Getting the most out of a college visit means asking the right questions, to the right people, to help decide if the school is
right for you. This sample questionnaire contains questions to consider asking during your campus visit, arranged by topic
and school representative.
You will only need to ask some of these questions because everything depends on your unique needs and interests. But
you may also need to ask additional questions that aren’t covered here.
What matters most is doing your research first and then developing your own list of questions. You should also take notes
during your visit or otherwise document the answers you receive, so you can review them later.
Before You Begin: Important Best Practices
Customize your questions.
based on your unique needs and the school you’re visiting. For example, if study abroad,
internships, athletics, specific majors or extracurriculars are particularly important to you, you may need to ask additional
questions aimed at these topics. If you’re visiting a large state school, you may want to ask about class sizes, student-to-
faculty ratio, and additional programs and majors that might be available at a larger school.
Ask your student what is most important.
and use those answers to finalize your questions. To help you create your own
customized list of questions, you can use the check boxes in this questionnaire to check off the questions that are relevant
to you.
Be specific and not general. If you ask vague, general questions, you’ll get similar answers. For example, don’t ask “How
much homework is there?” Be specific and ask, “How many hours per day do students spend on homework outside of
class?”
Ask follow-up questions too. If the initial answer doesn’t give you all the information you need, ask for more details or find
out how you can learn more.
Want to save this list for later? Get an easy-to-read PDF of our College Visits Checklist Questionnaire here.
Academics
- What is your four-year graduation rate? What is your five-year graduation rate?
- What does it take to graduate in four years?
- What percentage of freshmen return for their sophomore year?
- Are some majors or departments considered stronger or more popular than others?
- What is the student/faculty ratio for my intended major?
- How large are typical classes? What is the average introductory class size? How large is an average upper-level
course? - Are the classes more lecture-based or discussion-based?
- Would you describe any classes as especially innovative or project-based?
- How many of the classes are taught by a professor, and how many are taught by a teaching assistant?
- Are the professors accessible outside of class?
- What are midterms and final exams like?
- What kind of classes have smaller section meetings? What are they like?
- Are there any especially popular classes or must-have professors?
- How much freedom do freshmen have in choosing courses?
- Are students usually able to take their first choice courses?
- How are freshman advisors assigned?
- Is it easy to change your major?
- How would you describe the freshman experience, in terms of advising or any classes that everyone has to take?
- Do the professors hold office hours? How often can students interact with professors outside of class?
- Can undergraduates work with professors on research?
- Is there an honors college and are there honors programs or capstone classes? If so, what are they like?
- How many hours of class do students typically have each week?
- How many hours per day do students spend on homework outside of class?
- How much writing and reading is required?
- Are finals more exam-based or project / essay-based?
- Where are the best places to study on campus? Are their quiet places available for studying?
- What are the hours for the library? Do these change during reading periods or exam weeks?
- Does the school have access to additional local library collections or collections from other schools?
- Are there any research methods or databases I should learn about for my classes?
- Do any majors require seniors to write a thesis or complete a senior project?
Academic and Social-Emotional Support
- Can you get help from professors outside of the classroom?
- Is there free academic support or tutoring? What resources are available? Are they effective?
- How do you provide academic advice to students? How involved are academic advisors?
- Is there a learning community or other freshman experience?
- What kind of resources are there for international student support and orientation?
- What kind of learning disability resources does the school offer?
- Is there a writing center to help with essays and research papers? How do I access it?
- Are academic advisers accessible and effective?
- Do the librarians help with research?
- Do students organize study groups or online discussion forums?
- Are there computer labs? Is there IT assistance?
- Are their student health services available? How accessible and helpful are they?
- What kinds of mental health counseling and stress management programs are available?
- Do students or administrators organize conversations for students to talk about their feelings on important issues and events?
- Are there social orientation programs for freshmen? Are they enjoyable?
- Is there career counseling? How long does it take for recent grads to find a full-time job in their career field?
- Are there networking or career fairs held each year?
- How accessible and involved are alumni?Can you get help from professors outside of the classroom?
- Is there free academic support or tutoring? What resources are available? Are they effective?
- How do you provide academic advice to students? How involved are academic advisors?
- Is there a learning community or other freshman experience?
- What kind of resources are there for international student support and orientation?
- What kind of learning disability resources does the school offer?
- Is there a writing center to help with essays and research papers? How do I access it?
- Are academic advisers accessible and effective?
- Do the librarians help with research?
- Do students organize study groups or online discussion forums?
- Are there computer labs? Is there IT assistance?
- Are their student health services available? How accessible and helpful are they?
- What kinds of mental health counseling and stress management programs are available?
- Do students or administrators organize conversations for students to talk about their feelings on important issues and events?
- Are there social orientation programs for freshmen? Are they enjoyable?
- Is there career counseling? How long does it take for recent grads to find a full-time job in their career field?
- Are there networking or career fairs held each year?
- How accessible and involved are alumni?
Want to download this list to read later? Click here to get an easy-to-read PDF version of this page.
Research, Internship, and Study Abroad Opportunities
- What kind of opportunities exist for undergraduates to work on research or academic projects with professors? How
many students participate in undergraduate research? - What kind of internships are available? How many students get internships? Where have students interned?
- Are any departments known for their contribution to research?
- Do any majors prepare students to continue as researchers in a Master’s or doctoral program?
- Are study abroad programs available? What percentage of students study abroad? Are any particular programs
popular? - Do most students study abroad on a program through the school or an external program?
- Do students of certain majors, like engineers, find it difficult to study abroad?
- Are there internship opportunities abroad?
- Are there opportunities through the school for summer internships or research?
Extracurriculars
- What activities are offered to students? What are some of the most popular and why?
- What clubs do you have on campus?
- What opportunities exist for community service?
- Do sports play a large role on campus? What divisions are the sports teams? What about intramurals or exercise
classes? - Is there a gym or exercise facility for students? How late is it open?
- Can you talk about the fill-in-the-blank club? (Examples might include the student newspaper, student magazine,
international relations clubs, art groups, science clubs, musical performances, plays, bands, ensembles…whatever
you’re interested in!) - In what ways do students connect with and volunteer in the surrounding community?
- Are any art or music practice spaces available to non-majors?
Residence Life
- What kind of dorm choices are there?
- What are the dorms like? Are there lounges, laundry, and kitchens? Shared or private restrooms?
- Are dorms spread out across campus or clustered in one area?
- Do certain dorms appeal to students with different interests, like a “healthy living” dorm?
- How are residence halls secured?
- Are there any late-night shuttle services or other programs to ensure student safety?
- Do most students live in the dorms? What about after sophomore or junior year? If they move off campus, do they
live in apartments or shared houses? - What are the off-campus living options and what do they typically cost?
- What’s the availability, speed and quality of Wi-Fi on campus?
- Do most students go home on the weekend?
- Are any students placed in triples?
- How are the resident counselors? Do they plan social events for freshmen to get to know one another?
- Do most students get along with their randomly assigned roommates?
- What would I do in case of a conflict or need for a room switch? Is that possible?
- What kind of food does the dining hall serve? Are there different options? How is it, really?
- Does the dining hall accommodate special dietary restrictions?
- Are there any aspiring chefs on campus who host occasional exclusive gourmet pop-up dinners? (This question may
be exclusive to this kid and this kid. So cool!) - What percentage of the student body belongs to a sorority or fraternity?
Campus Culture and Surrounding Area
- Where do students tend to hang out on and off campus?
- Are there movie theaters and concert venues? What about good cafes for getting work done or finding the perfect pumpkin spice latte?
- How would you describe the presence of Greek life? Do a lot of students belong to fraternities or sororities?
- How ethnically diverse is the campus?
- How many international students are there? What countries do they come from?
- Do students stick around or go home on weekends?
- What’s the party scene like? (This might be a question to ask current students away from the group tour.)
- Have there been any recent student protests? What were they protesting, and how did staff and faculty respond?
- What are some big campus events, like homecoming or alumni weekend?
- Is it easy to get around campus or get off campus without a car?
- What transportation options are there around campus?
- Is it a safe area to walk around at night? What kind of safety measures are in place?
- Do many students work on or off campus? What kind of campus or local part-time jobs are available? How easy is it
to find a part-time job?
Questions for Current Students and Student Tour Guides
- Why did you choose this college?
- What are your favorite and least favorite things about going to school here?
- What’s your favorite class and why?
- What’s it like to study in your major?
- How helpful did you find your freshman year advisor?
- What do you wish you had known going into freshman year?
- What do you wish you had asked on a campus tour when you were in my place?
- What’s a typical weekday like for you?
- What surprised you about campus life here?
- Is there anything you wish you had donev differently to improve your experience here?
- Are there any things you’d like to change about the school?
- What would be your most important advice for freshmen?
- How accessible are professors?
- How hard do you have to work to get good grades?
- How easy is it to get around campus?
- What do you honestly think of the dining hall food?
- What’s your favorite spot you’ve discovered on campus since arriving?
Questions for Admissions Officer
- What’s unique about this college?
- What leads most students to choose this college?
- What qualities and experiences are you looking for in applicants?
- Can you tell me more about the application evaluation process?
- How large of a role do test scores play in admissions?
- Can my tests (AP, SAT subject tests, etc.) be used for credit?
- Is admission need-blind or need-aware?
- How many students are typically accepted through early admission?
- Are things like family legacy considered in admission?
- Do you have any advice for applicants? Does this differ for early versus regular decision applications?
- What percentage of students graduate in four years?
- What are the college’s most important values, and how does it demonstrate this to students?
- What sort of student would succeed here?
- What sort of student might not be happy here?
- Can you tell me about career placements or grad school acceptances for graduates?
- How do you help students prepare for post-grad employment?
- Do you have an active alumni network?
Questions to Ask Financial Aid Officer
- What is your average financial aid package?
- Does financial aid typically change much after freshman year?
- What is the typical breakdown of loans vs. grants?
- What kind of need-based financial aid do you offer?
- Do you meet 100% of demonstrated financial need?
- What information do you require besides the FAFSA?
- How many students receive merit-based scholarships? How much is offered? What is the average merit award?
- What kind of need-based scholarships are offered?
- What percentage of students receive college grants?
- Are there other scholarships that students can apply for at the time of application?
- How much do students typically owe after graduating?
- Can I renegotiate my offer if it’s lower than I expected?
- Is there a work-study program? What jobs are available, and how easily can students get a work-study job?
Questions to Ask a Professor
- What percentage of students receive college grants?
- Are there other scholarships that students can apply for at the time of application?
- How much do students typically owe after graduating?
- Can I renegotiate my offer if it’s lower than I expected?
- Is there a work-study program? What jobs are available, and how easily can students get a work-study job?
- What are your expectations for students in your class?
- How can students succeed in your class?
- What are typical requirements, like exams, papers, or presentations in a semester?
- What kind of materials would I use in your class?
- What skills or knowledge would you consider to be prerequisites?
- Do you offer any opportunities for students to do research?
- What other opportunities are available outside of the classroom to reinforce my learning, like cultural clubs or
festivals? - How often do you meet with or mentor students outside of class?
- What are the strengths of your program? Department?
- What’s the community of students who major in this program like? Do they act as peer mentors, collaborate on
projects, or form study groups? - What could I do to prepare for further research at the graduate level?
- Would I be required or able to write a hno thesis or do a capstone project?
- How much flexibility would I have in shaping my major or taking an interdisciplinary approach?
Questions to Ask Yourself
- How did you really feel when you were on campus?
- How did staff members interact with students? Were they friendly or authoritarian?
- How would you feel about being in a classroom with the students you met? What about sharing a dorm with them?
- Did the students try to make you feel at home? Were they helpful in answering your questions? How did they interact
with one another? - Did the campus seem like a good size for you?
- Were the dorms single-sex or co-ed? How did you feel about that?
- Were the dorms too quiet? Too noisy? Too crowded? Too anything for your tastes?
- Did it seem like there was much to do outside of campus?
- Did you feel comfortable and safe?
- Are there stores nearby where you can buy groceries, dorm supplies, materials for class projects, etc.?
Questions to Avoid
A final good rule of thumb is to avoid asking questions that are overly personal, that put someone on the spot, or are easily
answered via Google or a quick search of the school’s website. For instance, questions like the following fall into this
category:
- Do you think I will be admitted?
- How much financial aid do you think I will get?
- What were your test scores, GPA, etc.?
- How much financial aid did you get?
- Do you have a psychology major?
- How much is tuition?
- What’s the weather like?
- How many students are in the freshman class?
- What was last year’s acceptance rate?
- When was the school founded?
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