The college search can be stressful, especially if students don’t know what to look for or what questions to ask on campus tours. Here’s a list of things to consider when thinking about where you’re going to spend your next four years.
LOCATION
One of the most important things to keep in mind is what kind of location do you want. Do you want to be in the middle of a bustling city, walking across campus listening to birds chirping, or somewhere in between? Do you like cold or hot weather?
TRANSPORTATION
Keep in mind the transportation options like shuttles or buses, their schedule, and who is allowed to use them, as well as the school’s proximity to major cities and airports.
If you don’t want to use public transport or are planning to commute to school, consider whether or not you’re allowed to have a car on campus. Take note of the amount of parking available and when you would be allowed to have your car.
For example, Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, allows students to have a car on campus as early as the spring semester of their freshman year, while other schools, such as UConn, only allow students to start bringing their cars once they have 54 credits.
SIZE
Once you know what surroundings you prefer, it’s important to think about how many students you want to have on campus. The average student population is 6,354 students.
WHS Alumni Mia Petrini said that at Sacred Heart University prospective students should pay attention to the small class sizes, which give students the opportunity to get to know their professors personally.
MAJORS/RIGOR
Additionally, consider the school’s academic strength and rigor in your field of study. If you’re interested in the arts or music, then it’s likely not beneficial to you to apply to an engineering school like MIT. Petrini wishes she had “asked about the honors program at SHU because the freshman housing is much nicer.”
HOUSING
There are underclassmen options and upperclassmen options. Some schools offer theme houses, senior apartments, townhomes, suite-style dorms, and various other options. Additionally, some schools require students to live on campus for all four years while at others their housing isn’t guaranteed. Instead it’s based on a lottery system.
CULTURE
Similar to academics, what type of study culture do you want your school to have? Would you rather spend your Friday nights studying in the library or partying? If you’re someone who has a lot of school spirit, make sure you ask your tour guide about the student body’s enthusiasm.
Take into account the level of student involvement in Greek life. If you’re not interested in interacting with fraternities or sororities or attending their events, you might want to look at the 31 schools who don’t have Greek life programs, one being Vassar College, a small liberal arts school in Poughkeepsie, New York.
On campus tours, pay attention to how the students generally act. Recent WHS graduate Emma Hall says that her favorite part about attending High Point University is “the beautiful campus, happy people, and good study spots.” If you’re going to spend thousands of dollars and four years of your life somewhere, you need to make sure there are activities on campus that are going to keep you motivated throughout the year.
Make sure you follow schools on social media to stay up to date with events happening on campus. If they’re hosting a concert or carnival, check out posts from the school’s admissions office and personal accounts of current students to get a glimpse of student life. The University of Rhode Island hosts an annual volleyball tournament where the courts are made of mud, which they dubbed “oozeball.”
DINING
Last but not least, consider the dining options and meal plans. Ask about establishments both on and off campus and whether or not meal plans apply there. Some schools only have one dining hall but others have multiple spread across campus, as well as small coffee shops or diners where students can use dining dollars, another aspect of some meal plans.
Picking a college is difficult and there’s a multitude of factors that influence people’s decisions. Touring the campus and talking to current students is one of the best things you can do to help figure out what you want your school to have and what atmosphere is conducive to your lifestyle.