The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

A Pathway to College: Make the Most of your College Visit

Why they Matter

1. It shows colleges that you’re interested. “If you’re interested in a college, show interest,” said American University admissions officer Alicia Hilligas. “If I have two identical applicants, [but] one attended the info sessions and visited the college, who am I going to accept?” Colleges need to gauge the interest of applicants. If you apply without visiting, they may assume that you applied at the last minute.

2. It allows colleges to get to know you. Colleges need to know the kind of person that they’ll have living on campus. Talking directly with you is the best way for an admissions representative to tell if you’re the kind of student that would be a benefit to have enrolled in their classes. It is best not to let a sheet of paper speak for you; only you can do that.

3. It lets you see what student life is like. Is the college in a good location? Are students overworked, or relaxed? Are the students in class having a discussion, or is the professor just lecturing them? When looking at student life at your prospective college, nothing can compare to visiting the college in person.

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4. It gives you a chance to ask questions. “Try to step outside [of the tour],” says WJ guidance counselor Erika Murray. “You’ll want to hear some more ‘real’ responses,” as opposed to those you get from a tour guide hired to show the best of the school. The most genuine responses to questions will come from students who aren’t part of the tour.

5. Keep in mind that the college might end up being your home. Would you buy a house without looking at it? Well, by applying to a college without visiting it first, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Decisions based only on the school’s average GPA or SAT scores is risky. Rather than go through the trouble of transferring between colleges, it’s far easier to make the right decision the first time.

What to Ask

1. What is the average Saturday night here like?

This question will give you a good idea of the kind of school you are looking at. Is it a party school? Or an overly academic school? It can also give you an idea of how active and lively the school is during the weekends.

“Some campuses do a great job of organizing activities and events, and the students feel very invested in the campus community,” said counselor Joe Thompson.

However, some schools don’t have much going on and most people may leave the campus over the weekend.

2. Are there fraternities and sororities here?

Fraternities and sororities are sometimes a big part of college and may interest you if you are into partying and brotherhoods/sisterhoods. If you aren’t interested in these organizations, then don’t go to a school where these organizations are integral parts of the social scene.

3. How many students live on campus?

Knowing how many students live on campus shows how active the school’s community is, since freshmen will often be living in dorms. As for the weekends, the amount of activities and such show how one will be spending their weekends while in college. At some colleges, there are very few people who live on campus which could bring up the question of off campus living for prospective students.

4. How many classes are taught by graduate students?

In most large universities professors will have graduate students assist them, and sometime even teach the class. Graduate students aren’t as experienced as professors and might not be able to explain the lessons as well.

The College Tour

1. The Fitness Center

Unless you are going to college to play on a sports team, the fitness center is important for the average student. Here you can see gym accessibility, hours and type of exercise you can get. Some colleges will have Olympic-sized swimming pools and others will have an eclectic mix of treadmills, ellipticals and stair steppers. Either way, whether it’s hitting the gym or joining an intramural club, you can look for a way to avoid that freshman 15.

2. The Dining

One important thing to look for while on a college tour is the dining. Some colleges will show you top-of-the-line organic, vegetarian and vegan dining halls, while others will have simple buffet-style food courts. If you have time, eat lunch in one of the cafeterias and see how you like the options. Depending on the school, there could be one large food area, or various dining halls scattered across campus.

3. The Bookstore

College bookstores are magical places. It is here that you can find clothing, school supplies, car stickers and even course textbooks. Browsing this paraphernalia can give you a feel of the campus spirit, and you can even buy a souvenir to remember the visit! Additionally, perusing the course books can give you an idea of what kind of materials students read in their classes.

4. The Dorms

Some colleges don’t show their dorm rooms, so when the opportunity arises, don’t take it for granted. Seeing the dorm rooms is a valuable guide in deciding which college you can see yourself at. It is in these rooms that you’ll be living in for the next few years of your life. Make sure to check out the freshman dorms (watch for the closet space), apartment-style dorms, dorm housing and Greek houses.

How to Prepare

1. Write out questions that you couldn’t find answers to online. Asking about the size of the freshman class last year or the average GPA is a waste of time – the information is available online. Asking just shows that you didn’t research the college before you visited. According to Murray, “something to ask would be along the lines of, ‘Are internships part of your majors?’ or ‘Can I meet with the head of a certain department?’”

2. Make sure your parents don’t do all the talking. They’re not going to college. You are. Let them ask questions – but not all of them. Otherwise, you won’t get to ask the questions you want to, and it makes you seem as though you’re not prepared.

3. Consider an overnight visit. Visiting a college overnight “allows you to get a fuller experience of the college,” said Murray. Assume, for example, that the dorms have no air conditioning, or that the cafeteria is far from the dorms. You might not notice these details in the tour, but on an overnight visit, those types of issues are glaring – and might affect your eventual decision.

4. Send the tour guide or admissions officer an email when you get home. It doesn’t have to be a two-page letter; you only need to thank them for the campus tour. This way, they’ll remember you more easily, and they will know you have interest in applying to their college. You may even get a response.

5. Don’t fly out to see a college…yet. Does UCLA appeal to you? Don’t go a thousand miles to get there just yet. You can gauge the feel of a certain type of university (e.g. public or private; large, medium or small; etc.) without going to a specific school. If you find out by visiting College Park that you won’t like a large public university, for example, you won’t be interested in UCLA, so there is no need to fly out for a visit.

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