THE COLLEGE CAMPUS TEST DRIVE

Accelerate your College Campus Tour into a College Campus Test Drive

“Welcome, prospective students.  I’m here to show you a very superficial version of what your life could be like for the next four years because I need the money.” –Anonymous tour guide, CollegeHumor.com

I have long recommended that students and parents take the time to do campus tours of prospective colleges before making decisions.  Campus tours are an excellent way to see the best that a University has to offer.  They will treat you like a rock star and show off all of the wonderful things their university has to offer, but are campus tours enough?  The university wants you and your tuition dollars to come to their school so they will put their best foot forward.  That is all part of the plan.  As they help you have a wonderful experience, you are more likely to choose their school as your home away from home.  However, when all is said and done, how much do you really know about the college you just toured?  You know only what they want you to know or what they had time to show you.

The Campus Test Drive

Let me invite you to get behind the wheel and take a Campus Test Drive of your own.   Just as you would never dream of buying a car without first taking it for a test drive, so it is with choosing a college or university.  So how do you take this so-called test drive?  You start by first taking the college tour offered by the college, asking the questions you came to ask.  Then, when the “official” tour is over and done, your “self-guided test drive” begins.

Campus walk. One way to truly get to know the feel of a campus is to see it at different times of the day. After your tour is over, walk the campus on your own.  Get a feel for the students that attend.  Feel free to ask them questions.  They went through this same process not too long ago too.  Most students, unless they’re late for a class, are willing to tell you why they chose this school to help them reach their educational and career dreams.  Their reasons will all be different, but they will be honest.  No one is paying them to make the school look good.  Take special note of specific reasons that are close to why you are interested in that school for yourself.

Visit a friend or relative. Do you have a friend or a relative currently attending or working at this school?  They are an excellent recourse.  Ask them questions, attend class, or go to a school event or activity with them.  Stay the night either with them or find a place to stay nearby.  Meet their friends, roommates, and classmates.  Ask everyone you meet questions regarding the school and the opportunities the school provides.  Even if you don’t know anyone at all at the school you are touring, planning to stay in the area for a day or two is a great benefit.  Some universities will allow you to stay a night in the dorms as part of your campus visit.

Attend a class. Locate the department for your major.  They probably pointed it out on your campus tour.  Meet some of the professors, advisors, and department heads that you will be working with should you choose to stay.   Arrange to observe a class.  After class, mingle with the students.  Take advantage of the time and ask questions.

Attend a campus event. This is something you could ask about as you’re touring through campus.  What events are going on that night?  Find out about events that are interesting to you and go to something you would attend if you were a student there.  If you’re into sports, go to a sporting event.  If you’re into drama, music, or the arts, then perhaps a play, concert, or the art museum is what you want to check out.  Maybe you just really love to read and know you’ll be doing a lot of studying, check out the library.  This was probably included on your campus tour, but take the time to walk through it again.  What section of the library is the most quiet?  Where are the study group rooms?  Where is the hang out section where you can see and be seen?

Housing. Where will you be living should you chose this college?  It is all about location.  Some universities require freshmen to stay on campus their first year.  Not all dorms are created equal, however, so exploring more than one dorm is essential.  If you are not staying on campus, arrange with several different apartment managers to explore the apartments they have to offer.  Is this a party apartment?  Does this apartment complex offer social activities?  Gage your needs, interests, and desires.  If you have a rigorous class schedule that will require lots of study hours, then a quiet apartment close to the library might be what you are looking for.  If you want to balance the studying with some social events, then perhaps an apartment close to campus that offers activities with other tenants may be for you.

Off Campus. There is more to the college experience than what happens on the college campus. Take a drive through town.  What amenities are available in the city you’ll be living in if you go to this school?  What’s the shopping like? Wander through the mall.  Even if you hate shopping, you still have to eat so check out the grocery stores.  Are there recreational facilities to meet your interests? Explore the local college hang out.  What community events does the city host?  Can you picture yourself living here?  Are there internship and career opportunities available here should you choose to stay after graduation?  What about religious and social opportunities? Will you be working to supplement your income needs?  If so, now is the time to start checking out jobs.  Is there a bus system to get you where you need to go if you don’t own a car?  These questions and more are what you should be asking yourself as you drive around town.  Check out the city’s visitor center.  This is a great place to get a local’s inside scoop.

Additional tips.  Author Lynn O’Shaughnessy in her book, “The College Solution” gives some additional tips on how to be prepared for your college visit.  Her first suggestion is to consider the timing of your visit, noting that the campus may feel different at different times of the year.  Another suggestion she offers is to take good notes.  Taking notes will help as you visit multiple campuses to keep everything organized.  Lynn also gives good advice to parents.  She suggests that parents need to know their place.  She said, “Parents, who are often the ones bankrolling a child’s education, might be eager to ask questions during campus tours.  But it’s best to encourage your child to be the one posing most of them.”  Take some time before your campus test drive to brainstorm good questions your student can ask.  As you’re brainstorming, keep in mind different questions you would ask to different kinds of people.  You will probably not ask students the same questions you would ask professors or advisors.

Now is the perfect time to start setting up campus tours.  Check out the university’s web site to find details on how to set up your tour.  Keep in mind that some universities book weeks in advance.  Over all, a campus test drive gives you the big picture rather than just the little bit the college or university has time to give you on the campus tour.  Taking a college test drive takes more time, but in the long run, you will be a more informed consumer.  The college test drive will help you weigh the pros and cons and you will be able to make a more informed decision.  In the end you will be able to compare each campus more effectively to help you make a decision you will be happy with.