I am taking a few tours of colleges this summer and I want to know the best questions to ask counselors about their college. I want to get an idea of what the college is like academically, socially, etc. What are the most important questions to ask about a college?
Visiting and looking around usually says more than asking a targeted question for them. The above thread seems a bit dated (I would not judge a college by its library or graffiti in 2017).
Always ask current students if possible - many colleges have them give tours, so that makes it easier. Ask them to describe their typical weekday and weekend day (as much as they are comfortable with) - that can often give you an idea. You can also ask things like “What do you think are the common values students here share?” and questions along those lines.
Some people even suggest asking students just hanging out around campus. Seems a bit awkward for me but gives you another data point.
The questions will come to you when you tour campus. If you are particualrly interested in, say, the health center because you have medical issues, you may have to ask about that. Often those types of buildings are not shown. I always had to ask about career centers. Most tours will cover the biggies: library, dining hall, dorms, classrooms. Not all though, esepcially in summer when buildings could be closed or being renovated. You will think of questions as you go around.
I always asked how advising works. How do you get advice about staying on track for your major? How do you add/drop classes? How easy is it to get the classes you want?
The best questions 1) cannot be answered by looking on eh website and 2) are things that are important to you.
Visits themselves will often generate questions for you. So when you’re visiting school A, they may talk about a program or service that you hadn’t considered before. After your visit, look on the websites for schools B,C,D, and E to see if they offer similar services. If the websites don’t tell you, then you can ask when you visit those schools.
Thanks everyone, this forum is the best!
Here are a few that you may not find answered fully on any website.
- Where do students go off-campus for fun?
- How many students are expelled each year? For what reasons? (Cheating? Drinking? Drugs? Rape?)
- What are the main library's weekend hours? About how many students are in there on a typical Saturday night?
- How hard is it to get the classes one wants? If I wanted to get the most popular professor for a required course, what would I need to do?
- What colleges do you consider your peers? (Or: where else do many of your applicants apply?) Why would someone choose this college instead?
Here are a few to ask yourself, then answer from personal observation:
- What do students talk about at meals? (in dorms, etc.)
- How often do students ask questions in class?
- Are the support staff (landscapers, meal servers, security people) friendly? Do they seem to take pride in their work? Does the campus look clean and well-maintained?