College Prep Handbook
· Interviews
“Nothing is more important for the public wealth than to form and train youth in wisdom and virtue. Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.”
-Benjamin Franklin
THE CAMPUS VISIT
For the most accurate picture of the spiritual, academic, and other campus life, it is best to visit during a weekday when classes are in session. Fall, spring and summer of your junior year is ideal, with the fall of your senior year the next best option. If your only option is visiting during a weekend or when classes aren’t in session, by all means do that, but temper your impressions with the knowledge that you are not getting a totally representative picture.
Decide which colleges you want to visit. You should usually visit schools which represent more than one level of interest. Don’t visit more than two colleges a day!
It is best to try to visit your first and second choice schools after you have visited others, so that you will be more “seasoned” when you see your favorites.
Call the college admission office several weeks in advance to let them know when you will be visiting. (NOTE: Advance planning and notification is even more critical in the cases of the more selective colleges-their interview schedules fill up early).
Tell the admission personnel what you would like to see and do on your visit, including these possibilities:
a group tour
a group information session-verify admission requirements, costs
a personal interview (note interview tips)
meet with financial aid/scholarship personnel
visit with offices of Christian clubs/organizations
spend the night on campus
eat a meal on campus
meet with a faculty member in your area of interest
meet with a coach/or extra-curricular sponsor
attend a class. If you attend a class, ask yourself…Are students prepared? Do they seem interested in the material? Is there time for questions and discussion? Did students participate? Am I intellectually challenged by what is taking place? Is there good rapport between students and professors?
attend a sporting event
You may also want to ask for the following:
a map of the campus and directions on where to park (a permit required?)
directions to the admissions office
suggestions about nearby lodging if you are not staying on campus
written confirmation of the dates and times of your tour, interview, etc.
NOTE: It is best if YOU make the contacts and set up the appointments rather than Mom or Dad. Also, if your parents make the trip with you, it is best if they do not accompany you to a personal interview. This would be a good time for them to visit with financial aid staff or walk around the campus.
QUESTIONS YOU MAY WISH TO ASK:
***do your homework prior to visiting...don’t ask questions that can easily be obtained on your own.
For Admission Officers:
What are the typical course requirements in terms of papers, exams, etc.?
How many students will there be in courses I’m likely to take my first year?
Are those courses taught by professors or graduate assistants?
What arrangements can be made for tutorials or advising?
Who serves as a student’s adviser? Do advisers change from year to year?
Why is this a particularly good college for me to study my selected major?
What is the typical freshman year program like here? What courses are required?
Is this a good place for students who are unsure of their major?
Will there be any new programs or facilities in the next two years?
When do you have to declare a major? Can you design your own major?
What percentage of students graduate in four years? Five years?
What is the freshman retention rate? What are the main reasons students leave?
What has the average tuition increase been the past five years?
Do scholarship increase proportionally with tuition increases?
What are the living options on campus? Off campus?
How are roommates assigned? What is the policy for changing roommates?
What is on-campus security like? What kind of crimes occurred last year?
Is there a safety escort or shuttle service?
Where are the computer labs located? When are they open?
Are the dorms wired for the internet and do students get free E-mail and Internet access?
Is the campus network accessible from the dorm rooms? Off campus?
Can you take classes and obtain credit from other schools? What requirements are there?
How will my concurrent/dual credit classes transfer: as core requirements or as
general electives?
What services does the career placement center offer?
What percentage of students go on to graduate or professional schools?
What about study abroad programs? What countries?
What about honors programs?
Are there mission projects, off-campus experiences? What are the strongest Christian organizations? How active are they?
What kinds of campus jobs are available for first-year students?
How many corporate employers/graduate schools recruited on campus last year?
Who were some of the ones related to your major interests?
What percentage of students were either employed or accepted into graduate school within six months/1 year of graduating last year?
Ask if they have a current course catalog available for you to take.
Are they a Christian school? Do faculty/students sign a statement of faith? If yes,
what does this imply about their doctrine and beliefs?
What do you like the best about this college and what do you not like?
What are students like here? What do they do for fun?
Do most students bring computers to school?
How easy is it to get into the classes you want?
How many hours a week do you study? Is that typical here?
Do you know 1-2 professors well enough to ask for a recommendation?
How accessible are professors and what kind of rapport do you have with them?
What are classes like? Small discussion groups or large lecture ?
Who teaches introductory courses, TA’s or professors?
What percentage of students have cars? How easy is it to find a parking spot?
What are the best freshmen dorms? Is it quiet enough to study there?
What are the dining options? How is the food?
What percentage of students go home on the weekends?
What about fraternities and sororities?
Who are some of the best freshmen teachers?
What are some of the favorite traditions here?
What are some things we should also do while visiting? Off campus also?
Has the college lived up to its reputation? What surprised you, disappointed you?
How hard is it to make the _______team? Ask about organizations you’re interested in.
What’s the intramural program like and how many students participate?
Are the athletic facilities open to all students or only to athletes?
To help you remember particular aspects of each campus visit, consider copying the “Campus Visit Evaluation” form and fill it out as soon as you leave. Take a small notebook and take good notes while on your tour and during your interview.
Other Tips:
Eat a meal in the dining hall or cafeteria.
Visit a dorm not on the tour.
Visit labs, cultural arts buildings, fitness facilities, the student center.
Speak with students who aren’t associated with the admissions office.
Take photos to help jog your memory when you get home.
Note the condition of buildings...old and need of repair or lots of new construction (a good indication of the financial climate of the school).
Read bulletin boards to see what’s going on.
Pick up a school newspaper.
Check banking options.
Find out about transportation options available, if you will not be taking a car.
Ask for a school calendar and course catalog.
Look around...Do I like it here? Are these “my kind of people”?
Drive around. What’s the surrounding town or city like?
Send a thank you note to the admission officer you visited with.
Spend some time in prayer to evaluate the visit.