Visit When School is in Session
On your first visit, go during the school year on a regular school day. If you can only go during the summer or on a school vacation, that’s OK, but Justine Okerson of William & Mary says it’s most helpful to see what a regular day looks like. “Go when the school is full of life,” she says. “That really makes an impact.”
Take Notes
Jot down some notes and take pictures. Most students doing tours over spring break visit two schools a day for five days, and they all start to run together. “Take note of the things you liked, what stood out, what you didn’t like,” Okerson says. “Get the tour guide’s name and contact information, then get back in touch. You won’t remember everything forever.”
Megan Nassau of American University agrees. “Don’t overdo it and visit more in one day,” she says. “Not only is it hard logistically, but it’s a lot of information to take in on one day.”
Take Advantage of Websites and Social Media
“You can’t get the total sense of a campus online, but it can get you started,” Okerson says. “The best way is to explore all the colleges that interest you is to visit their websites. They have a lot of photos, YouTube videos, virtual tours and links to social media where you can take a look at the social life, academics and community.”
On JMU’s website, students can find an A-to -Z index at the bottom to find answers to basically anything they are looking for, Walsh says. “But if you can’t find something, call the admissions office,” he adds. “We are here to help.”