<p>Could anyone please let me know what I have to prepare for a college visit? I really want to make the best of my time as much as possible when I'm there.
Also, what kind of questions do students usually ask while going on a tour?</p>
<p>THank you</p>
<p>On many tours, students don’t ask questions . . . parents do. But it is WAAAAY better if the students ask the questions. You can ask questions about how the housing lottery works (it is a random lottery, or is it based on GPA, etc.), how course selection works, whether it’s hard to get good classes as a freshman, the typical weekend, the biggest complaint, is it easy to do research, how many students go abroad, if conservatives would feel out of place, safety issues, etc. If there is something important to YOU then that is something you should ask about. Ask as many people as you can the same questions - you might get different (and useful) answers.</p>
<p>I always like to pick up a campus newspaper, and I always look at all the flyers posted on the bulletin boards. I also like to go to the bookstore and take a look at the textbook shelves. If you can, you should eat on campus. If you are a science person, spend some extra time in the science building looking at the research posters on the walls. No matter what you are interested in, take a look at some of the prof’s doors.</p>
<p>Research the college before you go. If there are things you really want to see, make sure they are on your “to do” list. If you are interested in Club X or Sport Y, you might be able to set up a meeting with an adult or student involved in the activity. If you want to join the orchestra, see if they are having a rehearsal when you are there. </p>
<p>If you are meeting with an admissions officer, you should prepare (but not rehearse!) for the interview. You can find lists of common questions online, but you should also prepare several questions you want him/her to answer.</p>
<p>I’m sure others will have tons of great advice also, so let me end with:</p>
<p>AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE CAMPUS - write down all your impressions. You will forget. I know you think you won’t, but you will. The colleges will start to run together, and it becomes harder and harder to recall what you did and didn’t like.</p>
<p>When I went on my visits last year, I thought a lot about what I wanted from a school. For example, I really want to study abroad, I would like to be a marketing major, so most of my questions related to those departments. I also read each school’s mission statement to see their goals and get a better feel for what they expect students to gain from the experience of attending there. </p>
<p>I don’t really think there is anything you need to really “prepare” for a college visit, but I might glance over mission statements of private schools if you care about what the school’s goals are. I think the most important thing to keep in mind to make the best of your time is what key things you feel are most important to have in a school. This could be your major, price, size, outside activities available, etc. Make sure when you visit you look to see what items on your list the school has, or does not have. Also, try to keep an open mind as much as possible. Don’t just glaze over a school you don’t think you’ll like, because if you listen to what the tour guide has to say, your opinion might change.</p>
<p>The most common questions I saw kids ask were about specific majors/programs, financial aid, greek life, student groups, recreational activities available, housing, transportation, and school traditions. All the tours I went on seemed pretty laid back, and everyone seemed to ask questions that were specific to them and their interests. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thank you so much 
I will be visiting two schools on the same day so I will definitely write down what i like and dont like from each school…i will probably have them confused 
and both schools im going to are in NYC…so columbia and NYU!!!so excited :)</p>