How to Take Full Advantage of a College Visit

It seems every college or university brochure has one: the photo of students taking their springtime class outdoors. They sit with notepads on the lush emerald lawn, enjoying the dappled sunlight filtering through the leafy branches of the old oak tree.

Nice picture, certainly. But not exactly a complete representation of life on a college campus.

For that, the prospective collegian will have to dig deeper - much deeper.

A campus visit is an excellent place to start. And according to both high school counselors and college admissions officers, there are ways to look "beneath the surface" of a picturesque campus to determine whether the college and the student are well-matched.

A campus visit should be more than just a quick afternoon trip. Students should try very hard to stay overnight, attend classes, and see the college in session. It's best to schedule the visit to include one weekday and one weekend day, in order to get a feel for both the academic and social life of a university.

Most tours are led by current undergraduates who try to gear the tour as much as possible to the interests of the students included in the group. They also try to get touring students over to the student union for coffee or lunch. Just being there in the middle of the day, finding out what students are talking about, can help applicants get a feel for the university.

In fact, conversing with current students is perhaps the best way for a high school junior or senior to gauge the campus culture.

Talk to the students. A prospective student might be sitting in on a class, and right next to him will be a student who's spent a year or more on campus, who can really provide insight into the school.

It's even better if a conversation can be arranged with college students who attended the applicant's high school.

They can cut through a lot and give you the nitty-gritty on the college from somewhat the same perspective.

Talking to a student from the same high school is especially important for minority students.

These students can point the applicant to counselors or student support groups that will ease his or her adjustment to university life.

It's also important to realize that there's nothing magic about structured or scheduled meetings with students attending the college.

Another tip is to plan a visit during one of the special days many universities hold for interested prospective students.

Also, special visit days , provided by colleges allow students and their parents to visit the campus, sit in on classes, attend a financial aid presentation and have meals in the dorm. Students can also arrange to have a one-on-one meeting with a counselor and stay overnight in a dormitory with a student host.

Of course, all of these steps can still leave high school visitors teetering on the fence as to whether the college is right for them.

At this point, it's best to examine a few of the features often overlooked on visits to universities. Check the bookstore and other facilities to find out how accessible they are. Also pick up the student newspaper. That can tell you a lot about the college.

Further, be really observant. Look at the bulletin boards in the student union, check the flyers on campus. They'll tell you what events are coming up, what things are happening at the school.

Above all, students should be prepared to study the institution as thoroughly as they've studied their high school textbooks.

The best way to go about it is to immerse yourself as fully as possible in the college - because the best decision is going to be a well-informed decision.

After all there's only so much you can get from a brochure.