College Visits and Interview Information Page

Below you will find a list of questions to ask a variety of individuals during your college visit. You will also find some information on how to make the most of your college visit and some quick tips for a better visit. Please review the information as needed, if you have additional questions you may reach out to anyone in the guidance office.

Please note that the Guidance Office does not excuse school days off for College Visits. We encourage students to schedule interviews/college visits on weekends and days when Father Judge students are not in school.

How to Make the Most of Your College Visit

Speak with an Admissions Counselor. In many cases, especially in smaller colleges, this same professional staff member will be reading your application later in the year. An appointment is usually required.

Tour the Campus. Most college tour guides are current students and are excellent sources of information. Look at the key facilities, including the library, the freshman residence halls, academic buildings, computer stations, and recreational areas. Read the bulletin boards to see what activities and campus issues are highlighted. Ask whether you will have access to the facilities as a first-year student.

Meet and talk with current students. Explore student satisfaction with the college, campus issues, activities, security, and diversity.

Meet with some faculty members. If possible, attend a class in an academic area of interest to you. Talk with a professor in your intended major. Ask about class size, access to faculty, office hours, research opportunities, internships, tutoring, and other special programs.

Pick up printed materials. Most Admission Officers have information that is not mailed to all prospective students. Get a copy of the campus newspaper, publications, and yearbook. They offer a wealth of information, both good and bad, that accurately informs you about campus life.

Investigate areas of special interest. For example, ask about intramural and varsity athletics, fine arts facilities, student government, student publications, fraternities and sororities, off-campus housing, etc.

Take a close look at the area around the campus. Ask both the Admission Office staff and individual students about both the neighborhood and the town or city, and whether you can find the cultural and social opportunities you may be looking for.

Take careful notes during your visits. You will probably be visiting several colleges and will need to refer to notes to refresh your memory.

If you are with your parents or someone else, consider splitting up during the visit. Then be sure to compare your individual experiences and impressions.

Ten Quick Tips For a Better College Visit

Be prepared. Research each college and prepare some questions for your interviewer and tour guide.
Be yourself. Dress comfortably but neatly. Be relaxed and friendly and participate in conversations.
Make an appointment. Do so well in advance of your planned visits.
Be on time!
Do not try to do too much
- If you try to see more than 1 or 2 colleges per day, it will be difficult to get an accurate perception of those institutions.
Take notes. Write down your impressions immediately.
Meet people. Ask to talk to students and professors. Be brave and have lunch at a dining hall.
Observe everything. Notice whether classrooms, the library, residence hall rooms, dining halls, and recreation areas are well maintained, comfortable, and functional.
Don't wait. Try to make your visits before you apply to the school, so you can determine if you and the college are a good match. Do not procrastinate so that it becomes too late to fit them all in.
Have Fun!!

When you talk to students ask...

How many hours a week do you study? Is that typical of the students here?
Are campus jobs readily available?
Are faculty members interested in the students? Are they accessible outside of class?
Do many students go home on weekends?
Is the food good?
Is it possible to study in your dorm room?
What is the library like as a place to study? To do research?
What do you like most about this college? Least?
How easy is it to get the classes you want at registration?

As you tour campus, ask yourself...

Are the buildings in good repair?
Are there new buildings as well as older ones?
Is the lab equipment up-to-date and plentiful?
Are rooms in the residence halls pleasant? Quiet enough to study in?
Are common areas in the residence halls attractive? Are there laundry and kitchen facilities?
What is the cafeteria like?
If attending a class, do the students seem interested and challenged? Is there a good rapport between professors and students?
Are the grounds well kept? Safe?
What is the surrounding neighborhood or town like? Would I feel comfortable here?

If you are interviewed you will probably be asked about your academic background, interests, hobbies, goals, and why you are interested in the college. It's natural to be nervous, but try to relax and see it as a conversation in which you ask questions, too.

When your Visit is over, ask yourself...

Below you will find some questions you could ask during a college interview (if Applicable). If you are interviewed you will probably be asked about your academic background, interests, hobbies, goals, and why you are interested in the college. It's natural to be nervous, but try to relax and see it as a conversation in which you ask questions, too.

In your interview, you could ask...

What is distinctive about this college?
Does the college have academic programs, including internships, co-ops, study abroad, etc. that fit my interests?
Will I be expected to bring my own computer? If not, will I have easy access to a computer? Is there wireless technology?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the college's advising system?
How many students will there be in the courses I am likely to take in my first year? Are those courses taught by professors or graduate assistants?
What extra-curricular activities are there on campus? What are the facilities like?
Are there new programs or facilities that will be available in the next couple of years?
What are the college's recent graduates doing now?
Is it likely that I will be admitted? Should I be doing anything else to increase my chances of admittance?
Does the college have a need-blind admissions policy (meaning that the amount of financial aid you need will have no effect on whether or not you will be admitted)?