The Importance of College Visits: How to Make the Most of Your Time on Campus

By Barbara Connolly, JD, CEP

Founder, College Choice Counseling®

As students begin the college search process, they often spend countless hours researching schools online, comparing rankings, reviewing academic programs, and watching virtual tours. While these resources are valuable, they cannot fully answer one of the most important questions in the college search process:

Can I actually see myself here?

A college's website tells you what the school wants you to know. A campus visit shows you what daily student life is actually like.

Visiting college campuses can help students make more informed and confident decisions about where to apply and ultimately enroll. Walking through academic buildings, observing students, exploring residence halls, and experiencing the surrounding community often provides insights that simply cannot be gained online.

College Tours Help You Evaluate Campus Culture

One of the most important factors in choosing a college is finding the right cultural fit. Every college has its own unique personality, traditions, and student experience.

During a campus visit, pay attention to the atmosphere around you. Are students studying together or working independently? Do students seem engaged and enthusiastic about campus life? Is the environment collaborative or highly competitive? Are students involved in activities outside the classroom?

These observations can help answer questions that are difficult to evaluate from a website:

• Does the campus feel welcoming?

• Can you imagine making friends here?

• Does the student body seem aligned with your interests and personality?

• Would you feel comfortable spending four years in this environment?

Many students discover that the schools they enjoy most in person are not always the schools they initially preferred based on rankings or reputation alone.

Why Visits Matter When Schools Look Similar on Paper

One of the most common experiences we see at College Choice Counseling® is a student visiting a college they expected to love and leaving underwhelmed—or visiting a school they initially considered a backup and coming away impressed.

Many colleges appear very similar online. They may offer comparable academic programs, student organizations, research opportunities, and admissions statistics. However, once students step on campus, meaningful differences often emerge.

For example, a student considering several large public universities may find that one campus feels energetic and spirited, another feels more academically intense, and a third offers a stronger sense of community. These differences are difficult to appreciate through rankings, brochures, or virtual tours.

Campus visits often become the deciding factor when students are narrowing their college lists and deciding where they would genuinely thrive.

College Tours Show You Academic Resources Firsthand

Academics are naturally a major consideration during the college search process. While brochures and websites highlight academic programs, seeing facilities in person often provides a much more complete picture.

As you tour campus, pay attention to:

• Classroom facilities

• Laboratories and research spaces

• Libraries

• Student study areas

• Academic support centers

• Career services offices

  
  

Ask questions about undergraduate research opportunities, internship support, faculty accessibility, and advising resources.

You should also evaluate whether the facilities and resources align with the school's academic reputation. Are students actively using the spaces? Do professors appear accessible? Are many classes being taught by professors?

College Visits Allow You to Explore the Surrounding Community

Urban, Suburban, or Rural? Self-Contained or Integrated Into a City?

The college experience extends well beyond campus boundaries.

The surrounding community can influence everything from internships and employment opportunities to social activities and quality of life. Some students thrive in large urban environments with easy access to restaurants, entertainment, and professional opportunities. Others prefer traditional college towns or quieter suburban or rural settings.

When visiting a campus, spend time exploring the surrounding area. Walk beyond the official tour route. Visit local coffee shops, restaurants, and gathering places. Consider what daily life would feel like not just on campus, but in the broader community.

Some colleges are very much integrated and woven into a college town, such as the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Indiana University. Other colleges are very self-contained in their own area, such as Stanford University, Duke University, and Princeton University.

• Integrated into a college town:

• University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) – The campus is seamlessly woven into the heart of Ann Arbor, making the city itself feel like an extension of the campus. 

• University of Wisconsin–Madison – The campus blends naturally into the center of Madison through State Street. 

• Indiana University: The campus flows directly into downtown Bloomington, creating a classic college-town atmosphere.

• Self-contained campuses:

• Stanford University – Large, distinct campus separated from downtown Palo Alto.

• Duke University – Gothic-style West Campus is a cohesive, self-contained environment, clearly separated from downtown Durham

• Princeton University – Although adjacent to Princeton’s downtown, the campus has a clearly defined, cohesive identity and functions as its own environment.

  
  

Questions to consider include:

• Is transportation readily available?

• Are there internship opportunities nearby?

• Do students spend most of their time on campus or off campus?

• Would you enjoy living in this area for four years?

  
  

Don't Forget to Evaluate Student Housing

For most students, their residence hall will be their home for the first year of college—and perhaps much longer. Yet housing is often an afterthought during a campus visit. Take time to explore where students live and ask questions that will help you understand the day-to-day experience.

As you tour campus, consider the following:

• Visit more than the "showcase" residence hall. Admissions offices often feature the newest or nicest dorm. Ask whether you can also see a typical first-year residence hall. 

• How are freshmen assigned to housing? Can students rank preferences, choose roommates, or are assignments random? 

• Room configuration. How large are the rooms? Are bathrooms communal or suite-style? Is there air conditioning? Are the rooms furnished? Are typical rooms singles, doubles, or triples?

• Location matters. How far is the residence hall from academic buildings, dining halls, libraries, recreation facilities, and parking? 

• Living-Learning Communities. Does the college offer themed residence halls based on majors, honors programs, leadership, entrepreneurship, or other interests? These communities can make it easier to build friendships and connect with students who share similar goals. 

• Dining options. Visit a dining hall if possible. Ask about meal plans, food quality, hours, and accommodations for dietary restrictions. 

• Upper-class housing. Do most students remain on campus after their first year, or do they move off campus? If so, what are the typical costs and neighborhoods? 

• Safety and security. Ask about residence hall security, guest policies, and campus safety resources. 

  
  

Finally, ask current students one simple question: "What do you wish you had known about living here before you enrolled?" Their answers are often candid and provide insights that won't appear in admissions brochures.

College Visits Can Strengthen Your Application Strategy

A campus visit provides valuable insights that can strengthen a student's application.

Many colleges ask supplemental essay questions that require students to explain why they are interested in attending that institution, the “Why School” essay. Students who have visited campus often write more specific and authentic responses because they can reference programs, opportunities, and observations that genuinely resonated with them.

Even at colleges that do not formally track demonstrated interest, campus visits frequently result in stronger applications. Students develop a deeper understanding of the institution and can more clearly articulate why the school is a good fit for their goals.

Steps to Take to Make the Most of Your Visit

Sign up for official tours through the admissions office website using the student's personal email address. Most colleges offer an information session followed by a campus tour.

Before the Visit

• Review the school's website

• Identify academic programs of interest

• Prepare questions in advance

• Check whether classes are open to visitors

• Research extracurricular activities you may want to explore

Day of Visit

• Check in when you arrive

• Plan at least a half day at each school

• Attend a class if possible

• Eat in a dining hall

• Visit residence halls, libraries, and student centers

• Attend an athletic event, performance, or student activity if available

• Ask questions throughout the day

Take Notes

After each visit, record your impressions while they are still fresh.

Document:

• What you liked

• What surprised you

• Academic programs that stood out

• Student organizations of interest

• Specific people you met

• Questions you still have

  
  

These notes can be extremely helpful when trying to remember things learned on your visit, and later when writing supplemental essays and comparing schools.

Tours are typically led by current students. Take advantage of this opportunity to ask about their experiences and observations.

Look around at the students you encounter. Can you picture yourself as part of this community?

If possible, go the admissions office and speak to an admissions officer. Go there with purpose. Have questions prepared to ask if given the opportunity. If it’s possible to speak to the admissions representative responsible for your school, even better.

Walk Beyond the Official Tour

Admissions tours naturally highlight a school's strengths. Spend time exploring areas not included on the tour route. Walk through additional academic buildings, student gathering spaces, and nearby neighborhoods to gain a more complete perspective.

Questions to Ask Current Students

Current students often provide some of the most valuable insights.

Consider asking:

• What surprised you most after enrolling?

• What do students complain about?

• How easy was it to make friends?

• What do students do on weekends?

• How accessible are professors?

• What would you change about the school?

• If you had to do it again, would you choose this college?

  
  

Their answers can provide a more candid perspective than official marketing materials.

Sample Questions to Ask Admissions Representatives

• Are there living-learning communities? When do students apply?

• Do most students graduate in four years?

• What is the advisor-to-student ratio?

• How robust are career services?

• What internship support is available?

• What undergraduate research opportunities exist?

• For pre-med students, what advising resources are available?

  
  

A Note on Safety Schools

Visit the safety schools on your list.

A school is not truly a safety school if you have not explored it thoroughly and considered whether you would actually be happy attending.

One of the biggest mistakes students make is treating safety schools as backups rather than legitimate options. Every year, students are admitted to their safety schools and ultimately choose to enroll because they discover outstanding academic programs, generous merit scholarships, or a campus environment they genuinely enjoy.

The goal is not simply to gain admission somewhere. The goal is to create a college list where you would be excited to attend every school on your list.

Final Thoughts

Visiting college campuses before applying is one of the most effective ways to determine whether a school is the right fit. College tours provide valuable insight into academics, student life, campus culture, and the surrounding community—factors that can significantly shape a student's college experience.

While online research remains an important part of the college search process, nothing replaces the perspective gained from walking a campus yourself and experiencing it firsthand.

At College Choice Counseling®, we regularly help students develop strategic college visit plans, identify the most important questions to ask, and translate what they learn on campus into stronger applications and supplemental essays. Our experience working with students applying to colleges across the country allows us to help families look beyond rankings and focus on finding the best overall fit.

Interested in learning more about the college admissions process? Contact College Choice Counseling® to discuss how we can help you build a balanced college list, strengthen your applications, and maximize your opportunities for admission.

At College Choice Counseling®, our counselors and tutors are here to help you with college counseling, college essay and application help, test prep tutoring, and academic subject tutoring. Reach out … we’ll help you succeed!

Barbara Connolly is the Founder of College Choice Counseling®, a Certified Educational Planner (CEP) and Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). She is a former University of Michigan Ross School of Business admissions reader with over 20 years of experience guiding students and families through highly competitive college admissions.