<p>So this Friday I leave to visit some colleges up north (I'm a southerner) and it's going to be my first time going to visit colleges, so i was just curious what CC thought were good things to look out for. Maybe some questions to ask, parts of the campus to make particular attention to? I'm really excited and would love some tips! Thanks!</p>
<p>Go around the area that the college is in, you won’t be spending your entire college career on campus. When I go on a visit I like to take note of what the students look/act like. Are they all types of students, or can you classify them as engineers, hippies, whatever? If you tell us where you’re going, some CCers may be able to give you tips for when you visit.</p>
<p>Eat some dining hall food. (Especially important for people with dietary restrictions like myself 
) You want to make sure you can eat the food they serve and that it’s not awful.</p>
<p>Try and get a vibe of the campus/town. Does it feel “homey” or welcoming or whatever? If you find somewhere you really like or fit in, things will just “feel” right.</p>
<p>Most campus tours will show you a classroom or two, the union, a dorm, the quad, the rec center/sports stadiums, a library… all the basic stuff</p>
<p>If you know what you’re interested in majoring in, go and look around the building that houses the department you’d be in. I always went and poked around music buildings on visits: its where I’ll be spending a lot of my time, so I want it to be nice!</p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to ask questions about anything.</p>
<p>Talk to students. Most students are willing to take a few minutes out of their day. Ask them about their personal experiences, their thoughts on the typical student there. I wish I had done more of that before going. You can tell some about students from how they seem walking around campus, but if you’re going for a visit, why not actually try to get to know a few?</p>
<p>Where in the South are you?
I’m in South Carolina and I can count all the ‘good’ colleges within 150 miles of me on one hand.</p>
<p>I agree you should check out the town, it helped me make my choice. See the downtown area in particular. Try eating at a local restaurant, and visiting the mall if there is one. At the college, see if you can sit it on a class or, if not, see a typical classroom to see if the set-up appeals to you.</p>
<p>Make sure the dorm they take you to is a FRESHMAN dorm. I had this problem when I visited UNC-Greensboro. I was taking to a dorm and only later found out that it was for juniors and seniors and that the freshmen dorms are worse than that.</p>
<p>Check out other aspects of campus life. Pick up a campus newspaper and when you’re in the car check out their radio station if applicable. Check the library to see if it’s well stocked and a good place to study. Also, try to be allowed to eat some campus food. At most colleges, you’re stuck with a meal plan for at least your freshman year, make sure it’s not just a rehash of typical high school gruel. Check to see if there’s public transportation, and if so try to find a map to see if it’s useful. Also check the town for walkability, at a lot of colleges you can’t have cars as a freshman, and even if you can you may strapped for cash and want to save gas.</p>
<p>And ask questions. Not just academic ones, but also about student life and the surrounding area. My favorite is “what do you like the least about this college” because it backs them into a corner, although good tour guides can usually turn it around (Like at Guilford College they were all “Well, because it’s so small there’s not a big social scene. But there’s other colleges and I made friends at those schools too.”)</p>
<p>Hi sorry guys, i just landed in Boston a few Hours ago. To sum it up: I’m going to MIT, Cornell, Princeton, NYU, and Cooper Union(wont get to do an official tour there) and I’m from Georgia. I’ve always heard the look around the school and check out the city so were doing that (staying in each city 2-3 days) but I like the Freshman dorm tip, and the backing them into a corner.</p>