing for a college visit can initially feel complicated, but these visits can help you determine what location, academic programs, and community values align with your personal expectations and preferences.

To make the most of your visit, start by scheduling a tour through the admissions office and explore everything the college has to offer, from academic buildings to student hangout spots. Make sure to visit while students are following their daily routines to get an authentic feel for campus life. Get out there and see firsthand what a college has to offer—it could be the key to making your decision easier! If you are looking for a school that prioritizes knowing Christ and making Him known as well as strong academics and student community, then Grace College could be your next college visit. Schedule a visit today at Grace College! 

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Visit Colleges 

If you don’t have time to read the full article about how to visit colleges, here are a couple of quick answers to the most common questions!

Q: Why should I go on a college visit?
A: Visiting a college helps you experience a school firsthand rather than looking at a website. You can get a taste of what life as a student would look like on campus and see if the college’s values match your personal beliefs and expectations. 

Q: What should I do during a college visit?
A: Make a list of your priorities before visiting. This could be meeting a professor in your academic field, eating a meal in the college dining commons, or visiting a dorm. 

Q: What should I wear to a college visit?
A: If you’re wondering what to wear on a college visit, most colleges suggest wearing comfortable clothing and shoes as you’ll likely be doing a lot of walking during campus tours.  

Q: What questions should I ask during a campus visit?
A: Some sample questions include how many students are on campus, what are core campus values, or what housing options and financial aid opportunities are available to students.

Q: When should you start visiting colleges?
A: While there is no set time frame, visiting a college as a junior or senior in high school can help you narrow your school choices after graduation. You can also wait until you are accepted into schools to keep your visits efficient, especially if you live far away from a campus. 

Q: How many college visits should I do?
A: Visiting multiple schools allows you to compare what elements you like and dislike. However, how many visits you take will highly depend on your budget for traveling, how many schools you are interested in, and where you have applied. For the best results, visit both large and small schools on your list to see whether you would like a busy versus a relational campus, or an urban versus a rural campus. Feel free to fill in the gaps with online tours of colleges.

Now that you know how to visit colleges, schedule your visit to Grace College!

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