15 Questions to Ask on a College Tour (That Aren’t in the Brochure)
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Visiting a college in person is our favorite way to get to know a campus. There’s truly no replacement for walking around the quad, talking to real college students and testing out the “vibe” of each community.
Before each college tour, do some research on the school, familiarizing yourself with the basics. This will help you brainstorm some questions to investigate during your tour — our question guide of over 110 questions can help you maximize your experience on campus. Once you arrive, ask questions that focus on personal perspectives or lesser known stats to help your student explore what a good fit means to them. Below are 15 suggested questions.
Ask what’s coming next.
It can be really enlightening to hear what a college has in the works. Are they developing new majors or programs? Is there new construction planned? What are community members excited about? Understanding what investments the college is making in students can help you understand each institution’s priorities.
Ask about the graduation rates.
Most colleges report 5- or 6-year graduation rates, and national statistics are usually 6-year percentages. Spending additional semesters in college can be expensive, especially if scholarships are only renewable for four years. Be explicit if you want to know the 4-year graduation rate. You can also ask if students who stay longer are those who’ve changed their majors, or if they couldn’t fit their requirements into four years.
Ask how roommates are matched.
Tour guides might casually say that roommates are matched “randomly”, but what they usually mean is that the person you are paired with is a stranger to you. Most schools use a roommate questionnaire to match you with someone compatible, so it’s not really random. Most schools will allow you to choose your own roommate too.
Ask about mentors.
Research shows that having a mentor in college is strongly correlated with student success and well-being later in life. How are students assigned academic advisors? Are alumni available to mentor students? Are new students connected with older students through orientation or residential life?
Ask about outcomes.
Does the career office actively assist all students, or are they mostly focused on graduating seniors? Are students assisted in finding internships and summer experiences? Is there any funding available to support unpaid or costly opportunities? Are alumni engaged with current students through the career department?
Ask about breadth.
Are you able, or encouraged, to take courses outside your major? Are essentially all of the courses in your department required for your major, or are there ways to customize your education? Are all classes taught using the same framework, or will you find a mix of lectures, discussions, and project-based learning? Are double-majors or minors common? (Can they be completed within four years?)
Ask about support.
Where do students turn when they’re struggling? Is there an academic support office with tutoring and writing assistance? What support is available for students with learning disabilities? How often are faculty office hours? What mental health services are available? Are there limits on when and how frequently students can use these resources?
Ask about support in areas of particular need or interest.
Does the school offer first-generation student support, an LGBTQ center, a multicultural student center, religious groups or places of worship, support for athletes, disability services, or financial support? Identify your needs as a family, so you can look for support and resources on campus.
Ask about institutional priorities.
This is a buzzword in college admissions—institutional priorities refer to the qualities each college seeks, as they build their next incoming class. Most admissions officers will happily share some of them with you, and you can often glean priorities from a school’s strategic plan. Sometimes priorities shift quickly during the admissions cycle, and some are very different from one year to the next, which is one reason why admissions outcomes are difficult to predict. Examples could be balancing genders on campus, looking for students to join a new or growing academic program and seeking more in-state students.
Ask about demonstrated interest.
Your level of interest in a college could impact their decision. Each school will tell you if this matters to them, or you can use their Common Data Set* (Section C7) to research this yourself. If it’s a factor, you’ll know that you should intentionally connect with the admissions office and staff to be sure that your interactions are tracked. You can also do small, simple things like following the school’s social accounts and opening/clicking on the emails you receive from colleges to stay engaged.
*The Common Data Set is a standard set of data, available publicly for most colleges. Google the name of the institution and “Common Data Set” to find it. Section C is all about first-year admission.
Ask about amenities and personal needs.
Where will you fill prescriptions or get your hair cut? Will you need to leave campus to go grocery shopping or attend religious services? Will you have a car and need a parking pass? How will you get to the airport for semester breaks?
Ask who doesn’t thrive at this school.
Instead of asking about a typical student, ask who wouldn’t fit in. College campuses can be diverse places, so it’s often easier to point out who would not thrive. A shy student who prefers to be in large lectures might not prefer a smaller school with discussion-based classes; a student who wants to delve into one subject area might not fit in a liberal arts curriculum; a student looking for close faculty mentorship might be unhappy at a large research university.
Ask about direct-admit programs and changing majors.
Some colleges will require you to apply to specific programs at the time of admission, and they may restrict transfer opportunities later on. These are usually the most competitive programs like nursing, computer science, business, or engineering. Additionally, some colleges restrict when students can change their majors or will warn you to expect to spend more than four years on campus, if you do change your mind.
Ask opinion questions—and keep asking!
Ask everyone you meet on campus why they chose the school, their favorite traditions, where they like to study, how they chose their major, what their favorite dining hall food is, where they like to go off-campus, and what surprised them about the school.
BONUS for Parents: What should you ask?
The best policy is to discuss this with your child before you arrive on campus. What do they want to be in charge of investigating, and which areas are they comfortable with you taking the lead? Students will often happily allow parents to ask about safety, financial aid, deadlines, meal plans, or housing, but they often want to ask about academics, extracurricular interests, social life, roommates, workload, and faculty relationships. If your child is not used to taking the lead, campus visits are a good time to practice this skill.
Tips for Parents on tour:
If there is more than one tour guide, you and your child can split up and take two different tours. You’re less likely to “steal their thunder” or inadvertently embarrass them with your questions, and you’ll have more to talk about on the trip home as you compare notes.
Remember to ask your child what they thought of each college tour before you give your opinion. Students won’t be influenced by your comments if they share their impressions first.
Enjoy your time with each other as well as getting to know a potential college!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Try to visit when classes are in session, and on a weekday, for the full experience. Summer and other breaks might mean a slower pace and fewer undergrads to interact with; weekends have fewer academic activities. However, any visit is better than none! Take the opportunity to visit a college campus whenever you can with your high school-aged students by adding a tour to a family vacation or road trip.
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There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. We recommend that younger students start by visiting a small school and a larger one; try to see an urban campus and a suburban or rural one too. You could visit older family or friends who are already in college and tour their campuses. These schools won’t necessarily be the best fits for you, but the early visits will give you a baseline and help you understand your college search preferences. It’s helpful to have something to compare the actual contenders to, and to understand the basic terminology of a tour. At The College Spy, we find that students who tour at least six campuses are most prepared for the application process. They make final college choice decisions more confidently too.
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Yes! While it’s always worthwhile to explore the culture of a school in unofficial ways, or to accept an offer to visit with an athletic coach, a faculty member, or a friend who is already enrolled, the official visit is the one that will count. Demonstrated interest matters at many colleges (Remember the Common Data Set?). A formal tour is also a way to be sure you’re hearing the official information about the application process.
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Absolutely! There are important reasons why a student might visit the same school more than once. Sometimes, the first visit is casual (or even virtual), and you’ll decide to go back for an official campus tour and information session. In some cases, the initial visit was early in high school; younger students tend to look at the big picture where juniors and seniors pay more attention to details that are relevant to their needs and preferences. Students will also revisit a college when they are considering applying early decision, a binding early deadline, just to be confident in their choice.
The most common reason to revisit is after a student has been admitted, when their perspective has shifted, and they might be comparing just two or three final contenders. It feels so much more real with an offer on the table! The College Spy has a guide for maximizing a second campus visit - grab it here. -
Thinking ahead, and deciding on your family’s priorities are great ways to start. The first few official tours will also help you focus your questions on topics that matter to your child. To maximize your experience on campus and make sure you don’t miss important experiences, obtain a copy of The College Spy’s Campus Visits card deck.
